Muhammad Garba, former Commissioner for Information in Kano State and current President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called on the Kano State government to fully embrace press freedom.

Garba made the appeal in a statement on Sunday, following a report by the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ) that ranked Kano among the top three Nigerian states with the highest number of press freedom violations in 2024. The Kano State government, however, dismissed the report.

Reacting to the government’s stance, Garba stressed that the media is not an enemy of government, but rather a partner in nation-building. He condemned restrictive media directives, such as bans on live political programmes and warnings against asking so-called “provocative questions,” arguing that such policies amount to censorship and undermine democratic governance.

“Freedom of the press is measured not by plaques or ceremonies, but by the ability of journalists to report without fear of reprisal,” he said.

“Respecting press freedom is not only a constitutional obligation but also a mark of mature and responsive leadership,” Garba added.