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Speaker 1: Justice Mohammad Gaba Umar of the Federal High Court sitting

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in Abuja on Friday apparently rejected the plans by the

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Inspector General of Police IGP car Yode egg Betoken to

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stop the upcoming Monday, October twentieth plan mass protests by

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Nigerians to demand the release of the detained Biafra Republic

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Agitation leader Marzi Nandikranu. But according to the organizer of

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the protest, Omiyele Saware, after the judge initially declined to

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grant the Nigeria Police Force an ex party motion to

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stop the planned protest in the open court, the Federal

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High Court Judge Justice Umar reportedly granted the motion in

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chambers imposing a ban on protests at Asso Rock Villa,

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National Assembly or Unity Fountain in Abuja. We await a

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certified true copy of the order which our lawyers will review.

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The protest remains unstoppable while this is ongoing. The United

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States US Embassy in Nigeria has warned America citizens to

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be far from the protest areas and limit their movements

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in the Nigeria capital city, Abuja, saying the planned protest

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may lead to destructions and violence. Detailed of the court

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action as captured by Punch newspaper. The Federal High Court

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in Abuja has refused the Nigeria Police forces bid to

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stop the Free Namdi Canyono protest, allowing it to proceed

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as scheduled. On Monday, October twentieth, twenty twenty five, the

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Inspector General of Police, KeyOne Eggbetoken, had dispatched police lawyers

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to the court to move an ex party motion against

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activist and protest organizer Omiyele Saware in a bid to

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legally preempt the planned demonstration slated for the Asso Rock Villa. However,

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Justice Umar of the Federal High Court, Abuja declined to

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grant the motion, which would have immediately restrained the protest

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from taking place without hearing the opposing side. The judge

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instead instructed the police to fort formally serve notice of

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their application on Saware and adjourned the case until Tuesday

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for a proper contested hearing. Reacting to the judicial decision,

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the protest convener Ami Jele Saware affirmed the court’s decision

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as a victory for civil liberties and doubled down on

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the scheduled protest. In a statement issued on his ex

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handle on Friday, following the ruling, Suware said Igo Police

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Nigeria Coyode Eggbato Can dispatched police lawyers to sum in

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an effort to halt the Free namdican Uno protest scheduled

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Faraso Rockvilla on Monday. However, the Judge Justice whom Are

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of Federal High Court in Abuja refused to grant the

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ex party motion, instead instructing him to serve me notice

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and adjourning the case until Tuesday for a proper hearing.

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The demonstration, organized under the hashtag Free namdican Uno, is

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intended to draw attention to the prolonged detention and legal

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fate of Karno. The police action was seen as an

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attempt to leverage the courts to prevent a potentially sensitive

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gathering near the seat of Nigerian power. The adjournment to

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Tuesday ensures that the planned Monday protest is not currently

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constrained by a court order, setting the stage for a

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potential high profile confrontation between protesters and security agencies around

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the presidential villa. Channel’s Television also on Friday reported that

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ahead of the Free Nam Decanuno protests slated for Monday,

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October twentieth in the nation. Whenever controversies surround Rufaya Sani,

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the outspoken and fearless broadcaster on a Rise Television, one

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recurring argument often resurfaces in public discourse the claim that

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Rufaiya Sani is not a journalist. Critics are quick to

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emphasize that he lacks a formal academic background in journalism,

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having originally trained in animal anatomy. But beyond the semantics

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of qualification, a deeper question emerges. What truly defines a

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journalist and what are the core functions of journalism in society.

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As mass communication teacher, we teach students from the very

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first class that the media exists to inform, educate, entertain,

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and preserve cultural heritage. Journalists also play the crucial roles

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of agenda setting and acting as watchdogs, holding public officials accountable,

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and amplifying the voices of the government. The media’s capacity

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to shape national conversations is immense. By highlighting specific issues

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and giving them prominence, journalists help raise awareness and influence

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public perception. It is through such a gender setting functions

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that societies engage in dialogue debate and reform, thereby playing

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participatory role in the process of governance. When examined through

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this functional lens, it becomes clear that Rufaia Sany has

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consistently fulfilled these journalistic responsibilities over the years. His incisive questioning,

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fearless commentary, and commitment to public accountability to have made

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him one of the most recognizable broadcast personalities in contemporary

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Nigerian media. A notable example is his now famous exchange

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with the Minister of Works Engineer Dave Yumihi on a

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Rise television. Before that encounter, few Nigerians had publicly interrogated

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the cost per kilometer of road construction projects executed by

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government agencies. While the Minister initially dismissed Rufai’s questioners elementary,

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the issue soon gained traction nationally. In fact, subsequent clarifications

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by Yumihi and even a public response by Oyo State

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Governor Saying Markinde, demonstrated that Assany’s line of questioning had

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forced an important accountability conversation into the mainstream. Through this

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singular act, Rufi did what the media are mandated to do,

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hold power accountable, enlighten the public, and stimulate civic engagement.

