Kaduna Journalist Released After Police Arrest Over Facebook Post

On the evening of Monday, October 19, police officers arrested Farida Isiak, a reporter employed by Nagarta Radio in Kaduna State. The arrest followed her posting on Facebook, which contained criticism directed at the Nigeria Police Force and a Divisional Police Officer.

After the Commissioner of Police personally intervened, she was released from custody. During her detention, Amnesty International issued calls for her immediate release and characterised the arrest as arbitrary in nature.

Defending its actions, the Kaduna State Police Command issued a statement through DSP Mansir Hassan, its Public Relations Officer. According to the command, Isiak's social media post included remarks about the police force, an officer, and that officer's family members.

The police stressed that before drawing any conclusions, one must examine the circumstances of the underlying dispute. The command rejected the notion that this case amounted solely to restricting media freedom, urging instead what officials called responsible journalism.

According to Amnesty International, a Sharia court sitting in Kawo, Kaduna State, imposed a four-year prison sentence on Isiak relating to the social media post. Following this judgment, she obtained bail and was freed.

The international human rights body contended that authorities had instrumentalised the judicial system against the journalist and called for the withdrawal of all charges and the termination of proceedings. On Wednesday, Isiak spoke to Daily Trust newspaper to confirm her release but declined to elaborate further.

Despite obtaining bail, her case continues to be heard by the courts. This episode has brought scrutiny to how media-related matters are handled within Nigeria's legal framework and the manner in which law enforcement responds to public criticism.