Victoria Asher, Benue NUJ chairman dies

Comrade Victoria Asher, Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Benue Branch, is dead.

This was contained in a brief statement issued on Saturday by the Secretary of NUJ Benue Council, Mr. Moses Akaahan.

Mr Moses stated that Asher died at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi after a caesarian, around 8 a.m. on Saturday.

According to the statement, Benue NUJ Council is expected to give notice for an emergency congress to that effect in due course.

The NUJ National President, Mr Chris Isiguzo, also made the declaration in a statement signed by the Assistant National Secretary, Mr Midat Joseph, on Saturday in Abuja.

Isiguzo said the National Secretariat of the union received with sadness, the news of sudden death of its chairperson in Benue, Asher, who died on Saturday morning at the Federal Medical Centre, Makurdi, from childbirth complications.

“To this end, we have declared three days national mourning, starting from Monday, Feb. 1, in honour of the deceased.

Affiliated to the Nigeria Labour Congress, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) is a network of media professionals established to advance the safety and welfare of Nigerian journalists. Its membership grew from 3,950 in 1988 to 35,000 in 2005.