There are reports that Daily Nigerian Publisher, Jaafar Jaafar, has gone into hiding due to daily threats over the alleged bribery videos involving Governor Abdullah Ganduje.
A close media associate told PRNigeria that unknown persons have been on the pressman’s trail.
“Jaafar’s life is in danger as unidentified persons, likely to be hit men, have been stalking him both at his Abuja and Kano residences,” the ally said.
Jaafar became the talk of the town in 2018 when he released a series of secretly recorded videos which showed a figure believed to be Ganduje shoving wads of dollars into the pocket of his billowing agbada.
The cash was alleged to be kickbacks from contractors handling projects awarded by the Kano State Government.
The governor had denied the videos, saying they were doctored.
He had also gone to the court all in the attempt to clear his name.
But despite the denial, the content of that video has hung like an albatross on the neck of Ganduje.
President Buhari backed Ganduje’s claim during the Presidential Debate anchored by Kadari Ahmed in the buildup to the 2019 general election.
When asked how the development would affect his administration’s vaunted fight against corruption, Buhari said he had spoken with Ganduje and he was convinced the governor was innocent attributing what was projected in the video to the power of technology.
In a recent interview with BBC Hausa, Ganduje said those who publicised the video would be dealt with.
In reaction, Jaafar petitioned former Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, through his counsel, Abdullahi Gumel.
He told federal authorities that Ganduje should be held responsible if anything happened to him.
On April 14, 2021, the IGP Monitoring Unit invited the journalist for questioning for “inciting violence and spreading injurious falsehood”.
A letter signed by ACP A. A. Elleman, said the office was “investigating a case of Criminal Conspiracy, Defamation, Injurious Falsehood and Inciting Violence to the Inspector General of Police in which your name featured.
“In view of the foregoing, you are kindly requested to interview the undersigned on Monday 19th April 2021 by 10.00am prompt through SP Usman Garba (Admin Officer) to shed more light on the allegation.”
