Thugs Invade NUJ Kaduna Council, Beat Up Reporters

…el-Rufai Condemns Invasion of NUJ Premises    
An attempt by a political pressure group, Kaduna Restoration Group, to address the media over the conduct of the All Progressives Congress (APC) congress that took place last Saturday in the state turned bloody, as armed persons, suspected to be sponsored thugs, stormed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) of the Kaduna state council where they unleashed a reign of terror.

Present at the venue of the press conference were Senators Suleiman Othman Hunkuyi and Shehu Sani, among other opposition elements in the state. Reporters were beaten, just as chairs and other furniture were thrown into various directions.

According to a source, it took the quick intervention of a detachment of policemen to save the situation and avoid further escalation of the crisis. Already, some sources are alleging that the state government is behind the invasion of the NUJ Secretariat, venue of the press conference.

According to a source, “the focus of the press conference was to tell Nigerians and the APC that there were no congress in Kaduna State. Members of the APC in the state are disenchanted with what is happening and they are determined to tell the state government that they are not in support of the result of the congresse and those who emerged as delegates.”

Meanwhile, Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai of Kaduna State has said that nobody would be allowed to stifle freedom of expression in a bid to achieve political dreams. In a message to journalists in the state over the invasion of their premises by suspected thugs, the government condemned the invasion.

According to a press statement by Samuel Aruwan, who is the spokesman to el-Rufai, “Having been briefed on the situation, the governor expressed sympathy with the NUJ and the persons that were harassed by the hoodlums. The Governor directed that the security agencies should investigate and take necessary action against the hoodlums. The Governor also directed security agencies to beef up security at the NUJ secretariat to protect journalists doing their duty.

“Politics should not be a desperate game. And desperation should not be visited on journalists or any citizen.”