The Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has suspended the ban it placed on the coverage of police activities in the state by its members.
The Union had placed the ban following an assault on a reporter with the African Independent Television (AIT), Bauchi, Damina Yusuf, by operatives of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in the state during a recent protest by students of Bauchi State College of Agriculture, Bauchi.
The assault led to Yusuf’s admission to a hospital, while his camera and personal belongings were lost while he was being assaulted by policemen in the course of carrying out his duty.
However, a press release signed by the NUJ council secretary, Isah Garba Gadau, said the union reviewed the earlier directive issued to its members to give total blackout to all police activities as a result of the series of attacks on journalists by some overzealous police officers while on official duties.
The decision to suspend its earlier stance, Gadau said, was taken during the State Working Committee (SWC) meeting held on Saturday and chaired by Umar Sa’idu.
“Members of the State Working Committee unanimously resolved that since the state police command has shown remorse, redeemed their pledges of settling the medical bills of the assaulted journalist and replacing his missing tools, in addition to sanctioning the perpetrators, media houses are advised to resume publicising police activities in the state, as the union will continue to monitor the relationship between the union and police,” Gadau stated.
NUJ commended the state Commissioner of Police, Sylvester Abiodun Alabi, for showing concern for the plight of the assaulted journalist and his promise to work harmoniously with media practitioners in the best interest of the people of the state.
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