The longest serving editor of BBC Hausa, Aliyu Tanko, has resigned, following allegations of maltreatment by a former staff of the news corporation, Halima Umar Saleh.
The Independent Mirror reports that the resignation told that, Mr Tanko said he voluntarily resigned after serving the BBC meritoriously for 17 years.
He however declined further comment when he prodded him on the allegations of “maltreatment” by a former staffer.
Ms Saleh, who is currently a Senior Digital Editor at TRT Africa, had alluded in a recent interview with Arewa24 that Mr Tanko had maltreated her while she was working under him at the BBC.
The interview drew controversy on social media after Arewa 24 pulled down the clip, raising suspicion of editorial compromise.
A source said a number of internal and external petitions were sent to the BBC headquarters in London, demanding investigation over the allegations.
The gathered the Head of BBC West Africa, Ehizojie Okharedia, on Wednesday called for an emergency meeting, after which Mr Tanko left office abruptly.
As Head of BBC Hausa, Mr Tanko led a team of journalists and senior journalists based in London and Abuja and in-the-field reporters in Nigeria, Niger, Ghana and Cameroon.
He was in charge of the editorial output of the service i.e.Four radio transmissions daily, twenty hours digital production (web + social) and weekday TV news bulletin.
Mr Tanko introduced various programmes such as Daga Bakin Mai Ita; Ku San Malamanku; Zamantakewa; Mahangar Zamani; Lafiya Zinariya; Korona Ina Mafita among other digital contents.
With a team of over 40 staff, the Hausa Service is the leading BBC language service in Africa with over 23 million weekly radio audiences and about 10 million weekly page views to its website.
DAILY NIGERIAN
