Reporters detained after exposing Suleja Council Chairman’s certificate controversy.
Two journalists with Emirates Online, Muttaka Khumasy and Ibrahim Alhassan, were arrested on Friday, January 23, 2026, by operatives of the Nigeria Police Force in Suleja, Niger State, shortly after they published an investigative report alleging secondary school certificate forgery involving the Chairman of Suleja Local Government Area, Hon. Isyaku Bawa Naibi.
The journalists were initially detained in Suleja before being transferred to the Force Intelligence Department (FID) in Abuja, where they remain held for questioning.
The arrests have sparked concern among media practitioners and rights advocates, who say detaining reporters for publishing investigative content raises serious questions about press freedom and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
The allegations have also brought public attention to issues of transparency and accountability at the local government level, intensifying the national debate on the safety of journalists reporting on public officials.
Source: Sahara Reporters
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