Kaduna gov says military junta killed journalist Bagauda Kaltho
Kaduna State Governor, Uba Sani, has said journalist Bagauda Kaltho was killed by the military junta during Nigeria’s military era. Kaltho, known for his investigative reporting, went missing between late 1996 and early 1997 under the regime of former Head of State, Sani Abacha. His disappearance has remained a subject of controversy, with calls over the years for a fresh investigation. In 2024, a Federal High Court in Abuja ordered the Federal Government to investigate and prosecute the killers of journalists in Nigeria between 1986 and 2023, including Kaltho. Further recognition came in 2025 when President Bola Tinubu conferred a posthumous national honour of Officer of the Order of the Niger on Kaltho, which his family described as a vindication of his legacy and a rebuttal of longstanding misinformation about his disappearance. Speaking while receiving journalists on a tour of the North-West organised by the Presidency in Kaduna on Friday, Sani recounted events leading to Kaltho’s death, stating that the late journalist attended a meeting with pro-democracy activists in Kaduna before he was killed. He said, “We had a meeting, myself, Shehu Sani, and many other comrades, together with Bagauda Kaltho here in Kaduna. “In the middle of the meeting, some of us left for another engagement. Kaltho went straight to his hotel, and about an hour later, we received a report that he was killed by the military junta at that time.” The governor noted that the killing reflected the risks faced by journalists and activists during the struggle against military rule, adding that several media professionals lost their lives in the process.He cited Kaltho and Dele Giwa among journalists who died during the period. Sani also warned against actions capable of undermining Nigeria’s democratic system, stressing that many of those who now speak about democracy did not participate in the struggle to actualise it. He said pro-democracy activists, including himself, endured detention and persecution under the Abacha regime, noting that he regained his freedom only after the former Head of State’s death. Dismissing claims that President Bola Tinubu is sidelining Northern Nigeria, Sani insisted that the region has benefited significantly from the current administration’s policies and projects. He said, “Let me make it clear to all of you, President Bola Tinubu has done more for the North than any leader in the history of Nigeria.” The governor cited major infrastructure projects approved for Kaduna State, including a proposed 50-kilometre light rail project estimated at about N1tn, as well as the Mandu–Birnin Gwari Road project valued at N178bn. Speaking at the event, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, commended Sani for what he described as visible development strides across Kaduna State, attributing the progress to reforms introduced by the Tinubu administration. He said the projects showcased during the visit reflected only a fraction of the state government’s achievements, adding that the administration had extended development to previously underserved communities. Onanuga also linked the progress in Kaduna to economic reforms such as the removal of fuel subsidy and foreign exchange adjustments, noting that the policies had increased resources available to states for development projects. He added that both the Federal Government and Kaduna State Government were delivering on their mandates, with the tour aimed at assessing the impact of policies and projects at both levels.
