Francis Sardauna in Katsina
The Katsina State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has suspended with immediate effect two of its members for allegedly breaching peace and causing dissatisfaction in the union.
The union announced the suspension at the weekend in Katsina in a statement jointly signed by the Chairman, Mr. Buhari Mamman Daura, and the Secretary, Tukur Hassan Dan-Ali.
The suspended members, according to the statement, are Abdullahi Izma Yamadi of the Katsina State Television Chapel and Danjuma Muhammad of the Correspondents’ Chapel.
The duo, according to the union, were suspended for allegedly holding a mischievous press conference with one Bishir Sada Tsanni at the NUJ Press Centre, which it said contravened the union’s constitution and breach of peace in the state and the country at large.
Consequently, the union has dissolved the Press Conference Committee and constituted a nine-man committee to investigate the suspended members and report to the union for further action.
The statement noted that “Katsina State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has distanced itself from a press briefing held by a politician in the state, Bishir Sada Tsanni, at the NUJ Press Centre on July 30, 2019.
“Though the organisers of the press briefing are chairman and secretary of the NUJ Press Conference Committee that was inaugurated some months ago, they have totally violated the terms and reference of the committee that was outlined during the inauguration.
“The terms of reference of the Committee as stated, included control of fake news, hate speech as well as scrutinising text of the press briefing to ensure full control of what should be carried as news items.
“In view of this therefore, the Katsina State Council of NUJ has in accordance with the directive of the National Secretariat exonerated itself from the press briefing and considers it necessary to suspend the organisers of the press briefing (Abdullahi Izma Yamadi and Danjuma Muhammad) from the union with immediate effect pending the outcome of the investigation.”
