ZAMFARA State governor, Bello Matawalle, has ordered the immediate shutdown of some media organisations in the state for covering a Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) political rally.
The affected media houses are Radio Nigeria, Pride FM Gusau, NTA Gusau, Gamji Television, Vision FM, and Al Umma TV.
This was disclosed in a statement signed by the Commissioner of Information Ibrahim Dosara.
“The Zamfara State Security Council has approved and ordered the closure of some media outlets in the state for breaking the laws of journalism,” the statement read in part.
According to the statement, the government also directed the Commissioner of Police in the state to arrest all pressmen that attended the event organised by the PDP governorship candidate, Dauda Lawal Dare.
“An order has been given to the Zamfara State Police Commissioner to arrest anyone who ignores this order,” the statement added.
The Zamfara State Government had earlier suspended all political activities in the state.
The suspension of political activities was among other new security measures implemented by the government to address insecurity in the state.
Announcing the directive, Dosara said; “The general public is hereby informed that, following the loss of lives of our fellow brothers and sisters, Governor Matawalle has ordered the immediate suspension of all political activities in the state till further notice.
“Political meetings and gatherings at individual residences are also banned with immediate effect, henceforth.”
However, The ICIR learned that the PDP held a rally on Saturday to receive political decampees.
The rally led to a clash between some supporters of the PDP and the All Peoples Congress (APC) in the state.
Sinafi Omanga is a multimedia journalist and researcher with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. He has a keen interest in humanitarian reporting, social justice, and environment.
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@OmangaSinafi
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somanga@icirnigeria.org