Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern, MURIC, has sympathised with the media over the looting and destruction of some media houses by hoodlums on Wednesday.
Some media houses in Lagos State were badly affected in the melee which occurred during the ongoing #EndSARS saga, on Wednesday.
Notably The Nation and Television Continental (TVC) were looted and set ablaze
MURIC expressed sympathy with affected media houses, including LTV and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
MURIC, in a statement signed by its Director and founder, Prof Ishaq Akintola on Saturday, said it has confirmed reports of attacks on the media houses.
It noted that all these attacks were attributed to hoodlums who infiltrated peaceful protesters, adding that the group is deeply disturbed by these attacks on media houses.
“We as a non-governmental organization (NGO) rely on the press to reach out to the public.
“The press in general has contributed immensely to the ability of various organisations to interact and there is no gainsaying the fact that the media is the voice of the voiceless,” it said.
MURIC pointed out that any attack on pressmen and women or the media in general is therefore an attack on the downtrodden masses.
The Islamic organisation said that it was ignorance on the part of the hoodlums who attacked the media that speaks for them and promoting their interests, adding that the attack could render hundreds jobless.
“It is in this respect that we strongly denounce the attacks. How can we blame government and private entrepreneurs for lack of jobs when we senselessly use our hands to destroy workplaces where hundreds of fellow Nigerians earn their living? MURIC said.
It further noted that workers in these organisations may not be paid their salaries for months as the employers struggle to replace vehicles and equipment burnt or carted away.
“MURIC hereby expresses heartfelt sympathy with the Nation newspaper, TVC, LTV, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and all those affected by the attacks, particularly the owners of the media houses and the non-journalist staff,” it said.
“We remind Nigerians that attacks on businesses tend to vindicate some Nigerians in the diaspora who refuse to come back home to set up businesses.
“Burning and looting are attacks on civilization. They are counter-productive.”
MURIC warned that while the attackers may think they are punishing some individuals, they are shooting themselves in the legs
It pointed out that such destructive attacks may scare many people from setting up businesses in the country.
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