Abdulrasheed Hammad is a graduate of Law from Danfodio University Sokoto and writes for The Cable.
He specializes in Health Reporting, Climate Change, Accountability, Data solution and Fact- Checking.
A passionate writer, Abdulrasheed is a Fellow under the Open Reporting Project 2022 – 2024 for ICIR, a project aimed at enhancing fiscal transparency and accountability.
His work has featured in prominent publications including University World News, Nation Nigeria, Ripples Nigeria and Daily Trust Newspapers.
Also a Fellow at Future News Nation wide 2022 organized by the British Council for outstanding young Journalist worldwide
The Reporter has won Silver in the Online category of the PAJI 2023 Africa Investigative journalism Award in Senegal.
Abdulrasheed Hammad is also raising his head high today through his investigative story titled ” Inside Sokoto Factory Producing Contaminated Sachet Water”,
The reporter exposed how 22 factories in Sokoto produced contaminated sachet water without registration with the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration, NAFDAC,
He also discovered 12 factories still in operation despite the expiration of their NAFDAC registration which raises question about the regulatory agency’s negligence of duty in the State.
It is a common knowledge that due to extreme heat in Sokoto, most residents including the reporter resort to drinking sachet water to quench their thirst. This led to his discovering of some unwholesome sachet water which had bold NAFDAC number.
However , investigation by the reporter showed that the products were not pure and could lead to typhoid and chronic diarhoea, according to medical experts interviewed.
The reporter subjected sixteen sachets of water to laboratory test where some were found as not safe for drinking and could cause gastrointestinal disturbances.
In the course of his investigation, Abdulrasheed was subjected to inhuman treatment, arrested, handcuffed at a factory and taken to police where he was detained for 5 hours for asking a question..
The police in the process, extorted Five thousand Naira from him before his release but unfortunately for the police, the reporter snapped him while counting the money which was later returned.
After the report was published, the Reporter was threatened by the DSS with arrest, while some owners of the factories also threatened him with law suits for exposing them.
From the foregoing, the AMDF highly acknowledges your unequaled investigative skills in the practice of Journalism towards saving lives and hereby declares you the Winner ( Online Category) of the AMDF Journalist of The Year Contest. Congratulations.
