0:00
Justice Muhammad Garba Umar of the
0:02
Federal High Court sitting in Abuja on
0:04
Friday apparently rejected the plans by
0:06
the Inspector General of Police IGP Care
0:10
Eggbe token to stop the upcoming Monday
0:13
October 20th planned mass protests by
0:15
Nigerians to demand the release of the
0:17
detained Bafra Republic agitation leader
0:20
Mazi Nami Kanu. But according to the
0:24
organizer of the protest, Omi Saware,
0:26
after the judge initially declined to
0:28
grant the Nigeria Police Force an ex
0:31
party motion to stop the planned protest
0:33
in the open court, the Federal High
0:36
Court judge, Justice Umar reportedly
0:38
granted the motion in chambers, imposing
0:41
a ban on protests at Aso Rock Villa,
0:43
National Assembly or Unity Fountain in
0:46
Abuja. We await a certified true copy of
0:49
the order which our lawyers will review.
0:51
The protest remains unstoppable. While
0:54
this is ongoing, the United States US
0:56
Embassy in Nigeria has warned America
0:59
citizens to be far from the protest
1:02
areas and limit their movements in the
1:04
Nigeria capital city Abuja saying the
1:07
planned protest may lead to disruptions
1:10
and violence. Detailed of the court
1:12
action as captured by Punch newspaper.
1:15
The Federal High Court in Abuja has
1:17
refused the Nigeria Police Force's bid
1:20
to stop the free Nambdi Canyono protest,
1:23
allowing it to proceed as scheduled on
1:25
Monday, October 20th, 2025.
1:28
The inspector general of police Kyod
1:31
Egen had dispatched police lawyers to
1:34
the court to move an exarty motion
1:36
against activist and protest organizer
1:39
Saware in a bid to legally preempt the
1:42
planned demonstration slated for the Aso
1:44
Rock Villa. However, Justice Umar of the
1:47
Federal High Court Abuja declined to
1:50
grant the motion which would have
1:52
immediately restrained the protest from
1:54
taking place without hearing the
1:56
opposing side. The judge instead
1:58
instructed the police to formally serve
2:00
notice of their application on Saware
2:03
and adjourned the case until Tuesday for
2:05
a proper contested hearing. Reacting to
2:08
the judicial decision, the protest
2:10
convenor Saware affirmed the court's
2:14
decision as a victory for civil
2:15
liberties and doubled down on the
2:17
scheduled protest. In a statement issued
2:20
on his exhandle on Friday following the
2:22
ruling, Saware said, "IG of Police
2:26
Nigeria Kyod Eggbean dispatched police
2:29
lawyers to Sumi in an effort to halt the
2:31
free Namikanuno protest scheduled for
2:33
Aso Rock Villa on Monday. However, the
2:37
judge, Justice Umar of Federal High
2:39
Court in Abuja, refused to grant the
2:41
exarty motion, instead instructing him
2:44
to serve me notice and adjourning the
2:46
case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.
2:49
The demonstration organized under the
2:52
#free Namikinudo is intended to draw
2:55
attention to the prolonged detention and
2:57
legal fate of Kanu. The police action
2:59
was seen as an attempt to leverage the
3:01
courts to prevent a potentially
3:03
sensitive gathering near the seat of
3:05
Nigerian power. The adjournment to
3:08
Tuesday ensures that the planned Monday
3:10
protest is not currently constrained by
3:12
a court order, setting the stage for a
3:14
potential high-profile confrontation
3:17
between protesters and security agencies
3:19
around the presidential villa. Channels
3:22
television also on Friday reported that
3:25
ahead of the free Nambdikuno protest
3:27
slated for Monday October 20th in the
3:29
nation. Whenever controversies surround
3:31
Rufi, the outspoken and fearless
3:34
broadcaster on Arise television, one
3:37
recurring argument often resurfaces in
3:39
public discourse. The claim that Rufi is
3:43
not a journalist. Critics are quick to
3:45
emphasize that he lacks a formal
3:47
academic background in journalism,
3:49
having originally trained in animal
3:51
anatomy. But beyond the semantics of
3:53
qualification, a deeper question
3:55
emerges. What truly defines a
3:57
journalist? And what are the core
3:59
functions of journalism in society? As
4:02
mass communication teacher, we teach
4:04
students from the very first class that
4:06
the media exists to inform, educate,
4:09
entertain, and preserve cultural
4:11
heritage. Journalists also play the
4:14
crucial roles of agenda setting and
4:16
acting as watchd dogs, holding public
4:18
officials accountable and amplifying the
4:20
voices of the government. The media's
4:23
capacity to shape national conversations
4:25
is immense. By highlighting specific
4:28
issues and giving them prominence,
4:30
journalists help raise awareness and
4:32
influence public perception. It is
4:34
through such agenda setting functions
4:36
that societies engage in dialogue,
4:39
debate and reform thereby playing
4:41
participatory role in the process of
4:44
governance. When examined through this
4:46
functional lens, it becomes clear that
4:48
Rufi has consistently fulfilled these
4:51
journalistic responsibilities over the
4:53
years. His incisive questioning,
4:56
fearless commentary, and commitment to
4:59
public accountability have made him one
5:01
of the most recognizable broadcast
5:03
personalities in contemporary Nigerian
5:05
media. A notable example is his now
5:08
famous exchange with the Minister of
5:10
Works, Engineer Dave Yumi, on Arise
5:13
Television. Before that encounter, few
5:16
Nigerians had publicly interrogated the
5:19
cost per kilometer of road construction
5:21
projects executed by government
5:24
While the minister initially dismissed
5:26
Rufi's question as elementary, the issue
5:29
soon gained traction nationally. In
5:32
fact, subsequent clarifications by Yumi
5:35
and even a public response by Oyo State
5:38
Governor Sei Marinde demonstrated that
5:40
Aseni's line of questioning had forced
5:43
an important accountability conversation
5:45
into the mainstream. Through this
5:47
singular act, Rufi did what the media
5:50
are mandated to do. Hold power
5:52
accountable, enlighten the public, and
5:55
stimulate civic engagement. It is true
5:58
that a formal qualification, such as a
6:00
diploma or degree in journalism, is
6:03
generally considered a prerequisite for
6:04
professional practice. Yet, history
6:08
tells a different story about the
6:09
Nigerian press. Many of the country's
6:12
most celebrated media pioneers from
6:15
Herbert McCauley to Ernest Aoli, Nambdi
6:17
Azikiwayi and Aubi Awalooo were not
6:20
trained journalists in the academic
6:22
sense. Nevertheless, through passion,
6:25
intellect and experience, they became
6:28
towering figures in the nation's
6:30
journalistic landscape. In the decades
6:32
that followed, major Nigerian newspapers
6:35
like The Guardian, The Punch, The
6:38
Tribune, and the Defunct National
6:40
Concord were edited by professionals
6:42
whose backgrounds spanned literature,
6:44
political science, law, and the
6:46
humanities, not necessarily journalism.
