Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani has condemned the ordeal of Kaduna-based journalist, Ibrahima Yakubu, who was arrested while covering a protest in Kaduna.

The Senator said those who are allergic to free press have no legitimacy in a democratic society.

Yakubu reports for the Hausa service of the German Deutsche Welle, DW radio.

He was arrested on Friday by the police while covering the attack on protesting Shiites by some community members in Kaduna.

The Senator, in a Facebook post, described the arrest and detention of journalists as “unacceptable”.

Yakubu was released on bail to some officials of the Kaduna council of Nigeria Union of Journalists around 7:30 p.m. on Friday after his arrest at the clash Shiite mob scene and detained since 1:30 p.m. at Central Investigation Department (CID).

The police asked him to return to the CID next Wednesday for further questioning.

The journalists, in his report of his arrest on DW radio monitored on Friday night, revealed how the police beat him after destroying his laptop and recording gadgets and dumped him alongside other suspects taken to Police headquarters.

“The police also slapped me and made us to seat in the sun at the state headquarters. I received yet another slap from the police at the CID when I was transferred there,” he reported.

But, the Senator, in his Facebook post, said even though Yakubu had been released after a horrible experience, security agents must conform themselves to the constitutional guarantee for press freedom.

“The image of the country and that of the government is significantly stained and tainted each time an onslaught of such occurs.

“Those who are allergic to free press have no legitimacy in a democratic society,” Sen. Sani added.

The police have still not spoken on the arrest. Aliyu Usman, the Kaduna Police spokesperson, could not be reached as his phone was switched off on Friday evening.

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