WikkiTimes’ accountability journalism has resulted in a series of orchestrated and consistent threats, cyberattacks, and trolling, among other forms of retribution. As a result, the safety of its journalists has become a major concern, and the platform has had to adopt costly strategies, such as keeping a low-key profile in a metropolis that does not tolerate critical reporting. Unfortunately, the same individuals whom WikkiTimes’ journalism seeks to help often become co-opted or intimidated by those who have oppressed them, leading to frustration with the platform’s efforts to promote “good journalism.”
In an ideal scenario, journalists should be viewed as partners in progress with state actors, who are focused on serving the interests of the masses. It is therefore disconcerting that the same state actors are responsible for a significant amount of the challenges faced by WikkiTimes.
FROM MAKKAH TO DOGARA AND FROM BABA IYALI TO YAKUBU SHEHU…SIX EXPENSIVE LEGAL SUITS AGAINST THE OUTLET
WikkiTimes published an explosive investigative report on January 18, 2021, revealing how a Saudi Arabia-funded hospital violated its founding creeds in a brutal and apparent manner. Despite the hospital’s vision to provide affordable therapeutic, preventative, and educational programs for managing blindness and visual impairment in developing countries, WikkiTimes’ investigation uncovered that the foundation charged clients exorbitant fees, sometimes three times more than other hospitals.
The report also documented how the hospital consistently maltreated patients seeking medical assistance and unfairly dismissed indigenous staff on baseless accusations. Additionally, the hospital had been underpaying tax revenues to the Bauchi State government for six years, which the management of the hospital conceded during an interview with WikkiTimes. However, the publication of the report came at a heavy price for WikkiTimes, as its publisher was threatened, and the media outlet was sued.
ALSO READ: How Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State Ordered My Arrest, Detention on Election Day
WikkiTimes Publisher, Police Spokesman, Others to Speak on Journalists’ Safety During 2023 Election
In January 2022, Yakubu Dogara, the former speaker of the House of Representatives, filed a lawsuit against WikkiTimes over what he described as a “defamatory” publication. WikkiTimes had conducted an exhaustive investigation, which revealed how the former speaker mismanaged a whopping N1 billion constituency project that was meant to build model schools in Bauchi South Federal Constituency.
The story also detailed how the former speaker failed to deliver the model school project and how the contractors awarded the contracts short-changed several communities marked to benefit from the project. In the ongoing lawsuit, Dogara is seeking N2 billion in general and exemplary damages against WikkiTimes for libel, as well as an additional N500,000 to cover the cost of filing and prosecution. Prior to taking legal action, Dogara had requested that WikkiTimes withdraw the story and apologize, but the media outlet ignored the request, insisting that its story was credible.
Similarly, an exparte litigation against WikkiTimes in a magistrate court in Kano State by one Alhaji Surajo Marshal a contractor. The court issued a criminal summons against the media outlet over an investigative story that exposed irregularities by the contractor. The story revealed that six construction companies were involved in building 20 units of one block of 2 classrooms with furniture, toilets, and offices in selected locations across three senatorial districts in Kano. The companies: S.A.T Engineering Service LTD, M. Sulum Nigerian LTD, Emacs Engineering Consultant, Pyramid Investment, MGK Global Service LTD, and Haitel Nig LTD were owned by the Marshal family in Kano. The case is still ongoing in Kano.
Additionally, Abdullahi Sa’ad Abdulkadir, also known as Baba Iyali, a member representing Ningi/Warji constituency in the federal House of Representatives, recently sued the publisher of WikkiTimes over an investigation his platform republished from Xchange Hama Media, a Bauchi-based digital platform.
These legal battles have had a significant impact on the media outlet, according to its publisher. “We have received support from media-friendly foundations to defray the cost of some of the legal services,” Haruna said. “But in some cases, we have to finance them ourselves, and it’s very expensive to do that, especially for a small and young outlet like WikkiTimes.”
ILLEGALLY DETAINED
Last June, Haruna Mohammed Salisu, the publisher of WikkiTimes, and reporter Kamal Idris Ibrahim were detained without legal cause for 48 hours at the Bauchi Police Headquarters. While in custody, they were assaulted by high-profile criminals at the direction of the Bauchi police. This came after WikkiTimes reported on the threatening messages received by Hussaini Musa Gwaba, the late chairman of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Bauchi State, prior to his mysterious death. The details surrounding his death remain a mystery, but WikkiTimes’ investigation revealed that federal lawmaker Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi was unhappy with Gwaba’s appointment as party chairman. Abdullahi subsequently filed a petition with the Bauchi State Police Command against WikkiTimes, resulting in the unlawful detention of Haruna and Kamal. They were criminally charged with cyberstalking but were later released on bail by Magistrate Baba Sekoni Abdulfathi, and the case is still ongoing in Bauchi.
