The leadership of the North East Online Media Association of Nigeria, NOMAS has described as intolerable savagery the attack on the Adamawa state First Lady’s convoy, among which was the Press Crew.
The ugly incident was reported to have occurred on Saturday when the convoy was returning from a church programme the First Lady was said to be invited to attend in Muchalla, Mubi North local government area of the state.
The bus conveying the Press Crew was among the vehicles pelted with stones, smashing the windscreen among other damages.
The interim chairman of the NOMAS, Adamu Muhammad Dodo lamented that “the voiceless are by the thuggery in themselves, they failed to fortify against, suppressed, a self-inflicted suffering in trying to destroy their very voice by unleashing violence against the journalists, on duty joining the First Lady’s convoy. It is disgusting and intolerable. Journalists, even at war front are genuinely immune from from bullets because in their hands aren’t guns but pen reporting how to get to minimise the casualties, adhere to the rules of engagement and/or end the war.
“This is a protest call inviting the entire journalists in Adamawa state and beyond to support rather peacefully, with a view to arresting the situation as a corporate social responsibility, lest it degenerates to thuggery induced anarchy with a subdued voice that would have suppressed the situation.
“While NOMAS commends the Adamawa First Lady, Lami Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri for dousing the tension and the relevant security agencies in their move to address the ugly incident, has called on the politicians to desist from interpreting politics as a dirty game by discouraging their supporters from thuggery.
Reporting politics or political campaigns isn’t criminal. It’s a practice of genuine journalism; a media mediation; a guide to proper choice; a tool for promoting democracy, rule of law and good governance”.
