The Kano State Council of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) Correspondents’ Chapel, led by Chairman Aminu Ahmed Garko, has announced a boycott of all Kano State Government activities, effective immediately.
This decision comes in response to what the chapel describes as persistent and unacceptable maltreatment of its members by the government and its agents while carrying out their journalistic duties.
“Despite our efforts to engage with the government and its officials to address these issues, we have seen no improvement in the situation,” said the statement signed by Garko.
Members of the chapel have reportedly faced harassment, intimidation, and even physical assault while performing their jobs. Additionally, the statement expresses concern that the government has prioritized non-professionals over trained journalists, sidelining those best equipped for the job.
As a result, the Correspondents’ Chapel regrets to announce that its members will no longer participate in press conferences, cover government events, or conduct interviews with state officials until there is a tangible commitment to press freedom and the safety of journalists in Kano State.
The statement urges all members to comply with this directive and join the protest against the alleged maltreatment of journalists in the state.
“We believe that a free and independent press is essential to a functioning democracy, and we will not stand idly by while our members are mistreated and intimidated,” the statement concludes.
