Nasarawa NUJ, Police Partner To Weed Out Quack Journalists

The Nasarawa State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has partnered with the State Police Command to weed out fake journalists and impersonators.

The Chairman, Salihu Mohammed Alkali, while presenting members of the Anti-Quackery Enforcement Committee to Nasarawa State police Commissioner, CP Shetima Jauro-Mohammed, on Friday in Lafia, said that the partnership became imperative in view of the increasing number of persons impersonating as journalists in the state.

The committee, chaired by Chris Nyamtu of Federal Radio Cooperation of Nigeria and Secretary of the Correspondents’ Chapel, has Smah George of Nasarawa Broadcasting Service as its Secretary.

Other members of the committee include: Madaki, Member of Precious FM, Abigail Bashi of Nigerian Television Authority, Mohammed Illiyasu of Breeze FM, Zephaniah Over of FRCN North-Central office, Alaku Malam of Federal Ministry of Information and Eyibo Baba-Ojingwo of State Ministry of Information, respectively.

The NUJ chairman said that the impersonators who extort unsuspecting members of the public were giving the journalism profession a bad name.

He observed that many people who are not journalists but use NUJ or Press stickers on their vehicles, saying that it was illegal.

Mohammed-Alkali, therefore, urged members of the committee to report impersonators or those using the NUJ press stickers to the police for necessary action.

“When you see them in public functions or on the roads, do not hesitate to report to the nearest police station for prompt action.

“We must sanitise the profession and we will not allow any person or group to tarnish our good image,’ the NUJ Chairman added.

Mohammed-Alkali used the medium and appreciated the police and other security agencies for the good work they are doing to keep the state safe, and urged them to do more in areas that still have security challenges.

He assured that journalists in the state would support the police in intelligence gathering with a view to tackling insecurity and promoting peace.

In a remark, the Chairman of the Committee, Chris Nyamtu, who spoke on behalf of others, expressed gratitude to the union for the confidence reposed in them and promised to discharge their assigned responsibility without fear or favour.

Responding, the Commissioner of Police welcomed the partnership and recognised the crucial role journalists play in shaping public perception and influencing behaviour.

The CP said that the partnership would further enhance the flow of information and promote more effective policing in the state.

“Our support to you is total, because you are critical to fighting crime and insecurity and ensuring that the state is safe,” Jauro-Mohammed added.

He further said that the command had been doing a lot under him in the last eight months to curtail insecurity.

“We have achieved a lot in terms of arresting criminals and recovering stolen items, and we will not relent until we defeat criminals completely in the state,” he added.

The Commissioner, therefore, appealed to members of the public to continue to provide the security agencies with useful information to enable them to catch the criminals before they commit a crime.