The Bayelsa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has condemned in strong terms the attack on journalists who were on official duty covering a press briefing on Sunday in Yenagoa by suspected hired thugs.
The press briefing, which was organised by the Sagbama local government chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) at Da Crib Hotel, was invaded by hoodlums where some journalists escaped death by whiskers. Some of them sustained various degrees of injuries while running for their lives.
In a statement signed by the council chairman, Comrade Samuel Numonengi and secretary, Comrade Ogio Ipigansi, Numonengi described the unfortunate event as callous and barbaric and an attempt to prevent journalists from carrying out their legitimate duties to inform the public.
Numonengi called on security agents to investigate and fish out those involved in the ugly act for prosecution to serve as deterrent to others and urged politicians to always play by the rules to avoid this type of scenario. He sympathised with those injured especially members of the union and wished them quick recovery.
Chairman of the Federated Correspondents' Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Tife Owolabi, who was among the journalists injured, said the hoodlums invaded the venue shortly after the briefing commenced and destroyed chairs while hitting those present at the event with rods.
Owolabi disclosed that he bled from the forehead and left hand while Jacobson Park of People's FM 93.1 had a swelling in his hand where he was hit with a flagstaff.
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He said, "Everyone scampered for safety and the press briefing was temporarily halted until security men including the Operation Doo Akpo, the state security outfit, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps and the Nigeria Police, arrived Da Crib Hotel, venue of the event."
Meanwhile, seven members of the APC were indefinitely suspended from the party for alleged anti-party activities as the gale of suspensions in the party continued.
This was announced by the chairman, Sagbama local government chapter of the APC, Jonah Abeke, during the press briefing which later held after the attack by the suspected hired thugs.
Those suspended are Barr. Peres Peretu, Hon. Matthew Karimo, Major Oputa, Hon. Tangi Samuel, King Bolouyi Sufadoh, Hon. Goodluck Ebomu and Hon. Youdio-gwei Benjamin.
Abeke said, "In the 2023 National Assembly, presidential and gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State they openly worked for Gov. Douye Diri and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People's Democratic Party. They made no pretences about their anti-party activities.
"It is on this note that we, the under-signed executives of the Sagbama Local Government Area APC hereby suspend them indefinitely from the party. Their suspension is hereby transmitted to the State Executive Committee of our party for ratification."
Abeke also condemned the attack on the journalists who were invited to cover the briefing.