THE TROLLING AND CYBERATTACKS
From April to November 2022, WikkiTimes encountered numerous cyber attacks, including trolling on social media platforms such as Facebook. Haruna Mohammed, the publisher of WikkiTimes, explained that the platform is being targeted due to its investigative journalism that uncovers corruption and holds those in power accountable. The website is frequently attacked, and in some instances, the website was taken down for several days. WikkiTimes’ Facebook pages are also regularly reported and subjected to takedown requests.
In April, the website was attacked, and the database was deleted, causing WikkiTimes to lose a few published stories. They were able to restore the website partially through backup and other resources. In October 2022, Facebook brought down WikkiTimes’ Facebook page which had thousands of followers for violating its community policy. Despite sending several emails and appeals to Facebook, WikkiTimes lost the page. A month later, Facebook also suspended a new page WikkiTimes created after the platform published an investigation that exposed former Bauchi Police Commissioner, Umar Sanda, who attempted to help a former information commissioner evade justice after killing his friend. WikkiTimes regained access to their Facebook page weeks later by filling out a verification form.
THE PSYCO-ECONOMIC COST OF WIKKITIMES’ JOURNALISM
Journalists, like everyone else, have emotions, and the challenges that come with WikkiTimes’ journalism are taking a toll on its staff, management, and their families. These difficulties are having an impact on the mental and financial well-being of the platform and its journalists. In 2022 alone, WikkiTimes was forced to relocate its office three times due to the challenges it faced.
Its workers are equally traumatized. Kamal Idris, a reporter for WikkiTimes, shared his detention experience. “Our detention was a nightmare,” he said. “We were tortured from the moment we were placed in the cell. The cell was filthy, and we had to sleep and urinate in the same place. There were only two dirty buckets for us to use. The air conditioning was contaminated by the stench, and when we were finally released, I had difficulty focusing on my work because of the trauma.”
Kamal also spoke about the court cases that WikkiTimes had to face due to their credible journalism. “To me, it was an eye-opener,” he said. “But as a small platform, we found it difficult to hire a lawyer and pay for their services.”
Haruna Mohammed, the publisher, also spoke about the challenges of sustaining this kind of journalism at the subnational level. “Your identity is known by all the local actors you are reporting,” he said. “It’s easy to profile you and trace your location because there are very few journalists doing this kind of work where we operate.”
According to Haruna, WikkiTimes has had to change its office location three times in 2022 due to the constant threats and intimidation they faced. This constant change of office location is taking a toll on the outlet, he said. “It’s becoming increasingly difficult for our staff to come to the office and work because of the fear of the unknown. It’s a difficult situation for us at WikkiTimes, and it’s clearly affecting our staff psychologically.
HARUNA’S PARENTS ALSO PAYING A PRICE
The struggles faced by WikkiTimes also affect the aged parents of the publisher. The parents have tried to dissuade him from his pursuit of public-good journalism. However, Haruna remains committed to his work and has tried to explain the importance of good journalism to his parents.
Yakubu Mohammed, the editor at WikkiTimes, regretted visiting Haruna’s parents when he and Kamal were unlawfully detained in June of the previous year. Despite his limited knowledge of Hausa, he did his best to comfort them. He recalled the mother’s uncontrollably weeping when she learned that Haruna and Kamal had been taken to court and subsequently detained. This experience personally affected Yakubu.
Yakubu was with Haruna and Kamal when they were initially detained by the police, only to be released to their lawyer with the promise of appearing in court the following day. Yakubu explained that being tried in a magistrate court as a journalist can be challenging, as the court often lacks jurisdiction over such matters. This can lead to the journalist being remanded in prison, which can be a harrowing experience.
THE LATEST DEBACLE
On elections day on February 25th, Haruna Mohammed, WikkiTimes’ publisher was arrested on the order of Bauchi State governor Bala Mohammed.
Harun was arrested for interviewing women who protested against the governor on election day. He was detained for 3 days, criminally charged and remanded for two days before he was released on bail. The state government instructed the Attorney General of the state to take over the case from the police prosecutors, which was aimed at thwarting the journalist’s bail application. However, due to public outcry, he was eventually released on bail. The publisher’s phone, which was confiscated by the police, has not been returned despite court orders. This has severely impacted his ability to carry out his duties as a publisher, as he cannot make calls or contact sources. It has caused enormous hardships and pain as he pointed out.
Several incidents have shown that Governor Bala Mohammed of Bauchi State exhibits disturbing patterns of behaviour towards journalists and opposing viewpoints.
With a history of suppressing dissent and cracking down on journalists, Bala Mohammed continues to pose a serious threat to the safety of journalists and media platforms. Currently, Yakubu Mohammed, the editor of WikkiTimes, has had to leave Bauchi for his own safety. There were plans to arrest him during the time the publisher was in detention.
When journalists are intimidated and silenced, it creates a chilling effect that undermines democracy and the rule of law.
These kinds of attacks represent, in a wider dimension, an attack on the press. The institution of the press serves as a watchdog for the people, holding those in power accountable and exposing corruption and abuse of power. However, when those in power abuse their authority and intimidate journalists, it creates a chilling effect that threatens the very foundation of democracy.
