THE leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Zone C, (South East) has called on President Muhammadu Buhari to call the Army to order following its attack on the Press Centre of the NUJ, Abia State Council, at Umuahia on Tuesday, September 12.

The organisation said Nigeria deserved peace and development, and not invasion. Besides, the NUJ argued that South East was peaceful and that there was no evidence to show that the governors from the zone, as the chief security officers, had requested for military deployment in the zone. “Even the latest United Nation’s report indicates that South East geo-political zone is the most peaceful in the country.

“We call on the National Assembly and the International Community to weigh into this fragrant abuse of human rights, and premeditated provocation of civil disobedience that might precipitate shedding of innocent blood,” the NUj statement said.

Besides, the NUJ alleged that in the attack, the Army personnel “reportedly beat up journalists at sight and destroyed their working tools such as Samsung Tablets, mobile telephones, and mini-recorders. The military men also destroyed furniture, documents and other property yet to be quantified.”

The union leaders said the attack on the journalists on the suspicion of taking photos and/or videos of the military was ‘barbaric and shameful,’

It, therefore, asked whether Nigeria was still operating a civil democracy or military dictatorship? “Has Nigeria returned to the dark days of police state? Or is Nigeria at war?

“If indeed the military wants to “showcase her strength”, what is wrong in the media, if at all they took pictures or video, in helping them to showcase the military power? Haven’t they been calling for media support and collaboration?”

Consequently, it called on the chief of Defence Staff, chief of Army Staff and the General Officer Commanding 82 Division, Nigerian Army Enugu to take note of the unprofessional conducts of their men and punish the erring officers.

That notwithstanding, they union said that immediate steps should be taken to replace damaged equipments and compensate those manhandled.

“Finally we advise the federal government to adopt dialogue in handling issues of pro-Biafra agitations in the zone, which many have described as a metaphor for so many contradictions and the state of anomy in the economic and socio-political life of the country. All these had equally resulted in strident calls from different quarters for urgent restructuring of the country. The Federal Government cannot be impervious to the building tension, frustration and suffering of Nigerians and shouldn’t pour fuel into a gathering fire,” the statement signed by Chris Isiguzo, vice president and Kenneth Ofoma, secretary of the zone.

– Sept. 13, 2017 @ 16:44 GMT