The Niger state government has dismissed reports of an arrest of a journalist at the Government House as false and malicious, stating that it was aimed at distracting its attention from the rescue of abducted students.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mohammed Sani Idris, stated this while reacting to the report.
According to the report, the chief press secretary to Governor Abubaker Sani Bello, Mrs. Mary Noel Barje, allegedly ordered the arrest of the journalist.
“It is quite unfortunate that people can begin to spread such speculations because everybody knows our relationship with journalists in the state, right from the NUJ at the state level to all our chapels, most especially the Correspondents’ Chapel. We have been enjoying a very harmonious relationship. I don’t think anybody that knows Niger state will even take it when you begin to say that anybody in government could order the arrest of journalists. That is a complete lie and falsehood aimed at tarnishing the good image of the Niger state government,” the commissioner said.
He said the government and journalists in the state had been working together cordially as friends and partners, adding that “it is, however, disturbing for anyone to cook up such unsubstantiated claims of arrest by government aides when the state is going through security challenges of banditry.”
Idris said the particular journalist had entered a restricted area within the Government House and was approached not to go further.
He said the government will however not be distracted by such falsehood in the present security challenges facing the state, adding that, “How on earth do you expect us as a responsible government to pay heed to any distraction? We don’t have time to be distracted because someone decides to spread malicious pieces of news.”
