By Achadu Gabriel. Kaduna
At least three Kaduna based Journalists have raised an alarm of alleged threat against them by officials and leadership of their union.
The threats against the trio journalists namely Mr. Gambo Santos Sanga, Haj. Fatima Aliyu and Mr Idibia Gabriel, occurred at different times following recent disagreement emanating from council Union account fraud allegations and the union national elections.
While one of the alleged threat was between the council chairman and the Secretary of the Union, the two others were between the council Chairman and Chairman of National Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), Kaduna state chapter.
The third threat incident was between appointee of the council chairman who’s the Press Centre Management Committee (PCMC), chairman and the Ex-acting Secretary of the council respectively.
The first threat arose majorly as a result of correspondences as well as petition to the EFCC over the alleged fictitious withdrawal of N3 million from the Union’s cooperate account with Keystone Bank Kaduna, by unknown person without the knowledge of the Union executives who are account holders.
While the first threat issue was raised by the NUJ state council Secretary Comrade Gambo Santos Sanga, the second one was raised by the state NAWOJ Chairman Haj. Fatima Aliyu, all against the council chairman, Comrade Asmau Halilu.
The threats and alarm raised by Mr. Sanga, and Mrs. Fatima Aliyu, in written statements were made available to journalists colleagues on same day on the 8th October 2024, where the duos alleged to have been threatened by the council chairman.
The threat statement Mr. Sanga reads in parts: “Important Notice”.Dear Esteem elders and colleagues, this is to inform you that following my sincere and humble response to Mr. Amos Mathew of new Nigerian newspapers submission on the council delegates list, the council chairman has taken to the exco platform threatening me thus, Time Shall Tell, Real Soon”.
The statement dated 8th October 2024 (2:28 PM) ), personally written and signed by Gambo Santos Sanga, stated that “To this end, am compelled to put this here because I have been subjected to series of intimidations and threat in the last two and half years running.
“But this time around I view this as very real, hence I want members to note that should anything happens to me anytime soon, the council chairman is behind and responsible for it”, it stated.
The secretary who said to have faced many threats in time past also linked the threat to the Triennial National Delegate Conference of NUJ slated for IMO 2024, added “Again, I don’t know our delegates” journalists expected to represent the state in IMO 2024 national elections.
That of Nawojian letter of complaints and alleged threat, written by NAWOJ state Chairman, warning seriously against any attempt to bring unionism matter to her matrimonial home instead of press center, again.
It stated: “Let me sound a serious warning to colleagues that if there is anything that has to do with unionism case pls it should be done at the center no more in my house cos if anyone try coming to my house, “wallahi Wallahi Wallahi” I will take drastic measures.
“My house is not a place to play with cos I have every right to do whatsoever I have in mind by law cos my privacy has been trampled with and I can sue for damages”, she warned”, she lamented.
Contacted, recently face to face conversation, the NAWOJ Chairman who confirmed to our correspondent that the council chairman stormed her resident unexpectedly, and started insulting, calling her, “Banzaa Mutum”.
The was man whose contemplating court action for insulting her in present of her children, also said the chairman threatened to deal with her, just because she advised during NUJ Congress that a female journalist be included in the union elections screening committee constituted, on that day.
The third threat was between the NUJ Press Centre Management committee (PCMC) chairman Waheed Adubi, and appointee of the chairman, and the former Acting Council Secretary, Mr. Idibia Gabriel.
The threat was due to news report published by idibia entitled, “Crisis Rocks Kaduna NUJ over N3m withdrawal from Union account by unknown person”, which Mr. Adubi called him three consecutive times, tagged Mr. Idibia sharer of fake news.
Mr Adubi, after saying all soft of attacks tactics also threatened Idibia that this is last of his litigation, and must be forced to produced the record of threat statement in court.
All the leadership of the Union that matters, including national president were immediately contacted over his threat calls at various times, to call the PCMC chairman to order, for urgent action but there was no respond.
Those who promised to respond later could not do so till the time of filing this report. End
