Thugs beat up Journalists, Reps in Kaduna

The secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, Kaduna State Council was attacked by political thugs on Sunday.

They injured journalists, vandalised properties and disrupted a press briefing by some All Progressives Congress’ chieftains in the state.

The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the thugs overpowered policemen at the entrance to the NUJ secretariat where senators Shehu Sani and Suleiman Hunkuyi addressed a press conference to reject the result of the party’s delegate election.

The thugs wielding dangerous weapons inflicted injury to the head of a cameraman with Liberty Television, Lawal Muhammed, damaged several cameras and injured two other reporters.

The thugs also broke doors, windows and damaged chairs and tables at the secretariat.

The chieftains of the APC chased away by the thugs included House of Representatives’ members – Muhamaed Usman and Musa Soba, Alhaji Tijjani Ramalan, Alhaji Yaro Makama, Ambassador Sule Buba and a former legislator, Alhaji Isa Ashiru.

Trouble started when the Gabassawa Divisional Police Officer, CSP Sadiq Abdullahi, allegedly allowed the thugs to enter into the venue.

Meanwhile, the state Police Commissioner, Mr. Agyole Abeh, who visited the NUJ secretariat, pledged that the police would apprehend the perpetrators.

According to him, the DPO had briefed him on the incident, claiming that the thugs had identified themselves as journalists before they were allowed into the premises.