…Ebonyi governor responsible for harm on journalists – NUJ
Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, Wednesday banned the Correspondents of The Sun newspaper, Chijioke Agwu, and the Vanguard Newspaper, Peter Okutu, from entering Government house and Government facilities in the State for life.
Umahi who made the statement in a statewide live broadcast aired in the State’s Television and Radio stations said he was displeased with the leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists, for failing to discipline their members.
Umahi had last week Saturday ordered the arrest of The Sun Correspondent, Chijioke Agwu, over a report he did on the Lassa Fever outbreak in the state who was later released.
Three days later, Mr. Peter Okutu, was arrested on the orders of Ohaukwu LGA Chairman, Mr. Clement Odah, over a report he did on the alleged military invasion of Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community in the council area. He has also been released.
Governor Umahi who said the safety of Journalists in the State could no longer be guaranteed by him noted that the people were angry with the Journalists and might begin to unleash mayhem on them if they continue to cause panic in the state.
According to him, “if you think you have the pen, we have the koboko”.
His words: “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 seize 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 (referring to The 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 live 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 dye is cast. May God save us, in the course of time”
Meanwhile, the national leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), yesterday, categorically condemned the persistent harassment and intimidation of journalists and media practitioners in Ebonyi State by Governor David Umahi.
The union, in a statement by its National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman, noted with regret that the Ebonyi governor has become notorious for his penchant for attacking, intimidating and harassing journalists.
It wondered why the governor was so desperate to suppress press freedom in a constitutional democracy.
The NUJ further urged Umahi to tread with caution, warning that he would be held responsible should anything happen to any journalist in Ebonyi.
The statement reads: “The NUJ National Secretariat condemns the continuous desperate action of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State to destroy 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.
“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.
“In the light of these unabated attacks and intimidation of journalists, we call 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.”
