Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Department of State Services (DSS) has invited veteran journalist Reuben Buhari for questioning following his publication of a detailed report exposing the horrific atrocities allegedly committed by bandits against residents of several communities in Kaduna State. The invitation, confirmed by Buhari himself on Wednesday, July 29, 2026, has sparked outrage among civil rights advocates, who have questioned why the secret police is targeting the reporter rather than the armed groups responsible for the alleged crimes.
Buhari, a former Special Adviser on Media and Publicity to the late Kaduna State Governor Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, confirmed the invitation via a Facebook post. "Yes, I can confirm that I have gotten an invitation from the DSS in Kaduna for a 'chat', according to the officer who called me," he wrote. The invitation reportedly stems from a report he published detailing how bandits have allegedly subjected residents of communities in Kajuru Local Government Area—and, by extension, Kachia and Chikun LGAs—to years of terror, systemic sexual abuse, forced labour, and near-total control of daily life.
According to Buhari's account, the affected communities have entered into survival agreements with armed groups following repeated attacks, pacts that have left villagers trapped in a cycle of terror now entering its third year. In his post, which he warned readers was disturbing, Buhari recounted the testimony of a resident who managed to flee one of the affected communities. The resident described an existence in which armed kidnappers allegedly dictate every aspect of life, including marital rights. "The man you see is married with five children, but his wife doesn't belong to him since the agreement was entered into. The kidnappers sleep with her whenever they feel the urge, sometimes while the children watch. If he protests, he will be shot," Buhari quoted the resident as saying.
The report detailed that a stick or blanket left outside a home signals that bandits will claim a wife or daughter for the night, while the husband is forced to sleep outside. Residents are reportedly forbidden from leaving without permission; those caught fleeing face summary execution. Farming is permitted, but one-quarter of every harvest is surrendered to the bandits. Mobile phones, torchlights, new clothing, and new motorcycles are all banned, with violators risking death. Even machetes are prohibited—residents may only use hoes and diggers for farming.
Women are reportedly sent to neighbouring markets to buy or sell goods; if they fail to return, their husbands and children are shot. Men, meanwhile, are allegedly forced to accompany bandits on kidnapping and theft missions, with refusal punishable by death. Buhari also reported that churches, schools, and primary health centres have ceased to function, as teachers and healthcare workers have abandoned their posts. He warned that the situation extends far beyond Kajuru, stating: "There are more than 20 communities in Kajuru LGA, about 30 in Kachia LGA, and dozens in Chikun LGA that have entered into such agreements… Most have no freedom at all".
The invitation of the journalist has drawn sharp criticism from human rights advocates, particularly Professor Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a former Chairman of the National Human Rights Commission. Taking to social media, Odinkalu questioned why the journalist—rather than the alleged perpetrators—was being summoned. "It has now come to my knowledge that as a result of this article, DSS in Kaduna has today 'invited' Reuben Buhari. No such invitation has yet been transmitted to any of the terrorists perpetrating the atrocities," he wrote. Odinkalu expressed his support for the journalist, declaring: "We will not allow Reuben to walk alone".
Efforts to reach the DSS for an official comment on the invitation were unsuccessful at the time of filing this report. The invitation of Buhari has raised concerns about press freedom and the safety of journalists in Nigeria, particularly those reporting on the country's escalating security crisis. The development comes amid a backdrop of increasing attacks on media professionals and a growing climate of intimidation against those who expose human rights abuses and government failures. For Buhari, the invitation represents a test of the resilience of Nigeria's press freedom, while for the communities he reported on, the question remains whether the government will act on his exposé or continue to silence those who speak truth to power.
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