Female ‘Reporter’ Raises Alarm, Says Police After My Life

• It’s ‘frivolous allegations’ – Police Command 
• Insist reporter after cheap popularity

A Katsina State-based female journalist, Ruqayya Aliyu Jibia, has raised an alarm over threats to her life, accusing the Police of “assault”.

Crying out for justice, Jibia said following a recent encounter with the State Police Command, her life is now in danger.

This is as facts have emerged that there is no love lost between the estranged reporter and the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Katsina State, CSP Isah Gambo.

Arising from the perceived strained relationship between Rukayya and Isa, a video went viral on the reporter’s Tik Tok account narrating her ordeal in the hands of the police.

In the video, which runs for about two minutes and 50 seconds, Rukayya, who claims to report for Tambarin Hausa TV, said her travails started following an earlier post concerning four young girls paraded by the police as commercial sex workers in Katsina State.

She is heard in the video made from her hideout saying; “A few days back, the Nigerian Police, Katsina state command, paraded four suspects, young ladies between the ages of 19 to 23, claiming that they are into prostitution.

“Upon seeing that video, I recorded a Tik Tok video on my personal Tik Tok page, where I quoted a section in Nigerian Constitution which I suggested to the police that they should have taken the girls to court until they are proven guilty before parading them to the press.

“The next day, I received a call from the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) Gambo Isah, inviting me to the emir’s palace that the emir wanted to see me.

“I was on my way to the emir’s palace when Gambo Isah and his boys came with four cars, blocked my way, dragged me out of my car, and they broke my phone and I sustained an injury as you can see (showing her swollen finger) and they dragged me to the emir’s palace.

“Upon reaching the emir’s palace, Gambo Isah then narrated to the emir that I was responsible for looking down on the police and undermining their authority. I am also responsible for sabotaging their work, and the emir asked Gambo Isah, or assigned them to remand me”.

Ruqayya further stated that when she was taken to court, the judge was not on seat and as such she was taken to the Area Command of the police, where she spent about five hours before her lawyer was able to secure her bail.

She said the following day she went back to the area command where she wrote her statement and was asked to return back the following day, hoping she would be taken to court but the area commander told her that she would be taken to the Command headquarters.

Ms Aliyu said her lawyer was not present on that day and she was scared to go to the Command headquarters going by what transpired earlier between her and the PPRO. She, therefore, ran away and went into hiding.

According to the reporter; “I am currently in hiding now because my life is in danger because the police are chasing after me. I hope I will be granted justice.”

But reacting to the reporter’s claims, the Command PRO, CSP Gambo Isah, described them as “frivolous allegations” adding that it was a calculated attempt to gain cheap popularity and more followers on her social media handles.

“For the avoidance of doubt, I want to set the records straight. Ruqayya has been using her social media handles to maliciously attack the Nigeria Police Force.

“You may recall that sometime in 2022, the Katsina Police Command succeeded in busting a notorious syndicate of armed robbers leading to the arrest of their kingpin one a k.a. ABBA KALA and his team, and the recovery of over 13 stolen motor vehicles.

“He was charged to court on 7 different F.I.Rs to High courts in Katsina, now in prison. But to our utter amazement, Ruqayya came out, through her Tik Tok and attacked the police that Abba Kala was so innocent that the police lied.”

The Command’s Spokesperson further said that recently the Katsina metropolis was faced with incessant attacks by Kauraye, phone snatchers, and other criminals.

In the process, he said the Command swung into action and raided criminal hideouts, including brothels, which led to the arrest of 72 suspected persons, including four young women suspected to be sex workers, who were paraded before the press.

“Ruqayya did not appreciate the efforts of the NPF in nipping in the bud the crimes disturbing the community but took to her usual Tik Tok and continued to rant on the Police for arresting and parading the women.

“Subsequently, at a security meeting, I reported her conduct to our traditional father, the Emir. And in Katsina, and the north in general, we uphold traditional values and institutions above every other one. His Royal Highness directed that she be invited but Ruqayya refused the Police invitation, dragged with police officers who exercised restraint, despite abuse and videos she was recording the Police,” the PPRO said.

Isah said, when arrested, Ruqayya called her lawyer and made a statement, adding; “She was released on bail but decided to jump bail and escaped police investigation.

“She then decided to take to her usual place, Tik Tok where she has since been scouting for sympathizers, alleging that her life is under threat.

“Nobody is looking for Ruqayya to arrest because she was released on bail to a reliable surety and in the presence of her attorney,” the PPRO said