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Tag: NUJ

  • Borno NUJ calls for release of Daily Trust editor

    The Nigerian Union of Journalist’s NUJ, Borno chapter has called for the immediate release of the regional editor of Daily Trust, Uthman Abubakar who was arrested on Sunday by military personale in Maiduguri.

    The Union has also condemned the continued detention of Mr. Uthman with the military while calling on the understanding of the authorities to ensure Mr. Uthman regains his freedom without delay due to his bad health.

    The Army had on Sunday stormed the regional office of Daily Trust, and whisked away, the Regional Editor Uthman Abubakar and Ibrahim Sawab(later released) on allegation of a report claiming a breach of secret information that detailed their operations.

    In a statement, signed by the Secretary of the council, Ibrahim Mohammed strongly condemned the protracted detention of the journalists.

    The statement said, “NUJ is deeply saddened by the military’s arrest of two of her members and staff of Daily Trust Newspaper, Uthman Abubakar and Ibrahim Sawab (released Monday 7/1/19) in Maiduguri on Sunday 6th January 2019 following a publication on military operation.

    “The Union strongly believes that the country’s Armed forces is far greater in capacity, equipment and experience than the Boko Haram insurgents hence all of us have no fear that the forces can defeat the insurgents on any front and that has been the guiding reason for reporting military operations.

    “NUJ believes the report of Daily Trust of Sunday 6/1/19 was misinterpreted by our gallant military which was only promoting a show of force and not contrary.

    Read Also; Hunters’ clash: Kano govt opens investigation

    “We implore the concerned authority to see good in polishing justice with understanding and release the Bureau Chief, Uthman Abubakar still in custody.

    “He is not well to undergo such detention and the Presidency through SSA to The President on Media Garba Shehu has ordered his release which has not been effected.

    “The pen profession and Armed forces have enjoyed a long cordial relationship before and during the Boko Haram insurgency which has lasted almost ten years now.

    “Let us all not give in to the antiques of the insurgents who will be happy with this negative trend and remain united to fully overcome the elements of terror”.

  • NUJ suspends three members for flouting boycott order

    The Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists ( NUJ ), Nasarawa State Council, has sanctioned three of its members for violating its order to boycott the state government activities.

    The Chairman of the chapel, Mr Suleiman Abubakar, announced the suspension while addressing newsmen after a meeting of the chapel on Friday in Lafia.

    According to him, Mr Umar Mohammed of the Punch newspaper, Mr Linus Oota of the Sun and Mr Igbawase Ukumba of ThisDay are suspended from the union for three months.

    Abubakar said that the three journalists covered the inauguration of the state commissioners on Thursday by Gov. Umaru Al-Makura.

    He noted that the chapel had directed its members to boycott activities of the government and those of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

    The chairman said that the chapel gave the boycott directive following expiration of a 24-hour ultimatum it gave the government over assault on two journalists by NSCDC.

    He said that the chapel gave the government 24 hours to sack Mr Abdullahi Oseze, the Director-General of the state Pension Bureau Office, and two others for their alleged roles in the journalists’ attack.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the journalists were brutalised on Dec. 14 by personnel of the NSCDC attached to the office for attempting to snap names of de-listed pensioners.

    The assaulted journalists are Mr Rabiu Omaku of the Universal Reporters Online and Gambo Ahmed of the Peoples Daily newspaper.

    Commenting ThisDay and Punch reporters correspondents admitted violating the order, but said they were carrying out their duties as instructed by their offices.

  • NUJ to FG: Give assent to PIGB

    Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to give assent to the Petroleum Industrial Governance Bill (PIGB) and to make haste in looking into the other PIBs.

    They made this call during a one day workshop on PIB, organised for members of NUJ in the southern states held during the week at the Ibom Hotels and Golf Resort, Uyo.

    Speaking through a communique issued at the end of the workshop, which featured presentations by industry analysts and discussions, by participants, they came up with resolutions that President Muhammadu Buhari’s decision to decline assent to the Petroleum Industry Governance Bill (PIGB) represents a setback to the buildup of momentum from 18 years of efforts to introduce policy reforms to the Nigerian Oil and Gas sector.

    “We call on the president and the National Assembly to swiftly resolve the contentious issues raised about the Bill,” it stated.

    The communique, which was signed by the National President, NUJ, Chris Isiguzo, and  National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman, stated that the imperative to increase Nigeria’s competitiveness in the global energy market makes the need for reform urgent. “Actualization of the reform bills should be a national priority.”

  • NUJ: Okowa congratulates Isiguzo

    Gov. Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta on Saturday congratulated Mr Chris Isiguzo, the new President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ).

