Condemnation As Umahi Bans Journalists In Ebonyi

By Ayodele Oluwafemi

Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State, on Wednesday, placed a life ban on The Sun Newspaper State Correspondent, Chijioke Agwu and the Vanguard newspaper State Correspondent, Peter Okutu from entering the Government House or any other government facility in the state.

Umahi, in a Statewide broadcast,  on Wednesday, referring to Journalists said, “”If you think you have the pen, we have the koboko.”

The governor noted that he is displeased with the leadership of Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, over what he described as their failure to discipline their members.

Arrest of Journalists in the State

Umahi, had last Saturday, ordered the arrest of Mr. Agwu over a report published in The Sun Newspaper, on the outbreak of Lassa Fever in the State.

In same manner, Mr. Okutu was arrested following the order of the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Area, Clement Odah, over a report he authored in Vanguard newspaper on the alleged military invasion of Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community in the area.

However, both journalists have been released, following intervention from various quarters.

The governor has, however, noted that he can no longer guarantee the safety of the two journalists noting that the residents of the state are angry over the reports and can unleash violence on them.

“Ebonyi people are very angry with the press and let me warn that I won’t be able to control them or know when they unleash mayhem on you, if you continue to write to create panic in the state,” he said.

He further said that Ebonyi is longer a dumping ground for all sorts of reports, noting that the press in the state are creating another Covid-19 which is more dangerous.

“I want you to write it that way, that I said, press in Ebonyi is trying to create another COVID that is more dangerous and that is to create panic in our people,” he said.

In his words, “I want to say that I am very displeased with the president and leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists and I am going to seize their allowances for two months because they have failed to discipline their members.

“Ebonyi State is no longer a dumping ground. Only the other day, Chijioke Agwu  wrote that Lassa Fever is killing Ebonyi people in droves and  few days back, Mr Peter Okutu of Vanguard did his own.

“Okutu is fond of degrading Ebonyi State, and I don’t know why my officials have allowed him to continue to do that, because he is not from Ebonyi State. I want to ban him for life with Chijioke Agwu. I don’t want to see them anywhere in any Government facility.

“We are not begging you to give us good report, because the only person that gives good or bad report is God. We are all accountable to him. If you think that Ebonyi State is a dumping ground, try it again.

“If you think you have the pen, we have the koboko. Let’s leave the court alone. Ebonyi people are very angry with the press and let me warn that I won’t be able to control them or know when they unleash mayhem on you, if you continue to write to create panic in the state.

“The other one wrote that cholera has killed 20 people in Ohaukwu. If you try it again, I may not know when Ebonyians may react. This is important for the NUJ to know.

“If you are an Ebonyi man or live in Ebonyi and you don’t feel our pains, it is a shame on you. Maybe, the press people claim they are untouchable. I have reported to the National President of NUJ, I have reported to the State leadership of NUJ and I have reported to the public. Now, the die is cast. May God save us, in this time.”

Condemnation

The National leadership of NUJ, in a statement by its National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman, condemned the action of Umahi, warning him to stop Impunity against journalists.

Part of the statement reads, “The NUJ National Secretariat condemns the continuous desperate action of Governor David Umahi of Ebonyi State to destroy Journalists and Journalism in his state. The most recent development in which Governor Umahi was instigating attacks against Journalists in the State is frightening to the Union as it signals clearly that such attacks on the media are not going to abate any soon.

“In the light of these unabated attacks and intimidation of Journalists, we call once more on Governor Umahi to tread with caution because the Union will hold him personally responsible for any untoward action  on Journalists in Ebonyi State.

“It must also be noted that the purported ban placed on two journalists in the state from visiting the Government House or any government facility in Ebonyi State is a joke taken too far by the governor since these facilities are public and not private property. It should be noted that neither the Governor nor any government official can determine media content or stop journalists from holding government accountable.

“The Governor may wish to know also that both the Union and respective media organisations have  their  own procedures of disciplining journalists who step out of bounds   but certainly we can not keep quiet in the face of this brazen attempt to muzzle  press freedom which is a critical ingredient for democratic governance.”

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