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From Noah Ebije, Kaduna
The Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Kaduna State Command, Panam Musa, has said that there was the need for renewed synergy and collaboration between the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna State Council, and the Corps.
This comes as the Commandant tendered an unreserved apology to Channels Television over unruly behaviour of personnel of NSCDC against the cameraman of the television station, Mr Ogbonna Chukwu.
The NSCDC Commandant stated this on Monday when he, along with some senior officers of the Corps, paid a courtesy call on the Executive Council of the NUJ.
It was recalled that Mr Chukwu was detailed penultimate Saturday by his organisation to cover the turbaning ceremony of the former Vice President, Namadi Sambo, by the Emir of Zazzau, Ambassador Ahmed Nuhu Bamali, at the palace.
However, reports said, as the Channels TV cameraman tried to gain entrance into the venue of the ceremony, he was rough-handled by the personnel of the Corps, pushing him away; the incident which had since gone viral on social media.
“I have come on two subjects here. Firstly, I want to appreciate the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the body of journalists in the country, for being who you are in stake-holding activities of the State. I want to say categorically here that journalists in this country brought Civil Defence to where we are today.
“Secondly, I want to appreciate the Bureau Chief, Chimezie Enyocha of Channels Television. An incident happened in Zaria, and that is why I came here with the Area Commandant, the Divisional Officer. Incidentally, I was in Zaria that day, for that programme. But I did not see what happened until yesterday (Sunday) when I saw it on the media space. And I now said if it happened like that, I must reach out to the staff of Channels Television to seek further collaboration, and to tender my unreserved apology.
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“This is categorically why I am here to tender Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ unreserved apology to Channels for the unruly behaviour of my personnel. It normally happened that way. It is just that there are some that are overzealous in their activities. They don’t see it coming that it will affect them but the Head. This time around it has affected the Head. We would not know where that personnel is because he might be at a comfort zone now. But here am I. I have been given a matching order to make sure that Channels Television say they are okay with this apology I have to tender to them.
“I don’t want to say too much but I want to also on behalf of my organisation, want the NUJ Chairman to also help us to extend this apology to Channels that we have unruly misbehaved. At this point we have come to say sorry, that we want this collaboration not only with Channels Television but with all the media houses.
“I have come to pay a courtesy call and to tell you people, tell NUJ that you are still a stakeholder in the affairs of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. And also we want to synergize with you, we want to have this collaboration going. It has been existing before this time. In all the States there is this synergy between the media and the Corps. I have come to put it on the high speed that we will continue to collaborate with you in all aspects. We have no option than to collaborate with you because you were there for us before this time,” the Commandant said.
In his response, the NUJ Chairman, Alhaji Abdulgafar Alabelewe, expressed satisfaction with the apology by the NSCDC Commandant.
“Let me start by appreciating the Commandant for taking this proactive measure and again for doing something that is very uncommon with people in uniform, by apologizing. There are ways you know honourable men when you see them. Honourable men are known for things like this, knowing where to say, I have wronged you, I am sorry.
“And you are not just saying this because you have done anything wrong, but because you are taking responsibility for your men in the field. Let me say that we have always had this kind of encounter with security personnel in the field, especially frontliners, talking about the cameramen, because for us as reporters, we sit in one corner listening and do our report, but cameramen go to the real scene of where the action is taking place and we have always had it rough with security agents.
“I want to assure you that the NUJ as a council, which is the umbrella body of all the practising journalists in the country, and the State council being the body for practising journalists in Kaduna State, we are ready to work with you. We are ready to also project the activities of your organisation,” Alabelewe said.
