THE longest-serving editor of BBC Hausa, Aliyu Tanko, has left the British Broadcasting Corporation amid allegations of bullying and maltreatment raised by his former colleague, Halima Umar Saleh and some current staff members.
Tanko, who joined the BBC 17 years ago and became Hausa Service Editor in 2020, confirmed his resignation to The ICIR Friday morning.
Media reports indicate that Tanko was suspended by the BBC on Wednesday, August 27, before tendering his resignation the following day.
According to a report by SolaceBase, sources within the corporation, noted that the suspension, which was to last three months, was part of an investigation ordered by BBC News Deputy CEO and Global Director, Jonathan Munro, following several internal and external petitions bordering on staff bullying and maltreatment,
The report noted that the BBC rejected Tanko’s resignation on the grounds that it did not follow due process.
“The resignation was rejected on the ground that it did not follow due process, that is, as a senior staff, he needs to give two months notice or pay two months’ salary in lieu of notice or vice versa if the organisation is terminating his service,” a source was quoted to have said.
Similarly, a report by Daily Nigerian said the BBC had launched investigation into the allegations against Tanko.
However, Tanko rubbished the reports claiming that the BBC rejected his resignation while speaking with The ICIR Friday morning.
He declined commenting on the allegation of staff bullying and maltreatment levelled against him.
“Yes. I resigned. And, secondly, BBC didn’t reject my resignation. BBC didn’t reject my resignation. Quote me on that. And, finally, I resigned on personal ground, it has nothing to do with anybody,” he said.
When asked if he’s aware of the investigation reportedly launched into his alleged staff bullying and maltreatment by his employers, he said, “I am not aware.”
He also declined making comments regarding the allegations, saying, “Go and talk to be people that know me. I don’t want to say anything about myself. But people that know me will tell you about me.”
The controversy trailing Tanko’s era at the BBC traces back to an interview in which Saleh, now a Senior Digital Editor at TRT Africa, reportedly accused a ‘higher up’ of maltreating her during her time at the BBC Hausa.
“There is someone (at BBC), I don’t even know what I did to him, but he really hated me for no reason…He threatened to get me expelled from BBC Hausa and kept harassing me constantly. I asked him, ‘What have I done wrong?’ He admitted that I hadn’t done anything wrong. He even said I was doing my job well,” she said in a video interview circulating on social media.
The interview, which was aired on Arewa24, was later taken down, consequently drawing a lot of attention.
Following the allegations, petitions were reportedly sent to the BBC headquarters in London, demanding his probe.
The BBC consequently reportedly sent a delegation from London to Nigeria to investigate the claims.
The ICIR reports that Tanko, who led a team of about 40 journalists in Nigeria, Ghana, Cameroon and Niger for the BBC, was in charge of four radio transmission, weekday TV new bulletin, and digital production.
Some of his innovations at the BBC include Ku San Malamanku, Mahangar Zamani, Korona Ina Mafita, Zamantakewa, Lafiya Zinariya, and Daga Bakin Mai Ita.
Mustapha Usman is an investigative journalist with the International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: musman@icirnigeria.com. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M