NUJ Boycotts Taraba Govt’s Activities over Exclusion from Covering President’s Visit

Wole Ayodele in Jalingo

The Correspondents Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Taraba State Council, has announced an indefinite boycott of Taraba State Government’s activities following the shut out of its members from covering President Tinubu’s scheduled visit to the state.

Commissioner for Information, Zainab Jalingo, had issued a statement on Monday to emphasise that only accredited journalists would be allowed to cover the president’s visit and the Taraba International Investment Summit (TARAVEST) slated for Wednesday, 21st May, 2025.

Efforts by members of the chapel to get accredited for the event were futile as the commissioner became inaccessible.

Rising from an emergency Congress meeting held at its Secretariat in Jalingo, the Chapel condemned the government’s failure to accredit its members for the events as a calculated attempt to gag the press  and a blatant disregard for press freedom and transparency.

In a resolution signed by Charles Akpeji of Guardian Newspaper, the Union described the government’s action as anti-democratic, stressing that shutting out journalists from covering government activities has become a recurring decimal.

Subsequently, the Union said it would henceforth boycott all government activities until the government took practical steps to reverse the situation.

As part of its resolution, the Union passed a vote of no confidence on the Commissioner, Jalingo, whose actions, conducts and management of the media affairs, had created a wild gulf between the government and the media in the state.

The union affirmed that journalists would continue to report issues affecting citizens and continue to hold government accountable regardless of any intimidation or exclusion.