The group is calling on the Nigerian Police Force, the Commissioner of Police Taraba State Command and the Taraba State Governor, Arc. Darius Ishaku to kindly honour the court ruling and free Ayodele Samuel.

In a statement issued by the group’s General Secretary, Akinwale Kasali disclosed that Ayodele Samuel was on Tuesday November 29 illegally remanded at the Taraba State Police Command despite meeting bail conditions.

The statement said, “Ayodele Samuel was arraigned at a magistrate court in Jalingo, presided by his lordship, Garba S. Garba on a two count charge of defamation and injurious falsehood.

“The charges were filed against him by the Gov. of Taraba State, Darius Dickson Ishaku, through the office of the Attorney General of the state.

“It comes as a reaction from nurtured grievance over a publication on page 5 of the Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper, dated September 17, 2022 with the title “Taraba for Sale”.

“The publication alleges a possible sale of the Taraba state-owned Mambilla Beverages Company and state properties, including the liaison office in Abuja. In which similar publications had appeared on other prominent Nigerian media prior to the publication on Taraba Truth and Facts without rebuttal.”

According to the Statement, Ayodele Samuel had at the court pleaded not guilty to the charges and his counsel applied for bail successfully, which the magistrate had described as ordinary bailable cases.

The bail conditions were ten million naira fee, two sureties resident in Jalingo having landed properties worth five million naira each.

There were about 12 persons willing to surety instantly, including two pastors but only two would have to help fulfill the bail conditions.

Subsequently, the bail conditions were met but it is quite unclear how the publisher has been remanded, but what is certain is the treacherous abuse of power by the state government.

Now, the Magistrate Court Registrar is saying the case file has being transferred to the State High Court, which obviously is a plan to frustrate the bail process and remand the innocent media entrepreneur further at the custody of the Taraba State Police Command long enough to satisfy Governor Ishaku’s thirst for oppression.

“Our investigation revealed that the State High Court intend to foot-drag the hearing of Ayodele’s case and keep him in detention even beyond December.

“We are calling on the Attorney General of the Federation, the Inspector General of Police, Nigerian Police Force, Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ to wade in to forestall this daylight attack on press freedom and of course the right of every Nigerian to live and do business legally anywhere in the Country.

“Prior to the arraignment Ayodele Samuel had honoured two police invitations over separate petitions from the Taraba state government and has conducted himself with regard for law. Thereafter Mr. Ayodele had raised alarms that government agents have tapped his call lines and are tracking his movements.

“Sources have claimed that Governor Ishaku has not been able to reconcile with the reality of someone from a different region of the country having significant impact over the media in the state.

“It has also been heard that on some occasion the Governor spoke of the publisher with disdain, even at the state house of assembly when he ought to be defending the State 2023 budget.

“Accusing and maltreating someone who should have been recognised and honoured as a pacesetter for establishing the first private radio station amidst his numerous achievements in Taraba state is shameful and we are calling on the government and its agents have a rethink and obey the court verdict.

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The lawmaker representing Taraba South senatorial District for the third term and also APC Taraba gubernatorial, Mr. Bwacha has petitioned the highest investigating arm of the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Police Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID to investigate the young and leading media entrepreneur in Taraba State, alleging him of cyber-stalling, defamation of character and frustration of ambition among others.

According to Ayodele in an alert sent to media colleagues on Monday morning, he said, “I’m Ayodele Samuel Publisher of Taraba Truth and Facts Newspaper and CEO of Rock FM Jalingo, the first private FM radio station in Taraba State.

“I’m honouring a police invitation at the FCID, Abuja over a petition (I don’t know who the petitioners are or content of the petition) but as a law abiding citizen I have honour the invitation with a lawyer provided by the Media Rights Agenda MRA.
“I feel it’s necessary to inform you and seek for your support incase things go south.
Ayodele Samuel
25th July 2022
8.45am”.

It’s important to note that, for almost a decade after his National Youth Service year in 2013, through constructive criticism, balance and objective reports, Ayodele Samuel as consistently deploy his journalistic and media skills to promote and advance the cause of Taraba State and Tarabans.

While responding to the petition, Ayodele noted that all he is doing in Taraba State and beyond in course of his media duties are with objectivity, fairness, human interest, while given utmost consideration to individual rights and even posterity.

He said, “That is while we’ve being succeeding. We started with Taraba Truth and Facts and now we established the first ever private owned commercial radio Station in the State.

“Senator Bwacha who started his own radio Station in Jalingo few days ago, petitioned the Nigerian Police to investigate us, planning to keep me in police custody to cripple Rock FM. We heard he met the Inspector General of Police one-on-one to on this issue.

“It is demeaning to all Taraba South Senatorial constituents and also the entire 9th National Assembly for a three term senator Bwacha to be calling for the investigation on why a Nigerian decides to live and own a radio station in Taraba.

“So far, the police are doing their job with appreciable decency. We’re not afraid and no amount of intimidation can kill our love for the people.”

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