The Ogun State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has petitioned the Ogun State Police Command over the alleged assault of three journalists by private security operatives attached to a Chinese company in the Igbesa area of the state.
The council condemned the incident and called on the Nigeria Police Force to immediately investigate the matter and ensure that those responsible are brought to justice.
In a video forwarded to the Ogun State Police Command and made available to the media by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Oluseyi Babaseyi, the NUJ Secretary in the state, Comrade Bunmi Adigun, identified the victims as Taiwo Fabajo of Ogun State Television, OGTV, Bidemi Bello of Channels Television, and Gbenga Osinuga.
According to Adigun, the journalists were harassed and physically assaulted while carrying out their legitimate professional duties.
He explained that the media practitioners had accompanied officials of an Ogun State Government agency on an enforcement exercise around the Ogunguandong area in Igbesa when the incident occurred.
The NUJ secretary described the development as unacceptable and a violation of press freedom, stressing that journalists must be allowed to perform their constitutional responsibilities without intimidation, harassment, assault or any form of violence.
He urged the police authorities to conduct a thorough investigation into the matter and hold all those involved accountable.
The council also assured journalists and members of the public that it would pursue the matter to a logical conclusion.
“Journalists must be allowed to perform their constitutional role without intimidation, harassment, assault, or any form of violence,” Adigun said.
He added that the incident would not be swept under the carpet, insisting that everyone found culpable in the assault of the journalists must be identified and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
