Editors charge Umahi to stop harassment of journalists

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) Wednesday charged Ebonyi State Governor, David Umahi, and other power-brokers in the state to stop the harassment and intimidation of journalists operating in the state.

The guild in a statement issued by its President, Mustapha Isah, expressed concern at the arrest on Tuesday of a Vanguard reporter, Peter Okutu, by security agents on the order of a local council chairman in the state, Clement Odah.

The governor had on Wednesday banned two journalists of The Sun Newspaper and Vanguard from entering the state Government House for life.

The statement read: “We noted with deep concern the persistent harassment of journalists in Ebonyi State on the orders of the state power brokers including the Governor of the State, Mr. Dave Umahi.

“The latest is the arrest of a reporter with Vanguard newspapers, Mr Peter Okutu, on Tuesday, April 21, at the behest of the Chairman of Ohaukwu Local Government Council, Mr. Clement Odah. Mr. Okutu was arrested in a gestapo manner by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) at a hotel in Abakaliki after he was lured into the hotel by Mr. Odah over a story on the military invasion of Umuogodoakpu-Ngbo community in Ohaukwu Local Government Council.

READ ALSO: No strange illness killing Kano people —Ganduje

“The bone of contention was not on the veracity of the story but on the number of persons allegedly killed during the invasion. Reports said Okutu was invited by the Local Government Chairman to the hotel. The reporter presuming that the LG Chairman was going to give more insight into the matter went in company of another reporter from another newspaper only for him to be arrested, harassed and whisked away by men of the SARS.

“The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Awosola Awotunde, rather than intervene and rein in his men, justified the arrest and accused journalists of “heating up the polity.”

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now