    Okowa, whose congratulatory message was conveyed in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Charles Aniagwu in Asaba, called on Isiguzo to take the issues of members welfare seriously.

    He expressed optimism that Isiguzo would make a difference in the task, given his wealth of experience and the positions he occupied in the profession.

    The governor also urged Isiguzo to key into the desire of the people of Nigeria for real change and good governance and to lead the body of journalists to support the peoples wish.

    Okowa assured the union of his support at all times.

    He also commended the immediate past President of the union, Mr Waheed Odusile for his contributions to the development of the journalism while in office.

    Read Also: Former Benue NUJ Chairman wins LP ticket

    According to Okowa, the election of Chris Isiguzo as the new President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists is not a surprise, following his antecedents as Vice President of NUJ, South East Zone.

    He said: “His emergence at this time is significant and momentous in view of the fact that Nigerians are desirous to enthrone a true democratic change in the way they are being governed.

    “The NUJ should strive to change the negative narrative on the issue of welfare of journalists seriously by ensuring better conditions of service and remuneration for working journalists and retired ones.

    “If the welfare needs of journalists who are watchmen against corruption in society are well taken care of, they would be better disposed to playing the critical roles expected of them as agents of good governance and accountability.

    NAN

  • Former Benue NUJ Chairman wins LP ticket

    Mr Kris Atsaka, former  Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Benue Council has emerged the Labour Party (LP) candidate for 2019 State House of Assembly election .

    The former NUJ Chairman will contest election  and if elected, will represent the Benue Makurdi South Constituency.

    Announcing the results of LP primaries, Mr John Odoh, the Electoral Officer for Makurdi South State Constituency said Mr Kris Atsaka pulled 28 votes to defeat Matthew Chameh who scored 4 votes.

    Read Also: AbduSalam to NLC: You’re not the owner of Labour Party

    He said the total number of delegates and votes were 32, adding that the “process was free, fair and credible “.

    In his acceptance speech, Atsaka promised a fair representation for the growth and development of the state,if elected in 2019 election.

    He thanked all members of the public, his colleagues in Journalism and unionists for their support.

    Atsaka, from the Voice Newspaper, Makurdi, was NUJ Chairman from 2011 -2018 where he served for two terms.

    NAN

  • NUJ election: Odusile loses to Isiguzo as president

    Chris Isiguzo, South East Bureau Chief of ThisDay Newspaper from Enugu Zone on Friday morning emerged the National President of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) at the Unions general election in Abeokuta

    The News Agency of Nigeria  reports that Isiguzo polled 346 votes to defeat the incumbent President, Waheed Odusile, who polled 329 votes.
    Announcing the results at the June 12 Cultural Centre in Abeokuta , the Returning Officer from Nigeria Labour Congress, Benson Upah, commended the peaceful conduct of all the participants.

    Upah, the National Head of Information and Public Affairs, declared Isiguzo winner of the election that had seven contestants.
    NAN reports that Bamidele Atunbi had 101 votes, Abiodun Olalere, 56 votes, Jacob Edi , 16 votes, while Alademka Adelegan had 9 votes and Uzaka Abraham got 30 votes.

    For the National Treasurer position , Mohammed She defeated two other contestants while Muhamod Umar was elected National Auditor.
    For the Vice President position, Yusuf Idris was elected vice president Zone A, Cosmos Olalekan was elected VP Zone B Petrus Samfochi won the election for Zone C and Wilson Bako was elected VP Zone D.
    Ogunle Akpati was elected VP Zone F, Izma Abdullahi was elected Secretary Zone A, while Suleiman Gimba won the Secretary seat for Zone E.
    In his acceptance speech , Isiguzo said that the major focus of his administration would be welfare of Nigerian journalists.
    “I assure that time to rescue the union has started; you will be proud of us. We won’t disappoint you .
    ” We will unveil our programme of actions in the coming days. The days you work and you will not receive your salary are gone.
    “The immediate past president has congratulated me with other co-contestants. I want to dedicate this victory to all Nigerian journalists,” he said.

  • Kaduna APC adopts indirect primaries

    …Senator Shehu Sani, others kick

     

    Kaduna State Chapter of All Progressives Congress (APC) has risen from its State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting and adopted indirect primaries for all its primary elections.

    The only APC Senator from Kaduna State, Shehu Sani however kicked against the decision, saying “I don’t agree to indirect primaries”.

    For the first time since his suspension by the party in 2016, Senator Sani was in attendance at the party’s SEC meeting and was sighted exchanging banters with the Deputy Governor, Arch. Barnabas Bala Bantex.

