Inuwa Bwala, publisher of National Trail, an online publication is still being kept in detention, despite appeals by the Nigerian Guild of Editors, NGE. The NGE has asked agencies of government to desist from taking the country back to the dark days when the media was gagged and the citizenry could not freely air their views about goings on in the country.
Inuwa-Bwala
Though TELL confirmed that Bwala is allowed limited access to his family, his continued detention is a contravention of the rule of law. The NGE is particularly concerned that the arrest and detention of media practitioners is becoming a trend under the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari.
Recently, Dapo Olorunyomi, publisher of Premium Times, the investigative online medium was arrested along side his editor. They were only released following an outcry. In the case of Bwala, the report is that he is being held over a petition by Usman Durkwa, deputy governor of his home state of Borno. Durkwa allegedly claims that the publisher mobilized youths to beat him up on the eve of 2015 elections in the state. Bwala is still being detained at the State Criminal and Investigation Department, SCID in Maiduguri.
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