The Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) has warned Ebonyi State Governor, Engr Dave Umahi, to stop harassing journalists in the State for objectively reporting the killings allegedly going on in the State.
The warning came even as the Governor banished the Sun and the Vanguard Newspapers’ Journalists from the state.
Publicity Secretary of IPOB, Mr Emma Powerful, lamented “the incessant harassment, humiliation and arrest of innocent journalists in Ebonyi State since the beginning of this year 2020” for daring to publish the killings allegedly taking place in the State.
According to the statement by Powerful, “Gov. Dave Umahi has not stopped harassing and giving threatening messages to journalists in Ebonyi State over their insistence in exposing through their factual reports, the ongoing genocides and unprovoked attacks against hapless Ebonyi people by Fulani herdsmen, terrorists, and security operatives. Under governor Dave Umahi’s watch in Ebonyi State, journalists who believe in reporting truths are no longer safe.
Specifically pointing to the duo of Sun Newspaper’s Correspondent in Ebonyi State, Mr Chijioke Agwu and his Vanguard counterpart, Mr Peter Okutu, IPOB said that “these journalists committed no crime other than exposing the atrocities of terrorists and security agents against innocent” people. We equally want to remind Gov. Umahi that we have been watching and monitoring his actions. His recent antics to arrest innocent journalists for reporting the truth will not go unpunished. It is the right and duty of journalists as the watch dog of society, to expose atrocities of both criminals and State actors for the good of all.”
Meanwhile, Governor Umahi on Wednesday banned the two journalists — Chikoke Agwu and Peter Okutu, from entering the Government House, Abakaliki or any government facility in the State.
Speaking during a live broadcast on Wednesday, Umahi said the ban is for life accusing the two men of being fond of writing bad reports about the State.
He lambasted 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.
Umahi said that the people of the State are “very angry” with the Media, 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”.
Said the visibly furious Governor: “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. 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.