The Next Edition
  • Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Featured
  • Investigations
  • Foreign
  • Special Reports
  • Entertainment
  • Interviews
  • Advert Rate
No Result
View All Result
The Next Edition
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Featured
  • Investigations
  • Foreign
  • Special Reports
  • Entertainment
  • Interviews
  • Advert Rate
Home Featured

MRA Asks Niger State Governor to Investigate Press Secretary for Ordering Journalist’s Arrest

Next Edition by Next Edition
February 23, 2021
in Featured
Minimum Wage: Organised Labour In Niger To Begin Strike Feb. 4

Governor Sani Bello of Niger State

0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on Whatsapp

Media Rights Agenda (MRA) Monday called on Niger State Governor, Abubakar Sani Bello, to launch an investigation into reports that his Chief Press Secretary, Ms Mary Noel-Barje, ordered the arrest of The PUNCH correspondent in the State, Mr. Adebayo Ayinde, and directed security men to bar him from Government House in the State for undisclosed reasons.

In a Statement issued in Lagos by its Project Director, Mr. Segun Fatuase, MRA advised the Governor to immediately relieve Ms Noel-Barje of her office if it is indeed established that she engaged in the unconstitutional and illegal action of using law enforcement agents to intimidate, harass and prevent the journalist from carrying out his professional duties.

You might also like

NNPCL Empowers 531 Corps Members With Grants, Starter Packs

Fed Govt Files Criminal Charges Against Natasha

Reps Approve 10yr Security For Journalist Over Benin Republic Degree Scam Exposé

Besides, the organization said, if Ms Noel-Barje is harassing journalists and antagonizing the Government House Press Corps instead of cultivating them and facilitating their work of giving effective coverage to the programmes and activities of the State Government, it is obvious that she is not serving the best interest of the Governor or the State Government but pursuing other agendas that are clearly inimical to Government’s success.

Ms Noel-Barje is reported to have sent The PUNCH correspondent’s pictures to some security men in the state and instructed security operatives at Government House to bar him from entering the Government House, following which one of the security men attempted to evict him from Government House, but for the intervention of other journalists who thwarted the move.  Security men at Government House are also reported to have confirmed that the Chief Press Secretary had told them to arrest Mr. Ayinde but did not provide any reason for the directive.

READ ALSO: New COVID-19 Variant Discovered In Nigeria, 15 Countries

Mr. Fatuase said: “It is certainly not the role or function of a Chief Press Secretary, who should facilitate good relations between the government she is serving and the media, to be ordering the arrest of journalists or obstructing the performance of their professional duties. It is apparent from her actions that Ms Noel-Barje either does not know her job or is too incompetent to carry out her duties properly.”

He noted that besides portraying the State Government and the Governor in bad light, the Chief Press Secretary’s actions constitute an illegal and unwarranted attack on the journalist capable of engendering his safety and security.

Mr. Fatuase called on the Governor to take stern action against the Chief Press Secretary as a deterrent to her taking similar action in future and for other officials in her position to be properly guided about the bounds of propriety.”

Tags: Chief Press SecretaryGOVERNMENT HOUSE PRESSGovernorILLEGAL ACTIONJournalistLAW ENFORCEMENTNigerian Politicianspolitical leadersPoliticsPROFESSIONALSANI BELLOsecurity mensecurity operativesState GovernmentTHE PUNCH
Next Edition

Next Edition

Recommended For You

12 Corps Members Get State Awards in Gombe

NNPCL Empowers 531 Corps Members With Grants, Starter Packs

The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPC Ltd.) has empowered 531 members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) with N531,000 each and starter packs to support entrepreneurship...

Senator Natasha Akpoti’s Macabre Dance in Brekete Family Radio

Fed Govt Files Criminal Charges Against Natasha

The Federal Government has filed a criminal charge against suspended Kogi Central Senator Natasha Akpoti-Uduaghan. She was accused of defaming Senate President Godswill Akpabio and former Kogi State...

Reps Approve 10yr Security For Journalist Over Benin Republic Degree Scam Exposé

Reps Approve 10yr Security For Journalist Over Benin Republic Degree Scam Exposé

The House of Representatives has approved a 10-year security protection for investigative journalist Umar Audu, following his exposé on widespread certificate racketeering involving degree mills in the Benin...

JAMB Eases Restrictions On Services To Aid pre-2020 Candidates

UTME 2025: JAMB Introduces Emergency Support Centre For Candidates

The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board, JAMB, has set up a Candidate Counselling Emergency Support Centre.   This will help in providing additional support to candidates with urgent...

Next Post
Cleric Decries Deaths in Benue NUJ Council, Rededicates Bus, Secretariat

Cleric Decries Deaths in Benue NUJ Council, Rededicates Bus, Secretariat




Related News

Arrest Of ASP

Police Parade Suspect Involved In Killing Of Ekiti Traditional Rulers

Coronavirus: NGF Inaugurates Surveillance,  Emergency Response Apparatus In 36 States

Coronavirus: NGF Inaugurates Surveillance, Emergency Response Apparatus In 36 States

2023 Poll: Court Fines Keyamo N10m For Filing Frivolous Suit Against Atiku

2023 Poll: Court Fines Keyamo N10m For Filing Frivolous Suit Against Atiku




The Next Edition

Office Address

3B, Agboola Aina street, Off Toyin Street,
Ikeja, Lagos.

Quick Contact Details

Phone:
08033018430
Whatsapp:
08051679910

Email:
[email protected]
[email protected]

Categories

  • Aviation
  • Beauty
  • Breaking News
  • Business
  • Columnists
  • Editorial
  • Entertainment
  • Fashion
  • Featured
  • Football
  • Foreign
  • Headline News
  • Home & Garden
  • Interviews
  • Investigations
  • North Central
  • North East
  • North West
  • Opinion
  • Parenting
  • Politics
  • Relationships
  • South East
  • South West
  • South-South
  • Special Reports
  • Sports
  • Top News
  • Vox Pops

© Next Edition Business Development Limited

  • About Us
  • Advert Rate
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • About Us
  • News
  • Featured
  • Investigations
  • Foreign
  • Special Reports
  • Entertainment
  • Interviews
  • Advert Rate

© Next Edition Business Development Limited