National President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo, has warned that henceforth the Union will no longer tolerate mindless attacks, intimidation and harassment of journalists from any quarters in the country in the cause of discharging their professional function of information, education and entertainment.
Chris Isiguzo gave the warning while interacting with journalists in Bauchi State on Sunday, during a visit to the state for the one-year remembrance service of the late mother of the NUJ National Secretary, Shuaibu Usman Leman.
He said: “Quite recently, a journalist was picked up, and you recall he was in detention for two years before he was released and picked up again. For the second time he was picked up, remember, I did tell you that under our watch, we will not allow anyone mess any of you up. With our small intervention, he was released.”
The NUJ National President assured that the safety of journalists is very key and dear to his administration promising that “we will never toy with it. The fact that you are a journalist does not make you a criminal. Journalism is not a crime, you are only contributing to building a sane society. Therefore, all these mindless attacks, clampdown, assault, harassment and intimidation, we will not tolerate it, never”.
He also stressed that because the media practice is key to the survival of democracy in the country, his administration has prioritised the training and re-training of journalists in the country to boost their capacity and efficiency saying, “I promise you that I will take the issue of training and re-training of journalists seriously because a journalist that is stagnant is danger to the society.”
He further said that the issue of insurance for practising journalists has featured in all the Councils he has visited just as he promised that the insurance program of the NUJ will be reactivated pointing out that already discussions with the NHIS and other insurance bodies to know which one is suitable for journalists have commenced.
He then called on journalists to seize the opportunity and register so that they can benefit stressing that it is for their own good.
