By Haruna Usman, Birnin Kebbi
Kebbi State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, on Friday held a media engagement with security agencies in the state in order to crackdown on fake and quack journalists operating in the state.
The Council Chairman, Alhaji Garba Muhammad Yeldu, sounded the warning in Birnin Kebbi, Friday, at an NUJ/Security Engagement Session with Journalists and Security Personnel.
Alhaji Yeldu said unregistered and unaccredited unscrupulous elements have been going round government offices intimidating and blackmailing officials to receive inducement.
“Our union in Kebbi State is now determined and committed to nip the situation in the bud, we shall not fold our arms to allow unpatriotic persons soil the image of bona fide journalists”,
“This is part of the objective of inviting security agencies for partnership, we must adhere to our calling as the fourth estate of the realm”, Yeldu remarked.
The Chairman enumerated plans to reposition the NUJ in Kebbi to encourage the practice of professional journalism among newsmen.
The NUJ National Vice President, Northwest Zone, Alhaji Tukur Dutsinmari, affirmed support to the Kebbi State Council to deal with the issue of quackery.
He appealed to employers of labour to always remit check-off dues deducted from the salaries of journalists to the coffers of the NUJ as mandated by law.
Representatives of the Nigerian Police and the Nigerian Civil Defence Corps, spoke about readiness to work in synergy with the NUJ to fish out quacks and unaccredited persons posing as journalists and prosecute them as a deterrent.