    Briefing newsmen shortly after the SEC meeting of its resolution, the state chairman of the party, Air Cdre Emmanuel K. Jekada said, “direct primaries method is not applicable in the state.”

    According to Jekada, “The Kaduna State Executive Committee (SEC) in line with the directives of the National Executive Committee (NEC), sat today and adopted “Indirect Primary” as the mode of conduct of the party primary elections in Kaduna state.

    “The ‘Direct Primary method’ is not applicable in the State due to the following reasons: Absence of a comprehensive register of party members; the APC Kaduna party leadership has made spirited attempts to acquire a comprehensive database of party members from the party’s National Headquarters but to no avail.

    “Without a comprehensive membership register, any direct primaries may be disrupted by non-members including individuals from other parties who may come up with fake membership cards to cause confusion in the process.

    “Experience of Direct Primaries from the recently concluded primary elections for councillorship in state where the party adopted direct primaries to select its candidates was marred by significant disruption and controversy and over stretched the security agencies. Using this mode for the upcoming primary elections would definitely not produce the desired results and its credibility may be called to question.

    “The Direct primary method would result in significant logistic challenges for the party; with party membership running into hundreds of thousands in the state, printing of ballots, deployment of election materials, accreditation, voting, collation and declaration of results would be very expensive with financial cost surpassing a billion naira in Kaduna alone. These are costs that the party may not be able to shoulder in view of the fact that it was not envisaged, and no budget provision has been made for it.

    “In order to deepen and broaden the democratic practice, the party looks forward to the adoption of direct primaries in future elections at which time the limitations listed above would have been resolved.

    “Therefore, in recognition of 2a-c above, the State Executive Committee adopted the ‘Indirect’ mode of primaries for nomination of candidates in the 2019 elections in the state. This decision will accordingly be communicated to the National Executive Committee of the party as required.” He stressed.

    Read Also: 2019: Rivers APC adopts indirect primaries

    Meanwhile, Senator Sani and his predecessor in the Senate, General Mohammed Sani Saleh while addressing journalists at the NUJ secretariat after the meeting said, the decision of the SEC is not final, as they, as aspirants have equally submitted their position in favour of Direct Primaries to the national secretariat of the party.

    According to Senator Sani, “The party has just concluded the state executive committee meeting at which they read out a resolution that they prefer the indirect method in the forthcoming primary elections. Well, that is the state’s position and not the final say, national headquarters required that every states executive committees must submit a written request signed by state’s executive committee members, critical stakeholders as well as aspirants to various offices in the state.

    “So far out of these three categories of people, the state executive committee has taken its own stand, its left for critical stakeholders and aspirants to state their own position on this matter. And as an aspirant to the office of senator for Kaduna central senatorial district, I do not agree to indirect method of conducting the primaries because of obvious reasons.

    “One of the reasons is the manner in which the congresses were conducted. It was conducted in such a way that certain individuals were given the opportunity to select the entire executive members from every wards and LGA in the state. It was not free and fair so I don’t think I will be doing justice to myself, to subject myself to general election under that condition.

    “The safest, fairest and best thing is for us to throw this thing open if you are not afraid of the people that you are aspiring to represent, subject yourself to election by them,” he said.

  • Ogun NUJ decries harassment of journalists

    … Call on governments, security agencies to halt to assault

     

    Hundreds of journalists in Ogun State took to a street of Abeokuta, the state capital, in protest over incessant harassment, arrest and detention of journalists in Nigeria by security agencies.

    The protesting journalists who wielded various placards inscriptions such as; “Enough of Attacks of Journalists and Media Houses,” “Government Should respect Freedom of Press ,” “No To Resurrection of Decree 2 of 1984, It is a Monster ” among others, said the protest was a call on the governments and security agencies to halt the assault on journalists.

    The peaceful protest on Thursday was spearheaded by the Chairman of the State Council, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Wole Shokunbi, in compliance with the directive of the National body of NUJ.

    Read Also: FRSC assures Ogun residents of safer road

    Shokunbi who described the spate of attacks on journalists and media houses as “barbaric,” said the NUJ can no longer accept the ill – treatment of media practitioners by Nigerian government and its agents.

    He urged the governmentand all security agencies to allow the rule of law to prevail and respect the constitutional right of the press.

    Commenting, the Ogun State Commissioner for Information, Otunba Dayo Adeneye lauded the protesters for displaying decency and staging peaceful protest, assuring them the support of the state government.

