David Umahi,
governor of Ebonyi, has barred two journalists — Chikoke Agwu and Peter Okutu —
from entering the government house or any government facility in the state.
Agwu is a
correspondent of The Sun Newspaper while Okutu works for Vanguard.
Speaking during a
live broadcast on Wednesday, Umahi said the ban is for life. He alleged that
the two journalists were fond of writing bad reports about the state.
The governor said he
was displeased with the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ)
“for failing to discipline their members”, adding that as punishment, he would
seize their allowances for two months.
He said people of
the state are “very angry” with the press, saying he would be unable to control
them when they decide to “unleash mayhem on journalists if they continue to
create panic in the state”.
“I want to say that
I am very displeased with the president and leadership of the Nigeria Union of
Journalists and I am going to seize their allowances for two months because
they have failed to discipline their members,” Umahi said.
“Ebonyi State is no
longer a dumping ground. Only the other day, Chijioke Agwu wrote that Lassa
Fever is killing Ebonyi people in droves, and a few days back, Mr Peter Okutu
of Vanguard did his own.
“Okutu is fond of degrading
Ebonyi State, and I don’t know why my officials have allowed him to continue to
do that, because he is not from Ebonyi State. I want to ban him for life with
Chijioke Agwu. I don’t want to see them anywhere in any government facility.
“We are not begging
you to give us good reports, because the only person that gives good or bad
reports is God. If you think that Ebonyi state is a dumping ground, try it
again.
“If you think you
have the pen, we have the koboko. Let’s leave the court alone. Ebonyi people
are very angry with the press and let me warn that I won’t be able to control
them or know when they unleash mayhem on you if you continue to write to create
panic in the state.
“I want you to write
it that way, that I said, press in Ebonyi is trying to create another COVID
that is more dangerous and that is to create panic in our people.
“The other one wrote
that cholera has killed 20 people in Ohaukwu. If you try it again, I may not
know when Ebonyians may react. This is important for the NUJ to know.
“If you are an
Ebonyi man or live in Ebonyi and you don’t feel our pains, it is a shame on
you. Maybe, the press people claim they are untouchable. I have reported to the
National President of NUJ, I have reported to the State leadership of NUJ and I
have reported to the public. Now, the die is cast. May God save us, at this
time.”
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