Journalists’ attacks: Bauchi NUJ suspends boycott on coverage of police activities

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ARMSTRONG ALLAHMAGANI, Bauchi –

The ban of the coverage of police activities placed by The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bauchi State Council, has been suspended.

NATIONAL ACCORD had reported that the NUJ, on July 30th, had directed all its members practicing in the state to boycott all activities of the Nigeria Police Force in the state following several attacks on its members.

The recent attack was that of Damina Yusuf, a reporter with the Africa Independent Television by men of the Rapid Response Squad of the police in the state, which resulted in him sustaining some injuries.

He was assaulted while covering a protest by students of the College of Agriculture, Yelwa, a sub-urb of Bauchi metropolis and his phones, camera and microphone with AIT logo on them were all confiscated by the overzealous security operatives.

But the Union, in a statement signed by the Council Secretary, Isa Gadau, and made available to journalists on Saturday, said that the suspension of the ban was the decision of the State Working Committee following the remorse shown by the Police Command in the state over the action by some of its men.

According to the Council Secretary, the Command redeemed its pledges of settling the medical bills of the assaulted journalist and replacing his missing tools, in addition to sanctioning the perpetrators.

He said: “The union reviewed the earlier directive issued to its members to give total blackout to all police activities as a result of the series of attacks on journalists by some overzealous police officers while on official duties, with the recent assault on the reporter of the African Independent Television (AIT) by members of the Rapid Response Squad in the state.

“The Bauchi State Council of the NUJ decided to suspend the ban during its State Working Committee meeting on Saturday chaired by the state chairman Umar Sa’idu.

“Members of the State Working Committee unanimously resolved that since the state police command has shown remorse, redeemed their pledges of settling the medical bills of the assaulted journalist and replacing his missing tools, in addition to sanctioning the perpetrators.”

Gadau said that the Council therefore, advised media houses to resume publicizing police activities in the state, stressing that “the union will continue to monitor the relationship between the union and police.”

He added that “NUJ commend the state Commissioner of Police, Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, for showing concern to the plight of the assaulted journalist and his promise to work harmoniously with the media practitioners in the best interest of the people of the state.”

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