  • NUJ president assures subscribers

    The President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Waheed Odusile, at the weekend urged subscribers of the Abaren/Penjewel Estate Housing Scheme to remain calm and await the outcome of a committee set up by the National Executive Council (NEC).

    He spoke at the Lagos NUJ Secretariat, Alausa, after inaugurating the seven-man committee headed by a former president, Bonnie Iwuoha.

    Odusile urged those planning to seek redress in court to be patient and allow the committee conclude its assignment.

    He said NUJ would ensure justice was done.

    Odusile said: “After listening to the briefing of the Chairman, Lagos Council on the outcome of the committee constituted by the council, NEC in its wisdom decided that a committee of elders should look into the matter and make recommendations.

    “So, I came around to inaugurate the committee, which has just a term of reference- to look into the issues raised and advise the leadership of the union on the best way to resolve the crisis.

    “I expect justice to be done and I use this medium to assure subscribers that there will be justice. I appeal to them to be patient. I share their pains because I also put in my money in the project…”

     

  • NUJ petitions Osinbajo as police secretly arraign reporter

    The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), yesterday protested to Acting President Yemi Osinbajo over the detention of Samuel Ogundipe, a reporter with an online newspaper, PREMIUM TIMES.

    It demanded the release of the journalist.

    Amnesty International (AI), International Press Centre (IPC), Media Rights Agenda (MRA), Nigerian Institute of Journalism (NIJ), among others, also demanded his release.

    Ogundipe was arraigned at a magistrates’ court for the police to obtain a detention warrant.  He was not allowed legal representation.

    The magistrate ordered that he be detained for the next five days.

    Ogundipe was left without food in detention, as he had to make an order for Shawarma sandwich early yesterday so as to survive in cell.

    In his letter, NUJ President Abdulwaheed Odusile urged the Acting President to authorise Ogundipe’s release.

    He asked Osinbajo to call Inspector-General of Police Ibrahim Idris to order.

    Odusile’s petition reads: “I write this petition on behalf of thousands of Nigerian journalists against the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, over his incessant attacks on journalists and violent violations of their human rights, culminating in yesterday’s (Tuesday’s) arrest of a Premium Times reporter, Mr. Samuel Ogundipe.

    “Ogundipe is being detained over the publication of the letter of the IGP to Your Excellency, in respect of the police investigation on the DSS siege to the National Assembly. The journalist is being held to disclose his source of information, a demand against the ethical precepts of our profession.

    “Your Excellency, we want to note that this is not the first time the IGP has been hounding the press. On January 1, two journalists who are brothers, Messrs Daniel and Izuchukwu Elomba were abducted in their homes by SARS officers, on the order of the IGP and detained for 10 days, over what was published on their blog purportedly against the IGP.

    “It will be recalled that counsel to the two journalists, Festus Keyamo, (SAN), petitioned Your Excellency and you caused the matter to be investigated.

    “Consequently, on April 23, a Federal High Court sitting in Abuja awarded N5 million damages against the police for this illegal detention.

    “Also, on March 13, SARS officers, under the control of the IGP, abducted Abdulahi Krishi, the National Assembly correspondent of Daily Trust, on the premises of the National Assembly. He was released 24 hours later after an outcry from the media.

    “Your Excellency, it is obvious that the excesses of the IGP against the media is giving your government a bad image as an anti- press government, even when it’s obvious these infractions were carried out without the presidency’s imprimatur.

    “We, therefore, implore your Excellency to call the Inspector-General to order and stop his incessant attacks on the media.

    “We also demand that the detained reporter of Premium Times be released.”

    The management of Premium Times protested Ogundipe’s arraignment without access to his lawyers.

    The Managing Director/ Editor-in-Chief of the newspaper, Mr. Musikilu Mojeed, who spoke with our correspondent on the phone, said: “It is an unfortunate development.

    ” Our lawyers went to see Ogundipe about 10am and the police asked them to come by 4pm, but in between the timeline, Ogundipe was taken to a Magistrates’ Grade One Court in Kubwa.

    “He was secretly arraigned, he was denied legal representation and the court ordered that he be detained by the police for the next five days.”

    Ogundipe borrowed a phone in the court to send text messages to his editors.

    The messages read: “They brought me to a magistrates’ court in Kubwa where they arraigned me. The magistrate said they should detain me for five days.

    “They accused me of criminal trespass. They said I stole secret documents. The magistrate does not know the details, because they did not include in the charge that I am a journalist. I was not allowed to contact my lawyers.

    “They also did not allow me to call anyone until the magistrate ordered them to let me make a call. I am currently using the registrar’s phone to make this call and they are collecting it,” Ogundipe said just before the call ended.”