Zamfara Leadership Correspondent, Umar Maradun, arrested
By IBRAHIM KANOMA, Gusau
Umar Maradun, Zamfara State Correspondent of Leadership Newspapers, was arrested in his home town of Maradun, in the early hours of Saturday and brought to the state Criminal Investigation Department (CID) in Gusau, the state capital.
Although reason for his arrest was yet unknown, officials of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Zamfara State Council, and some members of the state Correspondents Chapel went to the state’s CID for his bail but the police refused to grant him bail.
The union leaders argued that the law stipulates that Maradun should not be detained for more than 24 hours, wondering why he should not be granted bail since it was not a criminal case.
When contacted, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ayuba Elkana, said he would look into the case and know what to do.
Elkana said, “I will look into the matter” but did not make further comment.
The NUJ chairman insisted that their collegue should be released, assuring the police that he would come back with him on Monday, yet the police authority refused to honour the request.
