Alhaji Muhammed Garba, National President, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has condemned the incessant killings of journalists in the country, and called on the authorities to arrest the situation.
Garba, while addressing journalists at the NUJ Press Centre on Wednesday in Jos, called for “special protection for men of the pen profession”.
“We have lost quite a number of our colleagues in the course of discharging their duties right from the time of Dele Giwa in 1986 till date. Up to now, no culprit has been prosecuted.
“It is very worrisome and we are indeed shocked and worried by the way and manner in which journalists are dying in Nigeria today.
“It is really worrisome for us, especially when one considers the campaign for safety and security of journalists globally”, he said.
Garba expressed dismay that the situation was on the increase, saying that journalists ought to be given all the necessary protection by the authority.
The President reminded journalists on the need to register with the union ’s insurance scheme, saying that it was affordable and very useful.
“The premium is N6, 750 annually and in case of death or accident, the victim is entitled to N1.5 million.
“The NUJ has made formal presentations to the families of some victims. The issue of insurance for journalists in Nigeria today is very vital”, he added.
He also called on management of media organizations in the country to make insurance cover an essential part of their conditions of service, adding that the union had been meeting with them to ensure that the insurance issue was taken seriously.
“We have to fight to ensure that all our members, who are practicing, are properly insured because of the hazards that are associated with the journalism profession.”
The President, who later visited the FRCN Highland FM, Jos, to condole the station over the recent killing of one of its staff, Mr Nantok Sallah, called for proper investigation into the circumstances surrounding his death.
Responding, the Station Manager, Terzungwe Wua, regretted that the late staff was killed less than 200 metres from a security post and called on security agencies to unravel the cause of his death.
An uncle to the late Sallah, Dr Solomon Selkur, lamented that the deceased was killed while trekking home after a late evening duty and called on media organizations to take the welfare of staff seriously.
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