‘It’s An Affront On Democracy’, NUJ Slams Opeifa For Harassing Journalist During Coverage
The federal capital territory (FCT) chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the alleged harassment of Ladi Bala, a journalist with the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA).
Bala, the immediate past president of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists, was allegedly subjected to harsh verbal harassment by Kayode Opeifa, managing director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), while reporting on the aftermath of the Abuja-Kaduna train derailment.
The train, which was travelling from Abuja to Kaduna, veered off the track with several coaches tumbling.
The Nigerian Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) said six people sustained injuries, but no fatality was recorded.
In a statement on Friday, Jide Oyekunle, NUJ FCT secretary, claimed that the NRC MD verbally assaulted Bala during the live coverage of the incident.
“Opeifa, who aggressively questioned her presence, disrupted her live reporting in the process and allegedly threatened her with physical removal, and eventually ordered security personnel to bundle her away from the scene,” the statement read.
Oyekunle said when the council contacted the NRC MD, he cited security concerns as the reason for interrupting the live stream.
He said Opeifa threatened to report Bala to the security agencies, the presidency, and NTA management, and ensure she was sacked from her job.
“FCT council views this behaviour as a blatant violation of the fundamental rights and dignity of human persons of the journalists, especially women in the profession, and a grave threat to press freedom and the safety of those committed to delivering truthful information to the public,”
Oyekunle said.“This conduct of Mr Opeifa was not only dehumanising but a blatant violation of the journalist’s right to freedom of expression and press freedom as guaranteed under section 22 and Section 39 of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999( as amended).
“It is an affront on democracy and the rule of law, and such acts of intimidation and violence undermine the fundamental role of journalism in promoting transparency, accountability, and public enlightenment.
“The inane attitude of Mr Opeifa is another clear indication of growing hostility against the media in Nigeria and the intolerant posture of government officials to accountability and public scrutiny.
“Such conduct is unacceptable and contrary to the values of democracy and human rights”.
The council demanded an “immediate and unreserved public apology” from Opeifa, adding that it would pursue all channels to ensure accountability and safeguard the rights of journalists.
