Five men on Tuesday were kept in prison by Senior Magistrates Court in Kano for an alleged obstruction of NTA journalists from performing their legitimate duties.

The alleged offenders are Abba Abdullahi, 32, Mansir Sale, 28, Bashir Saminu, 27, Yusuf Tijjani, 30 and Shazali Tasiu, 38.

Media report confirmed that the Judge, Aminu Fagge, ordered their incarceration and postponed the case until April 20 for determination of their bail applications.

A five count charge was levied on the accused persons to include criminal conspiracy, criminal force, inciting disturbance, mischief and obstructing a public servant from discharging her duty.

The accused persons pleaded not guilty to the charges, however.

In the report of the Prosecutor, Inspector Yusuf Sale, he told the court of how one Hajiya Binta Adamu of NTA Kano and Abdulrashid Nasir of Kofar Wambai Market, Kano, were reportedly prevented from performing their professional responsibility at Kofar Wambai Market.

“The accused persons, on April 10 at about 3:55 p.m., criminally conspired to obstruct Binta from performing her lawful and official duty at Kofar Wambai Market as assigned by the NTA Kano.

“The accused persons, with others at large, beat them up and tore Nasir’s clothes,” he remarked.

Such offences, according to the prosecutor, contravened Sections 97, 265, 114, 327 and 149 of the Penal Code.