6:50
What mattered was their adherence to
6:51
journalistic ethics and commitment to
6:53
truth. Today, journalism is evolving
6:57
faster than ever. the rise of social and
6:59
digital. Nigerian army authority has
7:02
issued a statement denying threat
7:04
messages issued against members of the
7:06
public ahead of the planned mass protest
7:08
slated for October 20th, 2025 to demand
7:12
for the release and freedom of the
7:14
detained Bafra Republic agitation leader
7:17
Mazi Nami Kanu. Just as the organizer
7:19
and chief campaigner Amale Saware, the
7:22
publisher of Sah reporters news media
7:24
met to seek understanding with the
7:26
former president of Nigeria, Good Luck
7:29
Jonathan who according to Saware
7:32
promised to visit President Bola Ahmed
7:34
Tonubu to discuss the issue with him.
7:37
Nigerian Army in a statement on Friday
7:40
said the attention of the Nigerian Army
7:42
NA has been drawn to a misleading
7:45
publication by Sahara reporters alleging
7:47
that a Facebook page purportedly
7:49
operated by military personnel issued
7:51
veiled threats against certain
7:53
individuals ahead of a planned October
7:55
20th protest. The report is not only
7:58
false but a deliberate attempt to
8:00
misinform the public and discredit the
8:02
noble institution of the Nigerian Army.
8:05
For the avoidance of doubt, the Nigerian
8:08
Army has only two official social media
8:10
handles, namely at HQ Nigerian Army and
8:13
at Nigerian Army Info, which are duly
8:15
verified on Facebook X, formerly
8:18
Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube. Any
8:21
other page or account outside these
8:23
verified handles does not belong to the
8:25
Nigerian Army and should be disregarded
8:27
in its entirety. It is pertinent to
8:30
state that certain civilians and online
8:33
content creators now operate pages that
8:35
post military related contents purely
8:37
for the purpose of generating online
8:39
traffic and monetary gain. Such pages
8:42
have no affiliation whatsoever with the
8:45
Nigerian army. The NA therefore
8:47
dissociates itself completely from any
8:49
post, statement or activity emanating
8:52
from these unauthorized sources. The
8:55
Nigerian Army remains a professional,
8:58
disciplined and apolitical institution
9:00
committed to the defense and unity of
9:02
the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In the
9:04
discharge of its constitutional
9:06
responsibilities, the NA continues to
9:09
uphold the highest standards of
9:11
professionalism, adherence to the rule
9:13
of law, and respect for human rights.
9:16
The general public and media
9:18
practitioners are hereby enjoyed to
9:20
verify all information concerning the
9:22
Nigerian Army only through its official
9:24
platforms or the Directorate of Army
9:26
public relations before publication or
9:29
dissemination. The Nigerian Army
9:32
therefore urges Sahara reporters and
9:34
other media outlets to exercise due
9:36
diligence in verifying the authenticity
9:38
of their sources to avoid the spread of
9:40
falsehood capable of misleading the
9:42
public and undermining national
9:45
Amy Saware in a statement made available
9:48
through his personal social media
9:50
accounts on Friday said that earlier
9:53
today in Abuja I met with former
9:55
President Good Luck Jonathan to discuss
9:57
the continued incarceration of Mazi Nami
10:00
Kanu. President Jonathan agreed that
10:03
there is an urgent and compelling need
10:05
to address this matter decisively and
10:07
justly. I thank him sincerely for
10:09
recognizing the importance of resolving
10:12
Kanu's case in the interest of peace,
10:14
fairness and national healing.
10:17
Particularly assuring was that he
10:18
promised to meet Asawaju Bola Ahmed
10:21
Tonubu to discuss this issue as soon as
10:23
possible. With this, former President
10:26
Jonathan joins a growing list of
10:28
Nigerians who have called for
10:31
bringing you the news in a more digital
