The election of executive members of the Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, Cross Rivers State chapter, virtually turned bloody on Monday as the Joint Military Task Force codenamed “Operation Scolombo” comprised of the Nigerian Army,Navy, Airforce,Police and the DSS personnel unleashed sporadic shooting, allegedly on the orders of the State Security Adviser.
The Press centre located at Cross River State Housing Estate in Calabar where members of the NUJ gathered to elect a new executive to pilot its affairs for the next three years became a Sombi Arena .
Aside from the gunshots, some sections of 3rd Avenue where the Press Centre is located were condoned off by personnel of the DSS and the police who diverted motorists to other routes, while some persons living in the neighbourhood were prevented from gaining free access to their homes from about 7.00 pm to about 2.30 pm while the election lasted.
The journalists including the State Correspondent of AIT, Rasheed Olanrewaju and his cameraman Tony Akim, Editor of Nigerian chroncle, Florence Olohou, Gill Nsa of Daily Independent and Vitalis Ugoh, the Editor of The Eagles who were percieved not to be in support of the alleged government candidate were physically assaulted by the soldiers and DSS personnel.
The security operatives were allegedly deployed on the orders of the State Security Adviser (SSA) , Jude Ngaji and the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Christian Ita to deliver one of the contestants for the position of chairman, reportedly described as Governor Ben Ayade’s candidate.
The candidates for the chairmanship position were Victor Udu of the state Ministry of Information, Lawrence Mpama of Watchman Magazine, and Florence Oluohu, Editor of the Nigerian Chronicle.
While the election lasted, sounds of gunshots fired by the combined security team were heard intermittently, forcing residents of the neighbourhood of the Press Centre to remain indoors.
There was no exchange of gunshots as some of the harmless journalists who were attacked, escaped from the scene so as not to be killed by the rampaging armed military personnel some of whom had become hysterical.
At the end of the controversial election conducted by Sam Egbala and Uwem James, Victor Odu generally perceived as Ayade’s candidate was declared winner against Mpama and Oluohu who stayed away from the election when it was obvious that their lives were endangered.
Other officers elected in the elections include Oqua Etim (vice Chairman); Oka Ibor (Secretary); Benson Ezugwu (Assistant Secretary); Archibong Bassey (Treasurer); Edem Edem (Financial Secretary) and Itam Offor (Internal Auditor).
Though Uwem described the election as being peaceful even at gun point, some of the contestants and stakeholders have already rejected the conduct of the election.
In a press statement issued before the election, which was signed by Renny Etta, Gill Nsa, Florence Oluohu, Lawrence Mpama and six others, they described the election as a sham that contravenes the provisions of the NUJ constitution and the orders of the Industrial Court which directed the conduct of the elections.
“In view of the refusal of the National Secretary of the NUJ to comply with the judgment that nullified the Ndoma Akpet-led State Exco on February 24th 2016, and the brazen breach of the NUJ constitution, we the stakeholders of the union hereby condemn the purported election of Monday, April 4th 2016.
“We also strongly condemn the use of the Army, Air Force, Navy, DSS and Police in cordoning off the NUJ Secretariat for the purpose of conducting the purported election.
“We draw the attention of the state and Federal Government to the use of security operatives in attacking journalists and shooting indiscriminately at the NUJ press centre and therefore call on the authorities to investigate the unwholesome meddlesomeness and brazen display of bravado and seek that the culprits be brought to book,” the statement read.
In the same vein, the college of Veterans of the NUJ have condemned the use of Military to conduct a civil NUJ election whose members are less than three hundred in Cross River State.
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