By Ammar M. Rajab Journalist and member of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nasir Hassan Yelwa, has broken his silence following hi...
In a public statement on Tuesday expressing deep appreciation and reflection, Yelwa thanked Almighty Allah for granting him the strength to endure what he described as an unjust and traumatic experience. "It’s Allah’s bountiful mercy that spared my life to see the light of the day after spending five days in detention, locked up alongside dangerous criminals, including bandits, kidnappers, and murderers," he stated.
The Maulud celebration, organised by the Islamic movement in Nigeria, included a peaceful procession in solidarity with Gaza, where participants waved Palestinian flags and chanted praises of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Yelwa, alongside other journalists, had attended the event in a professional capacity to report on the gathering.
According to Yelwa, the peaceful atmosphere changed abruptly after most of the participants had dispersed. "A convoy of heavily armed police officers, as though heading to Zamfara forest to confront a bandit kingpin, stormed the area and began firing tear gas and beating people indiscriminately," he recalled.
He said he took shelter while documenting the scene, only to be arrested moments later. Despite showing his journalist identification card, officers reportedly demanded he enter a police vehicle. “I asked, 'For what reason? When has journalism become a crime?' But they insisted," he said.
He was taken along with 12 others — including a tea vendor, motorcycle and tricycle operators, a tailor, and a POS operator — to the Area Command and later transferred to the infamous former SARS facility at Abattoir, where they were detained under harsh conditions.
Yelwa and five others were charged with unlawful assembly and violence. During their court appearance at the Magistrate Court, Wuse Zone 6, the judge granted bail after the police prosecutor dropped charges against seven others. The case was adjourned to September 30, 2025.
"Despite having my ID and committing no crime, I was paraded inhumanely as a suspected criminal. This experience gave me firsthand insight into the abuse journalists face in the course of their duties — something I had only heard from veterans like Aliyu Saleh, Malam Musa C.A., and Khalid Idris Doya," Yelwa lamented.
In his statement, Yelwa expressed heartfelt gratitude to individuals and organisations whose intervention led to his release. He singled out NUJ National President, Comrade Alhassan Yahaya Abdul, and his colleague, Alhaji Danjuma Abdullahi of Press TV, for their relentless efforts.
He also thanked human rights activist Mr. Omoyele Sowore for his moral and logistical support, as well as close allies Comrade Yahaya M. Abdullahi and Jamilu Musa, who he said stood by him “from the moment of arrest until freedom.”
Yelwa acknowledged the vital role of media coverage in amplifying his plight. Outlets including Sahara Reporters, Almizan, Neptune Prime, AJAG, Jaridar Alheri Bauchi, The Niche, The Eagle Online, Anatare News, Closing Spaces Database, Wazobia Reporters, and Iran Press News Agency were credited for spotlighting his arrest.
He also extended appreciation to activists and media colleagues such as Adeyanju Deji, Alhaji Shu’aibu Usman Leman, Malam Ibrahim Musa, and Ammar Muhammad Rajab, Editor-in-Chief of Daily Struggle Newspaper, for using their platforms to demand his release.
Calling the ordeal a “blessing in disguise,” Yelwa reaffirmed his commitment to press freedom and truth-telling. “I now understand in full what it means to face repression for doing your job,” he said. “I pray to God to give me the opportunity to repay the solidarity shown to me.”
He concluded his statement with prayers and gratitude to friends, family, colleagues, and well-wishers, saying, “May God reward you all in kind. Gracias.”
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