Political hoodlums on Sunday stormed the premises of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kaduna Council, with dangerous weapons and disrupted a press conference organised by aggrieved members of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in the state.
The press conference which was being addressed under the leadership of Senator Othman Suleiman Hunkiyi representing Kaduna North senatorial district also had in attendance several APC chieftains.
The thugs alleged to be sponsored, stormed the press centre in their hundreds with dangerous weapons stabbed several journalists, including a camera man with Liberty television who was rushed to the hospital to be treated of several injuries sustained from the attack.
The State Police Commissioner, Mr Agyole Abeh who visited the NUJ secretariat, pledged that the police will apprehend the perpetrators.
According to him, the DPO had briefed him on the incident, claiming that the thugs had identified themselves as journalists before they were allowed into the premises.
Other prominent members of the APC at the press briefing were Senator Shehu Sani (Kaduna Central); Hon Musa Mohammed Soba (Soba federal constituency); the chairman of Atar communication Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, Alhaji Yaro Makama; Ambassador Sule Bubba; Hon Muhamamed Usman (Kudan/Makarfi federal constituency) and Hon Isah Ashiru, among several other party members.
The APC chieftains were addressing the press to register their grievances over the selection of delegates, which according to them was done contrary to the laid down constitutional provisions for such exercise.
Meanwhile the Kaduna State governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai, condemned the attack on journalists, saying nobody will be allowed to stifle freedom of expression.
In a statement issued by his spokesperson, Samuel Aruwan, the governor who said he had been briefed on the situation, sympathised with the NUJ and other persons that were harassed by the hoodlums.
Aruwan said, “The Governor directed that the security agencies should investigate and take necessary action against the hoodlums. The Governor also directed security agencies to beef up security at the NUJ secretariat to protect lives of its members
www.leadership.ng
