The Ogun State Council of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has called on Ogun State Governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, to call his overzealous Special Assistant on Students Affairs, Azeez Olayemi, to order.
In a press release signed by the Chairman of Ogun NUJ, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju and Secretary, Comrade Bunmi Adigun, the Council, after its State Executive meeting, strongly condemned the acts of harassment, intimidation, and defamation of character of a member of the Union, Comrade Olajide Osoba by Mr Azeez Adeyemi and a group of individuals believed to be members and affiliates of his own dreaded faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
Ogun NUJ recalled that the utterly unacceptable act began from the 2025 May 1st celebration which the Union, an affiliate of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) actively participated with her members.
The Council said Comrade Osoba, a bonafide member of the NUJ, was in attendance but later harassed, mercilessly beaten and seriously wounded, allegedly, on the directive of the Special Assistant to the Governor on Student Affairs, Comrade Azeez Adeyemi, while coming out of the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, without a cause.
This unfortunate case was said to have been reported by Comrade Osoba at the Ibara Divisional Police Station, Ibara, Abeokuta, following which Adeyemi was invited for inquiry by the police, but the Governor’s Special Assistant has left no stone unturned in his intentional attempt to harass, intimidate and coerce Olajide Osoba, as he embarked on retaliatory moves by writing two frivolous petitions in which he directly called Olajide Osoba a member of a dreaded cult group, and asked the police to hunt and arrest the journalist by using his office as Special Assistant to Governor as basis for this oppression.
The Council also said police officers from the State Headquarters, Eleweran, came to arrest Osoba, waiting on him from morning till night so as to be whisked away even without prior invitation, while in the same vein, officers from the Abeokuta division of the office of the AIG, Zone 2, Lagos, came with another letter of invitation as Adeyemi’s boys also continually laid siege for Osoba at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre.
Ogun NUJ has disclosed that the uncivilized behaviour from the Special Assistant cannot be tolerated in a democratic society, granted that any form of assault on a journalist is an affront to the fundamental principles of press freedom and the right of citizens to access accurate and unbiased information, noting that the press must remain free, unshackled, and empowered to fulfill its vital role in society.
The Council said: “It is deeply concerning that an individual entrusted with the responsibility of upholding law and order would resort to using excessive force and intimidation against journalists. Such actions not only undermine the integrity of the media but also erode the trust between the government and the people it serves”.
The Ogun State Council of NUJ has consequently resolved as follows:
“That Mr. Azeez Adeyemi, his faction of the NANS members, and their accomplices are forthwith banned and declared persona non grata within and around our Secretariat, Iwe Iroyin Press House, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
“That police and thugs harassment and intimidation of our members (journalists) orchestrated by the Special Assistant to the Governor of Ogun State, Mr Azeez Adeyemi, and people of his like should immediately stop while proper investigation should be launched into the matter, starting from 2025 May Day celebration brutal incident. We shall not tolerate or accept any move that will gag our members and prevent them from discharging their statutory responsibilities under any guise in Ogun State.
“That as proponents of freedom of the press, under no circumstance, shall we permit any move that will silence the conscience of the members of the fourth estate of the realm. Our Secretariat is a safe space for press freedom and professional journalism.
“We urge the government of Ogun State to take swift and decisive action to call the Special Assistant to order, and to ensure that measures are put in place to safeguard the rights and safety of lives of journalists as repeated infractions will no longer be treated lightly.
“That Ogun NUJ and its members have enjoyed good working relationship and fantastic partnership with the government of Prince Dapo Abiodun, and we shall not allow an overzealous Special Assistant to pitch government against the media, giving government bad image in the sights of the public.
“Ogun NUJ reiterates its commitment to defending the rights and dignity of journalists and maintaining the sanctity of the media space in the State”.
