The Ogun State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has given the Management of Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital (OOUTH), Sagamu, a 24-hour ultimatum to tender an unreserved apology to the two journalists assaulted by security officers from the hospital on the street of Sagamu while carrying out their official duties.
According to a press release signed by the Union Chairman, Wale Olanrewaju and the Secretary, Bunmi Adigun, the two journalists from the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) Abeokuta – Comrades Yemi Dalemo (Assistant Manager News) and Gbenga Egbepeju (Cameraman) were beaten while doing a follow up story on the missing body of a yet to be identified lady whose family came to take for burial, only for them to discover that she was no longer in the mortuary.
Great Achiever Magazine reports that at a meeting held at the State secretariat, Iwe Irohin Press Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta, on Saturday, February 4, the Union wondered what could have been responsible for such inhuman action if the management of the institution, as earlier claimed, had nothing hidden about the missing corpse at the hospital.
The Union said the wicked act was to possibly create an atmosphere of fear while sourcing for information and eventually impede the unravelling of truth about the trending story. The obvious reason their cameras and other equipment were seized.
Consequently, the Union has demanded for a meeting between the management of the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Ogun State Commissioner for Health and the leadership of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council within 48 hours.
The Union also demanded that the five security officers who assaulted the two journalists be immediately produced and handed over to the police for thorough investigation and appropriate sanctions, while an unreserved apology letter be issued to the NUJ and the two journalists assaulted, assuring that such occurrence will not repeat itself.
Ogun NUJ further demanded that hospital bills of the two journalists assaulted be refunded, while NTA Camera and other equipment seized by the management of OOUTH and left in the custody of the Divisional Police Officer in the area be released immediately and the damaged ones be replaced.
