Kano, Nigeria – July 29, 2025
A young whistleblower has come forward with a chilling account of harassment, detention, and legal intimidation after exposing the alleged activities of a notorious drug trafficker, Sulaiman Dan Wawu, in Kano State.
The whistleblower, who chose to remain anonymous for safety reasons, claims his ordeal began in December 2022 after he posted a short video on TikTok detailing the arrest of Dan Wawu by law enforcement, in connection with the trafficking of 500 cartons of Tramadol, a powerful and often-abused opioid. The video quickly went viral, garnering over 41,000 views and drawing the attention of both the public and alleged criminal associates of the suspect.
According to the whistleblower, his troubles began shortly after the viral post. Despite the arrest of Dan Wawu having been publicly confirmed by Kano State Police Command spokesman SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa on Facebook, the young man says he was arrested, detained, and taken to court multiple times over the course of the following year.
“I was only amplifying what had already been made public by the authorities,” he told Free Surge Magazine. “But I found myself in a nightmare. I was harassed by unknown individuals, taken into custody, and made to defend myself in court as though I were the criminal.”
He described a pattern of intimidation that included alleged threats from persons suspected to be loyal to the accused drug trafficker. He was reportedly detained for weeks without clear charges and said he experienced repeated violations of his constitutional rights to free expression and protection as a whistleblower.
Efforts to obtain official comments from the Kano State Police Command and the NDLEA (National Drug Law Enforcement Agency) were unsuccessful at the time of publication.
Legal and human rights advocates have begun calling attention to the case, urging authorities to uphold Nigeria’s whistleblower protections and investigate any abuse of process that may have been used to silence the whistleblower.
“The right to expose criminal activities, especially those threatening public health and safety like drug trafficking, must be safeguarded,” said a Kano-based human rights lawyer who requested anonymity. “This case could send a dangerous message if it’s not properly addressed.”
As of now, the case against Sulaiman Dan Wawu has not been publicly concluded, and the whistleblower is reportedly still facing legal battles connected to his original social media post.
The incident has reignited debate around freedom of speech, citizen journalism, and whistleblower safety in Nigeria, especially in cases involving high-profile suspects and organized criminal elements.
