How thugs attacked a press conference in Kaduna Injured journalists
Some political thugs invaded the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) secretariat in Kaduna interrupting a press conference and exchanging fisticuffs with members of the press.
The invitation for the press conference met with an unusual hostility. When a message appeared on the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Kaduna Council Whatsapp group informing members that a group was to address the media by 10:00 am, the announcement engendered a hot debate on the platform due to the timing.
Some queried why a press conference should be held on a Sunday morning bearing in mind that Christian members are likely to be in church.
The reason for the timing was explained by the NUJ officials and apologies were offered; some accepted the explanation but others stood their ground saying they wouldn’t attend.
It later turned out that it was the All Progressives Congress (APC) lawmakers and leaders of the party’s splinter group, APC Akida that were protesting the conduct of the selection of party delegates to its national convention, that were to address the press.
It later also emerged that the invitation was timed to counter the outcome of an earlier invitation by the Kaduna State chapter of the APC which was scheduled to hold at the state secretariat of the party at 8:30 am.
The one scheduled to hold at 8:30 am did not commence till around 11: 00 am and the one that was to hold by 10 did not start till around 1:00 pm.
Newsmen would confirm later that the delay by both parties were deliberate in order to allow the other side go first so as to be equipped with enough facts to counter whatever the other may say.
The APC exco blinked first and addressed the press on what it said was the complaint by some persons in the state over the conduct of the selection process for delegates but insisted that everything was done in a free and fair manner.
But as they dispersed, some thugs came to the secretariat. It was not clear what their mission was as they were prevented from coming close to the gate by policemen.
The thugs who could not gain access to the premises later resorted to extorting money from persons leaving the premises. It was at this point that serious moves to commence the briefing by APC lawmakers commenced.
But even before their arrival, some thugs had preceded them and were at the gate of the NUJ insisting they must be allowed into the premises.
The NUJ officials it was learnt put a call to the police command to alert them about what was going on.
When the police arrived they were able to contain the thugs and calm returned to the NUJ as the APC lawmakers and Akida leaders arrived. But in no time, the thugs who had earlier retreated came back reinforced carrying placards and shouting.
The state financial secretary of the Kaduna NUJ, Femi Adi who was at the secretariat and witnessed what happened said the thugs came even before the lawmakers arrived.
“Initially we thought they were supporters of the lawmakers until we saw them carrying placards that read ‘No to Shehu Sani’ then we became apprehensive and called the Divisional Police Officer and the assistant police commissioner,” he said.
Other witnesses said the police men at the gate stood their grounds and did not allow the thugs into the premises but that when they persisted, they fired tear-gas which seemed to have worked for some time as calm returned and the press briefing commenced.
Later, the press conference commenced without any incident as Senators Othman Hunkuyi and Shehu Sani spoke at length on behalf of the group.
Our correspondent learnt that it was during the question and answer session that tension heightened as thugs came into the premises and started shaking the doors and windows of the hall while hauling stones into the courtyard.
At this stage, many journalists were up standing while the briefing continued but the thugs in no time succeeded in gaining entry into the hall and charged at the door that opened to the courtyard.
Adi recalled that a police man later identified as the DPO of Gabasawa Division was the one that led five of the thugs into the terrace where the press conference was holding.
It was gathered that at this juncture the briefing could not continue as the lawmakers and leaders of the APC splinter group were on their feet.
The thugs quickly pocketed the voice recorders, phones and other devices that were left on table in the ensuing confusion as the guests were led to the chalets at the back of the secretariat.
Our correspondent observed that the Liberty TV cameraman, Lawal Mohammed was hit on the head while another journalist, Sunday Mordecai lost his recorder while the windscreen of his car was broken. At this point some journalists confronted the thugs.
Luck ran out on some of thugs who came back into the premises as one of them was identified as the one who hit the camera man on the head. It became a round ribbon affair as journalists chased the thugs and the one who hit the camera man was caught and handed over to the police.
The police commissioner, Agyole Abeh, later arrived and assured the journalists that the matter would be investigated and that any of his men found to have a hand would be dealt with.
The Kaduna State chapter of the NUJ called for an emergency congress meeting and the council condemned in strong terms the attack by armed political thugs, commended the effort of policemen at the onset of the press briefing and took a decision to file a petition to the Governor of Kaduna State over the involvement of a DPO who they said allegedly led the thugs that carried out the act while a two week ultimatum be issued to the Commissioner of Police Kaduna State Command to fish out the perpetrators of the act.
The national body of the union also issued a statement on the incident. The statement signed by the NUJ National Secretary, Shuaibu Leman, regretted that Kaduna is ingloriously attaining notoriety as the deadliest state for Journalists in Nigeria to operate as harassment of Journalists was in the increase.
“As professionals whose responsibility is to monitor governance and hold government accountable to the masses, Journalists now live in perpetual fear of being arrested by security operatives or attacked by faceless assailants without any just cause,” the statement noted.
Governor Nasir El-Rufai also intervened saying nobody will be allowed to stifle freedom of expression. The governor also directed security agencies to beef up security at the NUJ secretariat to protect journalists doing their duty.