CG’s visit to Kano: Customs throw out journalists

In from Timothy Enietan-Matthews . . .

Journalists in the commercial city of Kano, North West Nigeria, had a raw deal in the hands of guards at the Bompai zonal office of the Nigeria Customs Service, who bundled them out of the premises in an attempt to stop media coverage of the visit of Controller General of the service, Col. Hamid Ali.

Ali, who was represented by the Deputy Comptroller General, John Atte, was expected to meet with Stakeholders in the city but the visit was however shrouded in secrecy by the service which brought about suspicion within the media circle.

Reporters who had stormed the office were humiliated by the order allegedly handed down by the parastatal spokesperson, Duru Emmanuel Okechukwu, preventing them access to the heavily fortified office.

Stern looking officers at the gate successfully bundled no fewer than four Journalists that played a smart game.

Read also: My mission at customs, by Ali

“We are under strict instructions to keep intruders away, and I’m afraid reporters are not welcome for this event“, an Inspector explained.

Kano had been under spotlight following high profile seizures by the service from Chinese businessmen that were discretely released weeks after.

The Chairman of the Correspondent chapel of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Mr. Edwin Olofu, has however written a protest letter to the Deputy Comptroller, Kano zone over the ill treatment, demanding the service to investigate the unfortunate incident to forestall re-occurrence.

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