Jonathan, NUJ, NBA Angry Over Attack On Media

President Goodluck Jonathan on Thursday condemned the bomb blasts at newspaper houses in Abuja and Kaduna, describing it as “ignoble, misguided, horrendous and wicked.”

The president’s reaction is contained in a statement issued in Abuja by Dr. Reuben Abati, his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity.

The bomb blasts occurred yesterday at ThisDay newspaper office in Abuja and the building housing ThisDay, Sun, and Moment newspapers in Kaduna.

The president reaffirmed the commitment of the Federal Government to continue to uphold citizen’s constitutional rights to freedom of expression and of press freedom in particular.

He said that criminal elements bent on instilling fear in the minds of Nigerians and foreigners would not succeed

Jonathan urged media practitioners not to be dissuaded from carrying out their fearless campaign for peace, justice and equity, saying that democracy could not flourish without press freedom.

He commiserated with the bereaved families and other innocent victims of the explosions.

The Ikeja branch of the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has also condemned Thursday’s bomb attacks on some media houses in Abuja and Kaduna, which claimed lives.

Mr. Adebamigbe Omole, NBA chairman in Ikeja, told NAN that the bomb blasts at the Abuja and Kaduna offices of THISDAY and Sun newspapers were despicable.

“The NBA, Ikeja branch, condemns the attacks in its entirety; it is not fair to attack the media because they have been fair to all groups in Nigeria and have not deliberately stopped any group from airing its grievances.

“Even in times of war, journalists are untouched by the warring parties and so this attack is condemnable,” Omole added.

He said that the media, as the fourth estate of the realm, have contributed immensely to the nation, adding that it was a shame for any group to launch such an attack against journalists.

The NBA chairman urged security operatives to be more proactive in order to tackle the present security challenges.

In its own reaction, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Lagos State Chapter, and the International Press Centre (IPC), expressed anger over the bomb attacks on THISDAY and SUN offices in Abuja and Kaduna.

NAN reports that blasts earlier in the day rocked the THISDAY office in Jabi, Abuja.

Similarly another blast rocked the office housing THISDAY and SUN newspapers’ offices in Kaduna.

In a swift reaction, the Lagos State Chairman of the NUJ, Mr. Deji Elumoye, described the bombing as “uncalled for and unwarranted.”

Elumoye told NAN in a telephone interview in Lagos that it was a shame that media houses were being targeted for attacks.

“We are angry at this development because it is the same media houses that disseminate information regarding any grievances by any group in the country.

“Our wonder is what those who planted the bomb hoped to achieve. If it is to silence the media, then they got it all wrong because the media will continue to condemn unnecessary attacks and killings in Nigeria, until we have the last man standing,” he said.

Elumoye reiterated the need for the Federal Government to overhaul the nation’s entire security system.

“Government has yet to address the clamour of Nigerians for the overhauling of our security system. Who knows where it will be next?” he queried.

In his reaction, IPC Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, told NAN that the blast constituted a violation of press freedom.

Arogundade said that the role of the media was that of expressing the views of all sides in a conflict.