Brenda Chidinma Imo-Eze
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi State council, has banned members of the union from covering Nkomoro community, Ezza North local government area of the state and the entire local government over attack on three media practitioners in the state.
Three journalists, Uchenna Inya of Daily Sun, Godwin Oguta and Chinelo Okoro of Radio Nigeria Unity FM, Abakaliki were attacked in the community last Saturday when the kingship tussle between two warring groups in the area took dangerous dimension.
The warring groups invited the three Journalists for coverage of the election/coronation of a new traditional ruler of the community.
But the event became bloody when one of the factions objected to the coronation of a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Chief Jacob Nwakpa which a government official, Chika Igboke said before the violence erupted that he was instructed by the state ministry of local government and chieftaincy matters to go and coronate the man and presented authorization paper directing him to do so to the community.
Inya’s vehicle which the media practitioners drove to the event was smashed by angry mob.
NUJ in the state described the incident as barbaric and wicked and wondered why journalists should be attacked while discharging their responsibilities as watchdog of the society.
The union in a emergency meeting presided by it’s Chairman, Comrade Samson Nwafor ordered the warring parties to apologize to the attacked journalists and compensate Inya for his loses during the melee.
“Congress condemns in strongest term the attack on three members of the Union, namely: Mr Inya Uchenna of The Sun newspaper, Dr. Chinelo Okoro and Sir Godwin Oguta, both of FRCN, Unity FM, Abakaliki, at Nkomoro Community in Ezza North LGA of Ebonyi State, on Saturday, June 15, 2024, by suspected hoodlums during a coronation event in the area. Congress describes the attack as not just crude and barbaric, but a clear attempt to intimidate, subdue and force Journalists into self censorship.
“Congress strongly bemoans the unconcerned attitude of the People of Nkomoro Community about the unprovoked attack as they are yet to sympathize with the victims of this attack more than four days after the incident. Congress views this total lack of empathy by the people of Nkomoro Community to mean that the attack was carefully and deliberately planned and executed by the entire community.
“Congress therefore, directs Members of NUJ in Ebonyi State to henceforth desist from covering events in Ezza North LGA, pending when relevant authorities and Stakeholders of the Council Area prevail on the people of Nkomoro Community or better still, the perpetrators of this dastardly act to adequately compensate our Colleagues for their losses during the attack and tender unreserved written apology to them and copy NUJ as a body. Congress resolved to sanction any member who flouts this directive.
“Congress particularly took note of the role said to have been played in the dastardly act by one Oscar Nwafor and the members of his group, which include but not limited to the following: Samuel Nnoko, Livinus Eze, Obiora Ezaka, Cletus Igwe and Joseph Oganyi, and therefore, calls on the Ebonyi State Government and the Commissioner of Police, Ebonyi State Command to immediately arrest and prosecute them as well as other people who are directly or indirect involved in the wanton attack and destruction of property of innocent Journalists whose only offence was doing their constitutional duties”, the union stated in a communique after the meeting