By Iliya Kure
A Nigerian Journalist, Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim, says he was walked out from the private amenity ward of St. Gerald’s Hospital, where a police boss, victim of Kajuru crisis was hospitalised.
According to a statement he made available to journalists, Mr. Ibrahim said, police were instructed to walk him out of the room when he attempted to take the picture of Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-rufa’i greeting the victim.
Ibrahim said he immediately complied with the directive to avoid being shot, or manhandled, “Given the present administration’s hostility to the media in the state since 2015, and my background, I knew the risk of resisting as I could be labelled a “security threat,” immediately shot, or manhandled. So, I quietly yielded to the madness,” he said.
Read his statement below
It is indeed absurd and unfortunate that, Muyiwa Adekeye, a supposedly experienced journalist who is the media aide to Governor Nasir el-Rufai will send a journalist away from covering the visit of his principal to victims of Kasuwan Magani crisis at St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kaduna.
I, Mordecai Sunday Ibrahim, the Publisher/Editor-in-Chief of New Impression magazine was at St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kaduna, to have first-hand information of victims of the recent Kasuwan Magani evacuated to St. Gerald Catholic Hospital, Kaduna, Army Hospital (MRS) at Kalanpanzin (Artillery) barracks and the JNI Hospital, Tudun Wada, all in Kaduna.
Shortly after arriving at St. Gerald Hospital, yesterday, Sunday, 28th April, Governor Nasir Ahmed El-Rufa’i’s entourage also arrived at the hospital. I was at the entry point of the Accident and Emergency department when the governor and his team arrived and moved towards the private ward where the Kajuru Divisional Police Office (DPO) was admitted. I then followed from behind since I was a little bit far off.
With my New Impression press identity card boldly displayed, I walked into the private ward while the police and other security personnel saw me and allowed me into the ward.
When I got inside the ward, there was no space for me to snap the governor who was consoling the DPO. So I waited for Muyiwa Adekeye who was taking pictures with his handset to finish to allow me space to take my turn. When he finished, I pleaded with him to shift for me only for him to retort: “I know you; you are not supposed to be here. The governor is on private visit here.”
Muyiwa immediately directed the Police to escort me out of the ward. Consequently, I was shoved out of the private ward and prevented from performing my official job as a practicing journalist.
Given the present administration’s hostility to the media in the state since 2015, and my background, I knew the risk of resisting as I could be labelled a “security threat,” immediately shot, or manhandled. So, I quietly yielded to the madness.
That probably explains why most of my colleagues performing their jobs in Kaduna believe that El-Rufa’i’s administration can never be at peace with the media. It is Muyiwa, the Candido’s stock in trade, to paint all journalists operating in Kaduna State in bad light before the governor in an unabashed light and in patronising manner.
For citizens of Kaduna State, the obvious question is: how long shall this madness be allowed to continue? I will not be surprised if soon enough; journalists are beaten up by security personnel on the governor’s media aide’s directives. What a satanic democratic practice!
MORDECAI SUNDAY IBRAHIM
Publisher/Editor-in-Chief
New Impression magazine
