Media
THE Nigeria Union of Journalists has expressed condemned in strong terms the demolition of Breeze FM, 99.9, a radio station, Lafia, on the orders of Governor Umaru Tanko Al Makura of the state, last week.
The union said that it was worried that at a time when the Nigerian State needed the support and cooperation of the media more in fighting corruption, criminality and terrorism in the country, the media was now being attacked by the same government entrusted with the safety and security of all Nigerians.
“There can be no plausible explanation to this act of intimidation by Governor Tanko Al Makura on the radio station ostensibly because the structure housing the radio was not approved by the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board. It is instructive to note that the same governor was represented at the time the radio station was being commissioned.
“We wish to note that in a democracy, government should be seen to be protecting the interest of all and sundry and not only the interest of those in authority who can do and undo according to their whims and caprices,” the NUJ statement signed by Shuaibu Usman Leman, national secretary said.
The union cautioned that the media yet remained the pivot of a virile democracy and should be jealously guarded, protected “but sanitised appropriately and be allowed to always test the resilience of the free speech and free press clauses by challenging any attempt to restrict their coverage of political activities and the society and by arguing passionately that the public has a right to know.”
It, therefore, called on Al Makura to tender an unreserved apology to the Breeze FM Lafia, relocate the station and pay compensation to the radio station for its great loss.
— May 23, 2017 @ 18:00 GMT
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