… Vows to flog journalists who publishes negative stories about the state
THE Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, national secretariat, on Wednesday condemned Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State for his desparate actions targeted at destroying journalists and journalism in his state.
“The most recent development in which Governor Umahi was instigating attacks against Journalists in the State is frightening to the Union as it signals clearly that such attacks on the media are not going to abate any soon, ” NUJ said in a statement issued by Shuaibu Usman Leman, national secretary.
NUJ said, “We regret to note that Governor Umahi is ingloriously attaining notoriety in his continuous harassment, detentions and insults on journalists who dare to report what he feels are against the interest of his government. As professionals whose responsibility is to monitor governance and hold government accountable to the masses, journalists now live in perpetual fear of being arrested by security operatives or attacked by faceless assailants without any just cause in Ebonyi State.”
The NUJ has repeatedly cautioned against such acts of impunity and stressed that it is worth noting that press freedom is key to achieving credible democracy and this freedom includes the right to seek and receive information from all available sources to enable formulation of proper opinions to whomsoever one desires and to do so through whichever means it is feasible to communicate. Such attacks we believe are meant to curtail such freedoms, it said.In the light of these unabated attacks and intimidation of journalists, NUJ called once more on Governor Umahi to tread with caution because “the Union will hold him personally responsible for any untoward action on Journalists in Ebonyi State.”
According to NUJ, “It must also be noted that the purported ban placed on two journalists in the state from visiting the Government House or any government facility in Ebonyi State is a joke taken too far by the governor since these facilities are public and not private property. It should be noted that neither the Governor nor any government official can determine media content or stop journalists from holding government accountable.
“The Governor may wish to know also that both the Union and respective media organisations have their own procedures of disciplining journalists who step out of bounds but certainly we can not keep quiet in the face of this brazen attempt to muzzle press freedom which is a critical ingredient for democratic governance. “
Umahi had on Wednesday claimed that the state has the koboko (cane) to flog any member of the correspondents’ Chapel wing of Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ebonyi state that publishes negative story against the state.
The governor’s declaration came after he placed a life ban on two members of the Chapel, Mr. Chijoke Agwu of the Daily Sun and Mr. Peter Okutu of the Vanguard Newspapers.
The ban forbids the duo from entering the government house and covering state functions.
Agwu’s offence, according to the state government, was his publication on the Lassa Fever outbreak in the state while that of Okutu was based on alleged invasion at Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community in Ohankwu LGA by unidentified military officers on Tuesday.
Umahi who spoke in a live broadcast on the state-owned Ebonyi Broadcasting Corporation radio and TV had last weekend ordered the arrest of Agwu over the report but was later released while the council Chairman of Ohaukwu LGA, Barr. Clement Odah ordered the arrest of Okutu.
Umahi noted that the safety of journalists in the state could no longer be guaranteed if they continue to cause panic in the state. His words:
“If you think you have the pen, we have the koboko.
“I want to say that I am very displeased with the president and leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and I am going to cease their allowances for two months, because they have failed to discipline their members.
“Ebonyi State is no longer a dumping ground. Only the other day, Chijioke Agwu (Daily Sun Correspondent) wrote that Lassa Fever is killing Ebonyi people in droves and few days back, Mr Peter Okutu of Vanguard did his own.
“Okutu is fond of degrading Ebonyi State, and I don’t know why my officials have allowed him to continue to do that, because he is not from Ebonyi State.
“I want to ban him for life with Chijioke Agwu. I don’t want to see them anywhere in any Government facility.
“We are not begging you to give us good report, because the only person that gives good or bad report is God. We are all accountable to him.
If you think that Ebonyi State is a dumping ground, try it again. “If you think you have the pen, we have the koboko. Let’s leave the Court alone. Ebonyi people are very angry with the press and let me warn that I won’t be able to control them or know when they unleash mayhem on you, if you continue to write to create panic in the State.
“I want you to write it that way, that I said, press in Ebonyi is trying to create another COVID that is more dangerous and that is to create panic in our people
“The other one wrote that cholera has killed 20 people in Ohaukwu. If you try it again, I may not know when Ebonyians may react. This is important for the NUJ to know.”
“If you are an Ebonyi man or lives in Ebonyi and you don’t feel our pains, it is a shame on you. Maybe, the press people claim they are untouchable.
“I have reported to the National President of NUJ, I have reported to State leadership of NUJ and I have reported to the public. Now, the die is cast. May God save us, in the course of time”, he said
