The Ebonyi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has directed its members to immediately stop coverage of activities in Ezza North Local Government Area of the state.
This directive was contained in a communique issued after the State Council Congress held on Tuesday at the Sam Egwu Press Centre in Abakaliki.
The communique, signed by the council’s chairman, Comrade Sampson Nwafor, and Secretary, Comrade Nnamdi Akpa, was made available to members.
Recall that Mr Uchenna Inya of Sun Newspaper, Chinelo Okoro, and Sir Godwin Oguta, both of FRCN Unity FM, Abakaliki, were attacked at Nkomoro community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State on Saturday, June 15, 2024, by suspected hoodlums during coverage of a coronation event in the area.
The union condemned in the strongest terms the attack on three members of the union, describing it as crude, barbaric, and a clear attempt to intimidate, subdue, and force journalists into self-censorship.
The Union bemoaned the unconcerned attitude of the people of Nkomoro community about the unprovoked attack, as they are yet to sympathize with the victims more than four days after the incident.
The Union added that this attitude indicates that the attack was carefully and deliberately planned and executed by the entire community.
The council stated that the ban on coverage is necessary pending when relevant authorities and stakeholders of the council area prevail on the people of Nkomoro community, or better still, the perpetrators of the dastardly act, to adequately compensate the victims for their losses during the attack and tender an unreserved written apology to them, copying the NUJ as a body.
The council also resolved to sanction any member who flouts this directive.
The Union further noted the alleged role played in the dastardly act by one Oscar Nwafor and his group, including Samuel Nnoko, Livinus Eze, Obiora Ezaka, Cletus Igwe, and Joseph Oganyi, and called on the concerned authorities to arrest and prosecute them to serve as a deterrent to others.
Attack on journalists: NUJ bans coverage in Ezza North LGA