An injured journalist, Luka Binniyat, is today spending 13 days in custody for reporting against Governor Nasir El-Rufai’s handling of the Southern Kaduna killings by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
Mr. Binniyat, an activist and former bureau chief of Vanguard Newspapers, had consistently confronted Mr. El-Rufai for not stopping the bloody invasion of Southern Kaduna communities by herdsmen.
Irked by the reporter’s constant challenge to rein in the herdsmen which the governor said were from neighbouring Chad, Niger Republic, and the Cameroon, Mr. El-Rufai got Mr. Binniyat arrested and prosecuted when he made an error of judgment on a single report.
At a time herdsmen were wreaking havoc in parts of Southern Kaduna, Mr. Luka got information from a local that five students of the College of Education Gidan Waya, were killed.
He prepared and filed the report but later found the information was false and made attempts to withdraw it to no avail.
On July 12, Justice Bashir Sukola, of the Kaduna State High Court, issued an order to remand the journalist in prison custody.
However, when the case came up on July 20, Justice Sukola set the bail conditions to include the defendant producing two sureties who must deposit their international passports with the court.
The judge also ordered each of the surety to deposit a bank bond to the sum of N10 million, which they must be prepared to renew every six months.
He, however, adjourned the case to August 31, while Mr. Binniyat was taken back to the Kaduna Prison, pending the argument and perfection of his bail conditions.
Speaking shortly after the hearing, lead counsel to the journalist, Alex Marama, said the bail conditions were too stringent for his client.
He promised that the defence team will file an application to seek a review of the conditions in the interest of equity and justice.
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the continuous incarceration of Mr. Binniyat.
NUJ Vice President, South East, Christopher Isiguzo, while on a visit to the detained journalist at the Kaduna Prison last Thursday, said the union was unhappy with the bail conditions set by the judge.
“We want to also express displeasure over the conditions attached to his bail by a Kaduna High Court. We are talking about a journalist and not a criminal or hoodlum,” Isiguzo said.
“He is not part of those asking people to vacate any part of the country and you are attaching such stringent bail conditions to him.
“We are, therefore, calling for the immediate and unconditional release of our colleague. The CJN and the NJC should also intervene so judges don’t continue to drag the image of the judiciary in the mud.
We in NUJ know how to fraternise with our colleagues. Please keep hopes alive, it’s just a matter of time before you know, you will be out of here,” he assured.
Also speaking during the visit, the Vice President for the North Central, Wilson Bako, told Mr. Binniyat he should rest assured that his persecution has made him a hero.
“The NUJ is a family and no matter where one of us has a problem, we will go there and see how we can resolve it,” he assured.
On his part, the Chairman NUJ Kaduna Council, Adamu Yusuf, thanked the visiting journalists and promised that their colleagues from the state will not fail to reciprocate the gesture.
“On behalf of NUJ Kaduna, we thank you for your time and patience to come and give us this massive solidarity. Kaduna will always reciprocate such support to you whenever the need arises,” he said.
Others on the visit were the Chairman Enugu State Council, Rex Arum, immediate past Chairman, Kogi State Council, Ali Arabor, immediate past Secretary NUJ Kaduna State Council, Dominic Uzu and Online Editor New Nigerian Newspapers, Jacob Onjewu Dickson.
While the governor has pursued Mr. Binniyat’s case with doggedness, he has failed to prosecute killer herdsmen, who have been sacking communities and killing hundreds in Southern Kaduna.
