By Iliya Kure
Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has asked security agencies to fish out perpetrators of Thursday’s ambush that led to taking hostage a serving Senator and 14 Journalists in Plateau State.
On Thursday, the Senator Representing Plateau South Senatorial District, Nora Dadu’ut, her entourage, and 14 Journalists were ambushed by hoodlums in Namu village, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State, shortly after the Senator flagged-off an ICT Hub/E-Library.
Addressing journalists in Jos, central Nigeria, Chairman of the Plateau State Council of NUJ, Mr. Paul Jatau, who regretted the incidence called “on government to come down hard on the perpetrators as Namu has become a hotbed of violence and criminality.”
According to the Council Chairman, “The hoodlums were said to have been angered by the arrest of a suspected wanted kidnap kingpin by security agencies, and thus decided to vent their anger on passers by and any innocent person they encountered.
Mr. Paul added, “The hoodlums then demanded that the senator must secure the release of their members before they would clear the roads.
According to him, the Senator and her husband were rescued by the STF, but the journalists had to run for safety, where one of them sustained an injury in the process.
“While no life was lost, the Union’s Hummer Bus donated by the Plateau State Government was burnt alongside the Senator’s pilot Hilux van.”
Full Text Below;
TEXT OF PRESS CONFERENCE BY NUJ CHAIRMAN, MR PAUL JATAU OVER THE ATTACK ON SENATOR NORA DADU’UT AND JOURNALISTS IN NAMU, QUA’AN PAN LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF PLATEAU STATE.
I welcome you to this press conference over the unfortunate attack on our members and Senator representing Plateau South at the National Assembly, Sen. Nora Dadu’ut and her entourage on Thursday, April 28, 2022 in Namu, Qua’an Pan Local Government Area of Plateau State where she commissioned an ICT Hub/E-Library.
After the commissioning and they made to leave, the roads were blocked and they were surrounded by the hoodlums.
The attackers claimed that four of their members were arrested by armed security men while the programme was ongoing. The hoodlums were said to have been angered by the arrest of a suspected wanted kidnap kingpin by security agencies, and thus decided to vent their anger on passers by and any innocent person they encountered.
The hoodlums then demanded that the senator must secure the release of their members before they would clear the roads.
The hoodlums held the Senator and the journalists captive for over three hours before men of Operation Safe Haven intervened.
While the Senator and her husband were rescued by the STF, the journalists scampered for safety with one of them sustaining an injury in the process.
While no life was lost, the Union’s Hummer Bus donated by the Plateau State Government was burnt alongside the Senator’s pilot Hilux van.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Plateau State Council condemns the unwarranted and unprovoked attack on its members who were there to serve the society. We wonder why journalists are being targeted while carrying out their legitimate duties.
We therefore, call on security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of the dastardly act and punish them accordingly to serve as deterrent to others contemplating such action. We indeed, call on government to come down hard on the perpetrators as Namu has become a hotbed of violence and criminality and the state cannot be afford to continue on that path.
Meanwhile, the situation has robbed the Union of a vehicle to carry out its activities.
The journalists that were affected are;
- Peter Amine – NAN
- Gyang Bere – Sun Newspaper
- Isaac Shobayo -Tribune Newspaper
- Audu Ojogbane – Daily Independent Newspaper
- Kolade Adeyemi – The Nation Newspaper
- Achor Abimaje – Leadership Newspaper
- Pam Musa – Telegragh Newspaper
- Marie-Therese Nanlong – Vanguard Newspaper
- Babatunde Ajayi – Silverbird Communications
- Bishop Milton – Silverbird Communications Cameraman
- Nanmwa Golok – Nigerian Pilot Newspaper
- Kingsley Chukwuka – Dailytimes Newspaper
- Alex Mangar- PRTVC
- Mr John – Driver
