Dan Opara
The members of the Guild of Imo Field Journalists, GIFJ, under their parent body, Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Imo State Council on Wednesday 3rd June,2020 stormed the State House of Assembly Complex, Owerri demanding for the immediate suspension of the member representing Obowo State Constituency,Hon. Kennedy Ibeh for battering Mr. Finian Chuks of Newsfield Newspapers.
It would be recalled that Mr. Chuks was beaten to pulp by the aides and loyalists of the House of Assembly member for Obowo State Constituency at the All Progressives Congress, APC State Secretariat,Owerri on 28th May,2020.
Investigation revealed that the victim’s sin was that he published an article seemed to be against Hon. Kennedy Ibeh.
Meanwhile,the Journalists in their numbers drove home their grievances on the open attack on one of them at the ruling Party’s State Secretariat and had reported the incident to the Nigeria Police before embarking on Peaceful demonstration so as to let the whole world perceive the bunch of threats await members of the fourth Estate of the Realm.
Some of the placards displayed by the protesting Journalists, ” Imo Journalists’ lives in Danger, Suspend Kennedy Ibeh now!, Imo journalists cry out for help, Imo Assembly should safe us now, Call Kennedy to order”.
Speaking, the Chairman,Guild of Imo Field Journalists and Editor(Weekend) of Edge Express Newspapers,Comrade Kelechi Ugo demanded that amongst any other thing to be done is to immediately suspend Hon. Ibeh by the leadership of the House of Assembly pending when the matter is duly investigated.
In his words, “we are here to register our grievances over our member who was beaten to pulp by thugs loyal to Hon. Ibeh, and he is currently receiving medical treatment in an undisclosed hospital in Owerri. Imo State is longer safe for Journalists . If a Journalist can be handled like a common criminal before the State APC Executives, I wonder what will happen to a common man?. We are totally against one hiding under the guise of Journalism to black mail or intimidate people,but we subscribe to legal action and not such a barbaric outlawed violence act against Journalists. We are calling on the leadership of Imo Assembly to call Hon. Ibeh to order and to fish out the thugs, aides that battered our Colleague, Mr. Finian Chunks. We,also Compelling Hon. Ibeh to render unreserved apology to the Imo Journalists and the leadership of Imo State Council of Nigeria Union Of Journalists”.
Addressing the protesting Journalists, on. Barr. Dominic Ezerioha, Member for Oru West State Constituency and the House Committee Chairman on Information and Judiciary accompanied by the House member for Isu State Constituency, on. Mrs Ngozi Obiefule and Hon. Barr. Obinna Okwara, House member for Nkwerre acknowledged the roles of Journalists in the society thanking them for maintaining a peaceful posture.
He extended a heart warm sympathy to the victim urging the journalists to continue throwing line peace as the House of Assembly will ensure that justice is actualized within next two weeks.
In a related development, Hon. Ngozi Obiefule charged Journalists to also protest against the suspension of their female colleague, Mrs.Vivian Otti of Imo State owned Broadcasting Corporation, IBC.
