From Uchenna Inya, Abakaliki
The Ebonyi State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has demanded the arrest and prosecution of those who attacked three of their members while they covered the coronation of the traditional ruler of the Nkomoro community, Ezza North Local Government Area of the state, last weekend.
The union has also prohibited its members from, henceforth, covering any activities in the community and the local government as a whole.
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 traditional stool tussle between two groups in the area took a dangerous dimension.
The two groups invited the journalists, respectively, to cover the election/coronation of a new traditional ruler of the community. But following a disagreement between them over the coronation of a former Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Chief Jacob Nwakpa, heaven was let loose. Inya’s vehicle, which the media practitioners rode in, was smashed by an angry youths.
NUJ, in its communique after an emergency state congress, described the incident as “barbaric and wicked”. It wondered why journalists should be attacked while discharging their constitutional responsibilities as watchdog of the society.
In the emergency meeting presided by its Chairman, Samson Nwafor, the State Council ordered the warring parties in Nkomoro Community to apologise to the attacked journalists and compensate Inya for his losses during the melee.
“Congress condemns, in the strongest terms, the attack on three members of the Union. 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 sympathise 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.