The Hausa Service Editor of British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Aliyu Abdullahi Tanko, has dismissed allegations of workplace harassment.

The BBC has come under heavy criticisms since a viral video in which a former staff member, Halima Umar Salah, alleged workplace harassment within the organisation but did not mention any name.

Recounting her experience at the Hausa service of the corporation, Saleh who spoke with Arewa24, accused a superior of harassing her for no reason, describing how his constant maltreatment left her emotionally drained and often in tears.

She said, “Journalism is not for the weak, especially if you are a woman. I had challenges and difficult moment at the BBC Hausa service. There’s someone who harboured intense dislike towards me for no reason. I was emotionally drained and would often break down in tears. And despite my efforts to understand the cause, he wouldn’t explain himself.

“He even went as far as threatening to get me expelled from BBC Hausa and subjected me to constant harassment. When I confronted him, asking what I had done wrong, he admitted that I hadn’t done anything wrong in my work. He even praised my work, saying I was doing my job well.”

The video, which went viral on social media platforms, had sparked widespread reactions from netizens, with many calling on the BBC to launch immediate investigation into the matter.

Although Saleh did not mention any name, many pointed accusing fingers at Tanko, who has responded to the harassment allegations, describing them as newsroom politics.

In an interview with Daily Trust, Tanko said, “They are not true. It is just newsroom politics.”

He, however, declined commenting directly on the viral video.

He also did not speak on the media reports around his alleged suspension, saying, “no comment”, when a question was posed to him in that line.

Asked if report of his resignation was true, Tanko said, “Yes, I have resigned. They haven’t replied yet.”

However, Daily Trust could not reliably authenticate if the resignation of Tanko has been accepted or rejected as efforts to get concerned authorities to speak on the issue were unsuccessful.

Multiple calls placed to BBC’s Ehizojie Okharedia, Head of West Africa, were not answered. He later responded to a text message sent to him, providing an email and asking our reporter to communicate any request directly to the Press Office.

When contacted, the Press Office said, “While we do not comment on individual HR matters we take all complaints about conduct at work very seriously.

“BBC Hausa reaches nearly 20 million people each week with trusted news and information and we will continue to offer our audiences the high quality content they expect from us.”(BBC)