NUJ threatens boycott, NBA advocates professionalism

By Marie Nanlong

Jos—Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Nigerian Bar Association, NBA, residents of Du District in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State, have raised alarm over alleged indiscriminate arrest and detention of citizens by the military combing the area in search of the missing retired Major-General, Idris Alkali.

This is just as the state chapter of NUJ condemned the arrest of Mr. Friday Olokor, a journalist.

Among those arrested in the last one week were a pregnant woman, Noroh Dung, whose expected day of delivery, EDD, had passed, but is still being held by the Army.

Raising the alarm over the recent arrest, a housewife, Mrs. Julcit Barde, who is nursing a seven-month-old baby, cried out, yesterday, to government and Nigerians to help rescue her husband Nansel Barde, a certified builder by profession, who has been incarcerated in military custody for over one week.

Mrs. Barde told journalists in Jos yesterday: “A Major approached my husband to give out our property that is near the pond to the soldiers, so that while they carry out their operation they could stay there.

“Since we are not yet occupying the property, my husband obliged them and the soldiers occupied it. But as they evacuated the water from the pond, the water flooded the environment so much that a part of our building collapsed. This prompted my husband to approach the military for compensation.”

She claimed while her husband complained, a General who visited the operation site simply said: “Military don’t pay compensation. The Army General ordered my husband’s arrest, saying he should know something about the pond and the missing General. They claimed he was being taken away to help the military with investigation.

“Since his arrest, I have not seen my husband for over a week; his phones have been switched off and possibly seized from him. My children cry every day, asking for their father; I have had sleepless nights thinking of the whereabouts of my husband and what must be happening to him.”

She called on President Muhammadu Buhari, the Chief of Army Staff, Lt General Tukur Buratai and the public to intervene for the unconditional release of her husband, querying if it was a crime for her husband to render help to the Nigerian Army.

“As we speak, they are still occupying our property,” she added.

Journalists detained

Similarly, narrating his ordeals in the hands of the soldiers, one Olokor said he was held for 28 hours despite identifying himself as a journalist.

He said: “On that Saturday, October 6, I went to an ATM and did a cash transaction and decided to buy Irish potatoes and eggs at the popular Anne Breeze Restaurant in Rayfield area of Jos.

“The waiters had not brought my food when about 30 soldiers in two lorry trucks, all masked and armed, swooped on the place, shot indiscriminately and arrested every human being on sight.

“My initial feeling was that they were either herdsmen, fake soldiers in military uniform or Boko Haram.

“Passers-by, women and persons who were living in nearby houses, were picked. They didn’t even want to see my identity card. We were 37 victims of invasion, 28 men and nine women.

“As the soldiers drove us, we were told to put off our phones. The law was that you don’t talk, you don’t move and even when nature, for instance sneezing, knocks, you’re in trouble.

“We were driven to the 3rd Armoured Division of Nigerian Army in Rukuba Barracks and kept in an uncompleted building. They confiscated all our belongings, including telephones, money, ATM cards, car and house keys.

“Many of the victims couldn’t take their cars and personal properties. We had no access to my families; I couldn’t communicate with my family, editors, friends and colleagues because they took our phones.”

NUJ, NBA kick

Reacting, NUJ in a statement signed by Paul Jatau and Peter Amine, Chairman and Secretary, respectively, said, among others, “the arbitrary harassment, intimidation and arrest of members of the public as part of their search is a thing of worry to NUJ.

“We are perturbed because innocent people are not spared by the crude method they have employed, thereby instilling fear and overheating the polity. The Army, on Saturday, in a statement, assured the public that they will exhibit high level of professionalism according to international standard in the search, but what is on display contradicts their assurances.

“The same Saturday, a member of our union, was arrested alongside other persons by the Army and was detained for 28 hours in Rukuba Barracks as part of the search. We wish to state unequivocally that while journalists support the search for the missing senior officer, indeed the NUJ, Plateau State Council, will not hesitate in withdrawing its members from covering their activities if the intimidation and harassment continue.”

Also, the state branch of NBA in a statement by its Chairman, Bon Ngyou, and Publicity Secretary, Akila Kasham, called on security chiefs to ensure their men perform their duties in line with the rules of professional engagement and respect for the principles of human rights, so that innocent persons are not arrested and detained unjustly.