Kwara NUJ wades into Gov’s spokesman, two journalists’ feud over alleged defamation

By Adeleye Kunle

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kwara State Council, has waded into the feud between the spokesman of Governor Abdulrahaman Abdulrazaq, Rafiu Ajakaye, and two journalists in the state.

The council, in a statement on Saturday in Ilorin, by the Chairman and Secretary, Ahmed Abdullateef and Deacon Tayo Ayanda, that it was doing all it could to prevail on Ajakaye to withdraw the petition against two of its members, Dare and Abdulrasheed Akogun who were invited, interrogated, arraigned and subsequently detained at the Mandala Correctional Centre, Ilorin, over an allegation of defamation against his principal and his person in their posts on a popular WhatsApp platform.

Though the issue that triggered the petition to the police and subsequent prosecution in court was described as painful and most unfortunate, the State Council of NUJ has not rested on its oars in exploring an amicable settlement with the ultimate hope that the matter would be permanently laid to rest in no time.

“However, in the spirit of an injury to one is an injury to all, the leadership of the State Council of NUJ took it upon itself, for the past days, to ensure amicable resolution of the issue involving its members, Dare Akogun and his brother, Abdulrasheed Akogun, even though we chose not to make it public, prior.

“The National Secretariat of our Union had been properly briefed about the development and had also waded in.

“The union is using this opportunity to appreciate the State Government for the support given to journalists in the State and promised to sustain the harmonious relationship between the Union and the government.

“Likewise, the Kwara NUJ wishes to clarify that none of its members staged a protest at the Headquarters of the Kwara State Police Command, Ilorin in the early hours of Friday (October 14, 2022) over the detention of the said members of the Union, on the strength of the petition written by CPS to the Kwara State Governor, Rafiu Ajakaye,” the statement added