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It is true that a formal qualification, such as a

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diploma or degree in journalism, is generally considered a prerequisite

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for professional practice. Yet history tells a different story about

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the Nigerian press. Many of the country’s most celebrated media pioneers,

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from Herbert mcaulay to Ernest A College, Namdiazeki Way and

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Obefemi Awoloo, were not trained journalists in the academic sense. Nevertheless,

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through passion, intellect and experience, they became towering figures in

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the nation’s journalistic landscape in the decades that followed. Major

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Nigerian newspapers like The Guardian, The Punch, The Tribune and

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the defunct National Concord were edited by professionals whose backgrounds

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spanned literature, political science, law and the humanities, not necessarily journalism.

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What matted was their adherence to journalistic ethics and commitment

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to truth. Today, journalism is evolving faster than ever the

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rise of social and digital Nigerian Army Authority has issued

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a statement denying threat messages issued against members of the

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public ahead of the plan mass protests slated for October twentieth,

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twenty twenty five to demand for the release and freedom

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of the detained Biaffa Republic agitation leader Marzi Namdi Kanu,

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just as the organizer and chief campaigner, Emiele Saware, the

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publisher of Sahara Reporters news media, met to seek understanding

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with the former President of Nigeria, good Luck of Bele Jonathan, who,

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according to Saware, promised to visit President Bolah Ahmed Tanubu

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to discuss the issue with him. Nigerian Army, in a

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statement on Friday, said the attention of the Nigerian Army

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ENNA has been drawn to a misleading publication by Sahara

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Reporters alleging that a Facebook page purportedly operated by military

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personnel issued veiled threats against certain individuals ahead of a

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planned October twentieth protest. The report is not only false,

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but a deliberate attempt to misinform the public and discredit

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the noble institution of the Nigerian Army. For the avoidance

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of doubt, the Nigerian Army has only two official social

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media handles, namely at HQ and Nigerian Army and at

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Nigerian Army Info, which are duly verified on Facebook x

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formerly Twitter, Instagram and YouTube. Any other page or account

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outside these verified handles does not belong to the Nigerian

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Army and should be disregarded in its entirety. It is

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pertinent to state that certain civilians and online content creators

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now operate pages that post military related contents purely for

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the purpose of generating online traffic and monetary gain. Such

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pages have no affiliation whatsoever with the Nigerian Army. The

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NA therefore dissociates itself completely from any post statement or

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activity emanating from these unauthorized sources. The Nigerian Army remains

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a professional, disciplined and a political institution committed to the

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defense and unity of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. In

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the discharge of its constitutional responsibilities, the NA continues to

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uphold the highest standards of professionalism, adherence to the rule

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of law, and respect for human rights. The general public

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and media practitioners are hereby enjoined to verify all information

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concerning the Nigerian Army only through its official platforms or

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the Directorate of Army Public Relations before publication or dissemination.

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The Nigerian Army therefore urges Sahara reporters and other media

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outlets to exercise due diligence in verifying the authenticity of

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their sources to avoid the spread of falsehood capable of

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misleading the public and undermining national security. Omile Saware, in

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a statement made available through his personal social media accounts

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on Friday, said that earlier today in Abuja, I met

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with former President good Luck Jonathan to discuss the continued

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incarceration of Marzi Namdi Karu. President Jonathan agreed that there

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is an urgent and compelling need to address this matter

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decisively and justly. I thank him sincerely for recognizing the

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importance of resolving Karnu’s case in the interest of peace,

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fairness and national healing. Particularly assuring was that he promised

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to meet Aswaju Bolahamed Tanubu to discuss this issue as

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soon as possible. With this, former President Jonathan joins a

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growing list of Nigerians who have called for gingi ingimoigical