NUJ tells IGP to stop killing of journalists

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has asked the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Kpotun Idris, to act against killing of journalists as the crime is getting increasingly frequent.

“We are constrained to once again draw the attention of the Inspector General of Police over the killing of yet another journalist in Benin, Edo State, a situation that has now become a routine,” the NUJ said in a statement signed by its National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman.

The NUJ recalled that Lawrence Okojie, a reporter with the NTA, was shot by yet to be identified gunmen in Benin last Saturday while on his way home from work, saying it was said that the police should appear either unable or unwilling to fish out killers of journalists and bring them to justice.

And reiterating that many journalists had been killed in recent times in different parts of the country by gunmen “perhaps sponsored by desperate politicians and (or) high office holders,” the NUJ said, “Acts of impunity against the media and journalists should not be tolerated.”

The Edo State chapter of the NUJ has similarly urged the Nigeria Police and other security agents to fish out the killer of Lawrence Okojie.

“We are pained because few months ago, a journalist was killed in Bayelsa State by gunmen and now it is Edo State,” a statement signed by the state NUJ Chairman, Roland Osakue and the Secretary, AlemmaOzioruva Aliu, said.