Due to several calls and enquiries on why the former Kaduna Bureau Chief of Vanguard Newspapers, Luka Binniyat, has continued to be remanded at the Kaduna Prison for nearly three months over alleged publication of false report, I am compelled to shed light on why the journalists is still without hope of regaining freedom soonest; no thanks to stringent bail conditions imposed by Justice Bashir Sukola of the Kaduna High Court.
On January 22, 2017, the reporter fi led a report to the Lagos head offi ce of Vanguard Newspaper that fi ve students of Kaduna College of Education, Gidan Waya, Kafanchan, were allegedly murdered by suspected herdsmen. In those days, unlike now, southern Kaduna was a global cynosure of barbaric killings. Like every reporter desiring to be the fi rst to break the story, he quickly fi led the report.
Less than two hours after, Binniyat discovered the report was false and quickly contacted his editor to drop it. Th e editor directed him through a text message to send a text as he was in a meeting. Quickly, Binniyat sent the text message requesting the story should not be published having been discovered as false. As an experienced reporter, who then had put in over 10 years of dedicated service to Vanguard, he also called his news editor on the same matter. Th e news editor said he was not in the offi ce, but promised to get in touch with the editor.
Th at was about 5pm of January 22, 2017. Still determined to ensure the story was not published, Binniyat around 8pm same day tried to reach his editor, but his calls were not responded to. He later re-sent the text he had sent to him earlier. All Binniyat’s eff orts to stop the publication of the report failed as the story was curiously published on January 23, 2017 edition of Vanguard. With the false report on print, the professional way to handle the issue was a simple rebuttal and apology to readers by the newspaper.
Th at was not done by the editors despite the obvious slip-up on their part. Few months later, operatives of Department of State Security Services (DSS) invited the reporter for a chat. On arrival at the DSS offi ce in Kaduna, the case was transferred to the police for prosecution. Around April 2017, Binniyat was arraigned in a magistrate court where he was granted bail after spending a night in jail. Many wondered and are still wondering why the reporter was sued without the medium that published the contentious story.
Again, on July 12, 2017, Binniyat was arraigned before a Kaduna High Court where he spent nine days before the judge entertained his bail application. Interestingly, all the brilliant submissions by Binniyat’s lawyer, James Kanyip, to attract sympathy for his client, who had appeared before the court on crutches, failed as Justice Sukola insisted that he was only favourably disposed to hear the bail argument on July 21, 2017.
Finally, the court granted the bail, but too stringent conditions to be met by the defendant. Two sureties were required to produce N10 million bond each and should be prepared to review the bond after every six months. What sounds as a death knell on the bail condition is the requirement that the sureties should surrender their international passports throughout the duration of the case. Despite serving Vanguard Newspapers meritoriously for over 10 years, many are confused as to why the media organisation has bizarrely abandoned one of its best reporters when he needed them most. Th e mind-boggling question remains: ‘
Are there pecuniary and selfi sh interests being pursued by Vanguard editors that make it impossible for them to speak up for Binniyat?’ For now, Binniyat may have become a victim of ethical compromise in the course of carrying out his professional duties. I have been privileged to work as reporter in various newspapers in Nigeria. I am aware of the tremendous challenges facing media practitioners reporting on confl icts.
Th e professional disposition Binniyat brought to bear on his handling of the report in question, which is now being used to perpetually detain him, should have attracted commendation instead of cold abandonment by his former employers. Ideally, the editor and other news gate keepers, who allowed such contentious report despite Binniyat’s eff orts in stopping its publication, should be facing disciplinary committee for violation of ethics.
Yes, granted the fact that there has been no love lost between Kaduna state government and the reporter, what evil did Binniyat commit to warrant this shuddering treatment from his employers? Binniyat’s dilemma should serve as a wake-up call not just to practitioners, but also owners of media outfi ts. As I ponder on the reporter’s travails, so many questions come to mind: “What was the off ence of Binniyat?
Did he do anything wrong by requesting his editor and news editor not to publish the story he fi led and later discovered was false? Was someone after him and wanted to use the story to do him in? Has the NUJ at the state level and national done enough to end Binniyat’s dilemma? Can’t the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) do something to rescue reporters from editors?
” Th ough tormented by the injustice unleashed on the former Vanguard reporter, I am emboldened by the submission of late Dele Giwa, who said: “Any injustice done by man to man will be addressed. If not now, then, certainly later. If not by men, then by God, for the victory of evil over good can only be temporary.” It is not too late for NUJ, NGE and all men and women of goodwill to mobilise support to end Binniyat’s dilemma. Every day Binniyat spends in Kaduna Prison is a dark cloud on what the Nigeria media stands for. Reef is a media professional
