Kaduna Journalist Granted Bail After Court Sets Aside Four-Year Sentence Over Facebook Post Criticising Police
By Emmanuel Terhemen
A 23-year-old journalist with Nagarta Radio, Farida Isiak, has been granted bail after a Sharia court in Kawo, Kaduna State, set aside her conviction and four-year prison sentence over a Facebook post that criticised police officers.
Isiak was arrested around 10 p.m. on Monday, October 20, by officers under the command of the Divisional Police Officer of Mararaban Jos, Usman Adamu. The case originated from a minor dispute over ₦100 change from a charcoal sale involving her mother and a neighbour. Police arrested her mother and later detained her father when he went to the station to secure her release, using the parents’ detention as leverage to compel the journalist to report.
At the station, officers accused Isiak of defamation over a Facebook post she had written criticising the handling of her parents. Although she deleted the post and apologised, she was detained and taken before the Sharia Court in Kawo the following day. In a rushed proceeding without legal representation, the court sentenced her to four years’ imprisonment or a fine of ₦1.75 million.
Amnesty International Nigeria strongly condemned the arrest, detention and initial sentencing, describing them as “vindictive” and a “sham trial.” The rights group said the actions were an attempt to silence free speech and intimidate journalists, and called for Isiak’s immediate release, the dropping of all charges, cancellation of the fine, and an independent investigation into the officers involved.
“The arrest, detention, and hasty sentencing of Farida Isiak are a flagrant abuse of power by the police and weaponization of the judicial system,” Amnesty stated. “Demanding accountability for police actions is a constitutional right.”
Following intervention by lawyers, the court set aside the conviction. Isiak entered a fresh plea of not guilty and was granted bail. The case has been adjourned to November 3, 2026, for the prosecution to present its evidence.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) also raised concerns, calling for an impartial investigation into the circumstances of the arrest and the detention of Isiak’s parents. The union urged judicial authorities to ensure a fair hearing at the retrial and reaffirmed the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression under Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution.
In response, the Kaduna State Police Command said the Facebook post contained statements directed at the Nigeria Police Force, the officer concerned, and his family. The command’s spokesman, DSP Mansir Hassan, stated that the Commissioner of Police had personally intervened to facilitate an amicable resolution and called for the matter to be viewed in its full context rather than solely as an attempt to suppress press freedom.
Isiak is currently free on bail pending the next court date.
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