By Idris Khalid
A Department of State Services (DSS) officer attached to a visiting delegation of the Revenue Mobilisation, Allocation and Fiscal Commission (RMAFC) has allegedly assaulted and threatened journalists covering an official event at the Yankari Game Reserve in Bauchi State.
The incident occurred during the commissioning of a 500KVA solar power station executed by the Bauchi State Government at the game reserve.
The affected journalists were identified as Bashir Adamu of the Bauchi Radio Corporation (BRC) and Isyaka Wunti of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), who were reportedly on official duty and wearing identification.
According to accounts of the incident, the yet-to-be-identified DSS officer allegedly slapped Adamu three times in public while he was carrying out his journalistic duties and subsequently raised his firearm at the journalist.
In a separate incident, the same officer allegedly prevented Isyaka Wunti from performing his duties despite his identification as a member of the Bauchi State Government House press crew.
The journalists reportedly did not retaliate or engage the officer in any physical confrontation. Instead, they immediately referred the matter to their respective leaderships for appropriate action.
The incident has raised concerns among journalists over their safety while covering official engagements, with calls for a proper investigation and appropriate measures to prevent similar occurrences.
Journalists and media stakeholders have also stressed the need for security personnel deployed to official functions to respect the rights of accredited journalists and allow them to carry out their professional responsibilities without intimidation or harassment.
0 Comments