Kano officials and legal experts advise journalists on 2027 election coverage

During a retreat organized by the Kano Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna, officials and legal experts addressed the media's role in the upcoming 2027 general elections.

Alhaji Umar Faruk Ibrahim, Secretary to the Kano State Government, urged journalists to maintain responsible reportage by balancing the scrutiny of public institutions with the documentation of state developmental efforts. He emphasized that media practitioners play a strategic role in informing citizens about the utilization of public resources.

Legal practitioner Abdusalam Yusuf cautioned journalists that while Section 39 of the 1999 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the press, these rights are not absolute. He noted that journalists must navigate the legal boundaries of the Penal Code, the Electoral Act, and broadcasting regulations to avoid civil or criminal liability, particularly regarding defamatory publications and the infringement of individual rights.