Community Newspapers’ Publishers Association of Nigeria, CONPAN, South East Council has condemned in its entirety the invasion of the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Abia State Council by some soldiers deployed for Army Python Dance.
In a statement signed by the Executive Secretary, CONPAN South East Council, Nze Nweke Nweke, and made available to HardReporters, stated that “CONPAN is not only perturbed that the federal troop invaded the South East states but that the soldiers started on their arrival by attacking Journalists right inside their office, having destroyed valuables belonging to our professional colleagues, worth thousands of Naira.”
According to the statement, it is quite unfortunate that soldiers numbering about 50 who invaded the NUJ Secretariat said the offence committed by media practitioners was that they were captured or monitored with cell phones and other gadgets while they were performing their ‘legitimate’ duties.
CONPAN, South East Council, therefore called on the Army authorities in Nigeria to withdraw the soldiers from the zone, adding that nothing so far has warranted the invasion of the federal troops in the South East states.
“We are demanding immediate written apology from the Army Chief of Staff and the instant replacement of all the damaged working tools of our colleagues as CONPAN may be compelled to prevail on the National Secretariat of the NUJ to withdraw journalists from covering national assignments and that of all the States in the South East until the federal troops are withdrawn.”
Meanwhile the military authority has formally tendered unreserved apologies to the Abia state council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the attack.