A bold social media reaction from activist Muhammad Isah Hassan intensified public scrutiny of the ongoing clash between Chronicle Reporters journalist Manasseh Bem Paul and officials in Gwagwalada, following the journalist’s arrest, alleged assault and court proceedings earlier this week.
Posting on Facebook , Hassan fired a taunt at local political and security actors — a comment reflecting growing online anger over Manasseh’s treatment. “You never be Chairman, you de arrest people, what if you are voted as Chairman? Just be ready to arrest us all, cus, Gwagwalada cell cannot contain us. #freemanasseh #Danlsah,” he wrote.
Hassan’s post — shared widely by supporters of the journalist and transparency campaigners — comes amid mounting condemnation from media and rights groups after Manasseh was allegedly beaten, denied immediate medical care, briefly detained at GWAGWALADA division police station and later granted bail by the Gwagwalada Magistrate Court. The case has been adjourned to December 1, 2025.
The activist’s message captures the frustration of many residents and online commentators who accuse Hon. Abubakar Jibrin Giri, the Area Council Chairman, and APGA chairmanship candidate Ezekiel Zezelaga of using police power to intimidate critics. Supporters say the arrest and the speed of the prosecution amount to an attempt to stifle investigative reporting into alleged council corruption.
Hassan told Chronicle Reporters in a brief phone exchange that his post reflected wider public sentiment: “People are fed up with mobbing outspoken citizens and treating dissent as a criminal offence. It was meant to rally people — to say we won’t be cowed.” He added that citizens will continue to press for accountability and the protection of freedom of speech.
Civil society groups and press bodies, including the Everybody must serve campaign (EMS), have condemned the attack on Manasseh and called for an independent probe into the conduct of the police officers involved. Human rights lawyers Barrister Tope Temokun, Marshal Abubakar, Nnemaka Ejiofor, Yinka Oyesomi have also flagged potential breaches of due process, noting reports that Manasseh was taken to court without timely notification to his lawyers and was initially denied medical attention after the alleged assault.
Meanwhile, social media activists have turned Hassan’s hashtags — #freemanasseh into rallying cries, organising virtual pressure on authorities and planning solidarity actions ahead of the December hearing.
As the dispute plays out, the public reaction epitomised by Muhammad Isah Hassan’s message underscores the heightened sensitivity around press freedom and the limits of political power in Gwagwalada.