By Jude Opara
A Court in Kano has granted an order directing the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone One to conduct a full-scale investigation into the criminal charges against the publisher of Daily Nigerian, a Kano-based online media platform, Mr. Jafar Jafar.
In a statement on Friday, Sanusi Bature Dawakin -Tofa, the Director General Media and Publicity Government House Kano, said the Director General, Directorate of Protocol, Kano Government House, Hon. Abdullahi Ibrahim Rogo, brought the case before the Chief Magistrate Court No. 15, presided over by Malam Abdul’aziz M. Habib.
The statement said the plaintiff dragged the publisher of Jafar Jafar and one Audu Umar before the Kano Chief Magistrate Court for alleged criminal defamation of character by describing him as a “thieving aide” to the Kano State Governor.
In a criminal complaint brought pursuant to sections 106 and 107 of the Administration of Criminal Justice Law of Kano State 2019, and sections 114, 164, and 393 of the Penal Code Law of Kano State, the DG Protocol is seeking prosecution of the two defendants over publications made on the 22nd and 25th of August, 2025.
In the application filed on 28th August 2025 before Chief Magistrate Abdulazeez M. Habib of Court 15, Nomansland, Kano, Jafar and Umar were accused of tarnishing his reputation in the eyes of the public with false statements injurious to his person and his principal, Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.
Daily Nigerian was alleged to had on 25th August 2025 published a report with the headline: “Gov. Yusuf Defends Thieving Aide, Says Protocol Directorate Under Ganduje Spent N20 Billion in 3 Months”, alleged to have been deliberately, recklessly, and maliciously crafted to defame the complainant’s reputation.
Also cited by the complainant was another story published on 22nd August 2025 with the caption: “Court Documents Reveal How ICPC, EFCC Traced N6.5 Billion to Gov. Yusuf’s DG Protocol”, considered to be false and maliciously written to damage his hard-earned image.
The complainant subsequently mounted two-count charges against the defendants, bordering on criminal defamation—an offense punishable under Section 393 of the Penal Code Law—and breach of public peace, an offense punishable under Section 114 of the Penal Code of Kano State.
Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrate of Court 15, Nomansland, has directed the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone One, Kano, to launch a full-scale investigation into the alleged criminal defamation contained in reports published by Daily Nigerian.
The order, signed by the registrar of the court, was issued on Thursday, 28th August 2025, following a complaint filed against the publisher of the online newspaper Jafar Jafar, still on the controversial 22nd and 25th August 2025 publications.
The Kano State Government had earlier broken its silence on the allegation of withdrawal and diversion of N6.5 billion from the state treasury into individual accounts.
However, the allegations being peddled against the DG Protocol have been dismissed as a perpetual work of fiction, carefully crafted by political opponents who have resorted to blackmail and propaganda in their desperation for relevance.
Never miss a moment! Get the stories shaping Nigeria, delivered straight to your phone. Follow Peoplesdaily Newspaper on WhatsApp for breaking news, exclusive reports, and the headlines everyone will be talking about, before anyone else.
