Ahmed Abba
Ahmed Abba | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1980 Cameroon |
| Occupation | Journalist |
| Known for | Correspondent for Hausa-language segment of Radio France Internationale; coverage of Boko Haram activities |
Ahmed Abba is a journalist from Cameroon who serves as a correspondent for the Hausa-language segment of Radio France Internationale. He was held in detention for 876 days in Cameroon due to his coverage of Boko Haram activities and was freed in Yaoundé on December 22, 2017.
Career
At Radio France Internationale, Abba concentrated his journalism on topics such as refugee displacement, political asylum, amnesty processes, integration challenges, and social matters. He provided in-depth reports on Boko Haram’s presence in West Africa, detailing their controlled regions, operational tactics, ideological foundations, and terrorist operations.
Arrest and trial
Following a press conference in Maroua on July 30, 2015, Abba was taken into custody and transferred to the capital. He remained detained without access to legal counsel until October 19, nearly three months later. His formal interrogation did not occur until November 13, which contravened Cameroon's legal standards derived from English Common Law and French Civil Law traditions.
The trial commenced on February 29, 2016, with charges that included failing to report terrorism, laundering funds linked to terrorist acts, and endorsing terrorism. The military court dismissed the charge of endorsing terrorism.
Concerns were raised under the 2014 anti-terror legislation that Abba might face capital punishment. Initially, on April 6, 2016, the military prosecutor demanded the death sentence but later amended this to life imprisonment. On April 24, Abba was sentenced to a decade in prison along with a fine of 55 million Central African francs. He lodged an appeal; however, the appellate court confirmed the original verdict following his defense presentation on August 17.
Release
After nearly two and a half years of incarceration, Abba was released from prison in Yaoundé on December 22, 2017. His freedom was met with widespread acclaim from journalists and advocates for press freedom around the world.
Awards and recognition
On December 16, 2017, Abba was honored with the International Press Freedom Award by the Committee to Protect Journalists during their annual event in New York. His situation was also highlighted in the Committee's dedicated report addressing violence against journalists in Cameroon.