The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Ondo State Chapter yesterday banned its members from covering any activity of non-academic staff Unions of the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA).
The affected unions include: Non-Academic Staff Union (NASU), Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the National Association of Academic Technologists (NAAT).
NUJ, in a statement by its chairman, James Sowole and Secretary, Leke Adegbite, condemned the attack on six journalists by FUTA workers.
The victims were correspondents of The Punch, Vanguard, The Nation, New Telegraph, Tribune and Guardian.
They were at the university last Friday to get a follow- up on alleged financial crisis rocking the institution when aggrieved workers led by the SSANU chairman, Dele Durojaye attacked them.
They escaped nearly being lynched to death.
The workers protested on last Thursday against the release of FUTA’s vice-chancellor, Prof. Adebiyi Daramola by the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).
Daramola was invited by the anti-graft commission to its branch office in Ibadan, Oyo State for alleged abuse of office and misappropriation of fund.
The aggrieved workers vented angers on the reporters for publishing Daramola’s reaction alongside their protest’s story.
The atmosphere became tensed as one the workers physically attacked The Punch attacked Punch reporter, Peter Dada.
The union demanded unreserved public apology from the leadership of the three unions at FUTA to compensate for unwarranted assault of journalists.