Journalist Farida Isiak sentenced to four years in Nigerian prison

Farida Isiak, a 23-year-old reporter for Nagarta Radio in Kaduna State, has been sentenced to four years in prison or a fine of ₦1.75 million. The sentence follows her prosecution for a Facebook post criticizing police conduct.

The incident reportedly began after a dispute involving Isiak’s mother and a neighbor over ₦100 change from a charcoal sale. According to reports from Amnesty International and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), police officers allegedly detained Isiak’s mother and subsequently her father. Isiak was accused of defamation regarding her social media criticism of the officers' treatment of her parents.

While Isiak reportedly deleted the post and apologized, she was taken before a Sharia Court in Kawo and sentenced. The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) and the NUJ have condemned the proceedings, calling for an urgent judicial review and an investigation into the fairness of the trial and the conduct of the police involved. Although Isiak was granted bail following legal intervention, advocacy groups maintain that the legal basis for the sentence must be scrutinized.