Friday, November 23, 2012

NUJ condemns assault on Tribune, Punch reporters


The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council has condemned recent cases of assault on Tribune and Punch journalists while discharging their constitutional duties in the state.
The union in a statement signed by its Secretary, Comrade Soji Amosu, made available to newsmen in Abeokuta, on Thursday, described the assault on the state correspondents of the Nigerian Tribune, Mrs. Olayinka Olukoya and Segun Olatunji of The Punch, by suspected thugs at the Sagamu Local Government Area of the state.
It also berated the assault on three journalists—Femi Oyeweso (National Mirror), Sulaiman Fasasi (Nigerian Pilot) and Razaq Ayinla (Business Day) were  by security operatives while trying to cover the budget presentation by the state governor, Senator Ibikunle Amosu.
The union said that journalists by virtue of their professional calling and constitutional responsibilities are watchdogs of the society and therefore must be allowed to carry out their duties unhindered.
The union enjoined members of the public, including security operatives, politicians and corporate organisations, to always see journalists as partners in progress and should extend necessary cooperation to them for the overall interest and development of the society.
In the same vein, the Ogun State Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), had blacklisted the activities of the Sagamu Local government following attack on two members of the Chapel on Wednesday evening.
In a release, signed by the Chairman, Kehinde Akinyemi and Secretary, Abiodun Taiwo, respectively, the Chapel noted that it “received the news of the attack with rude shock and has subsequently directed that media activities of the local government should be blacklisted indefinitely.”
It also demanded for immediate public apology in both local and national media and payments of the medical bills of the injured journalists. “If this is not done in seven  days’ time, more measures, aim at bringing sanity and restoring the glory of journalism profession to the hands of those who found themselves in power on a platter of gold, like Mrs. Efuwape, would be taken.”

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