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Binocular: Why weapons are not tolerated inside the business hall of the NUJ during news conferences

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Binocular: Why weapons are not tolerated inside the business hall of the NUJ during news conferences

By: Bodunrin Kayode

Sometimes one wonders when our younger colleagues of the pen will catch up with certain unwritten ideals and expectations of practice when it comes to our dear profession. Unwritten in the sense that we were taught in journalism school that you can learn these only in the field of practice. And we actually tapped from the older ones we met in the field those days. But the same cannot be said about the younger generation.
Their display of Ignorance of their own turf sometimes baffles me and the pertinent question raised above sometimes comes to mind.

The General elections in Nigeria has come and gone but there is so much to worry about our security architecture especially in Borno, north east Nigeria when it comes to the conduct of colleagues and how they protect their own interests, and even their lives. There is too much eye service within the first three estates and it is beginning to rub off on the fourth estate of the realm.

How do you for instance play so much to eye service that you do not know how to control the security people to be weary of weapons inside the chambers of the NUJ? Is anyone above the law that we should allow them enter the main hall of the NUJ with his or her weapons? What if one of them run berserk due to post traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and shoots a generation of journalists inside the hall? Are politicians on campaign so fearful of journalists that they cannot come into our chambers without armed men protecting them. Regardless of the fact that we do not have a standing security architecture yet in our one entrance compound, is the Chairman in council not strong enough to protect them? What manner of power show is it that would make them take weapons into the hall in maiduguri to protect their own? Is that the reason why the UN agencies prefer to brief the gentlemen of the media in government house rather than the NUJ whenever they gather themselves around here as they did yesterday?

When hoodlums entered the press Centre in Kaduna not too recently with all manner of weapons and pounced on members while in a news conference with the revered Comrade Shehu Sani, our comrades learnt their lessons In a very hard way. There will surely not be a next time before they put in place a security check to ensure that no one crosses the red line again with any weapon even if he was a security operative from the government house. We as journalists do not carry weapons to protect our selves therefore nobody should be allowed to carry weapons into our halls for news conferences again no matter how highly placed. It must be as sacred as a hospital, church or a mosque were weapons are prohibited beyond the entrance were members assemble for business.As a matter of fact, even horns from cars are forbidden in such places.

During the last general election in Borno, a lot of unprovoked wrongs were meted out on us as a group but because we regard ourselves as gentlemen of the press, we tended to overlook them as friends that would not kill us just like that because they looked quite normal.
The security details of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in Borno state had no business inside the centre even going to the extent of blocking our two entrances and teaching us how to handle our security. That was a big time wrong to congress and no press Centre anywhere in the country should tolerate it. If anyone would like to endanger the life of a politician its not journalists. We are gentlemen ruled by our ethics. They were supposed to stay outside and wait for the news conference to end before storming back into the centre to check their Principal. You do not carry your so called security drill into the hall of the NUJ anywhere and expect it to fly just because you get away with it inside the government house. Quite all right Jajeri was a Governorship candidate and our friend and I don’t think there was any reason for us to want to harm him to justify any security to bring weapons into our hall to protect him. Your drill does not apply to any of our press centres in the 36 states of the Federal Republic. We are the most peaceful estate of the realm.

The sacredness of the press Centre

I have always been a proponent of colleagues treating the press Centre as our own “barracks” as such ensuring that outsiders accord it the respect it should be given. No smoking of weeds inside and no sniffing of drugs even by friends of colleagues. We also do not want to wait until a security detail from any one who runs berserk one day and begins to spray everyone inside the hall with bullets before we secure ourselves. The press center committee should be able to monitor and ensure that the place is always secured from overzealous security details or hoodlums no matter how highly placed afterwards every registered member knows how to comport himself based on our ethics. It is our carelessness that gave the army boys the freedom to work into our centre and pick one of us like a hawk picking chicken before the scale fell from our eyes and we realized that we must go and get the fellow. They were supposed to see the chairman and make their complaints for him to intervene and not to pounce on members like Chicken before any one of us get to know about it. This cannot happen in the bar centre of the NBA.

As a rider to this, most of you my colleagues were there when I raised that critical issue as a motion for action to a former theatre Commander General Ali while he came in to ponder over and advise his overzealous boys accordingly before they repeat the mistake twice. I told him point blank that we have gone passed the stage where the security operatives will go after journalists as if they are endangered species to be roasted for Sala or Easter. Invite our people if they wrong you and we will march into the barracks and iron out the issues like comrades in arms and pen are supposed to do. That is the ideal that is expected.

Why security details should stop bringing arms to the centre

Even though Vips are allowed into the centre on invitation, no orderly of vips should be allowed to bring his arms into the holiest shrine of the centre and that is the hall where news conferences are held. It’s a big wrong and should never be allowed to happen. That is the standard anywhere in the world and we should not tolerate such arrogance from any of them especially the DSS where some of their trainee boys view themselves as untouchable.
Doing this is completely opposite to the norms of the free press we preach about. And anyone who refuses to comply does not have respect for us as the fourth estate of the realm. Bringing armed details who will be manning our doors for us when we are supposed to man the entrances for ourselves is a way of inviting what happened in Kaduna to Comrade Sani to happen in maiduguri one day and I say God forbid to that. We cannot stand and look at such abominations happen and we let it go because they are guarding a Governorship candidate. If we allow them, the worse may soon be visited on us.

All over the world, arms are not allowed into certain areas for the sake of mutual respect and accordance of status and prestige into the hall. Each time we watch the President of America walk into the hall meant for news conferences, he walks in alone in spite of the fact that he is the most protected human being on earth. Each journalist that is in that hall is well screened before entering the white house. That is the ideal in spite of the fact of whatever fears the intelligence guys may have against us. And Mark you their phones or tablets to work with are not seized from them.
As an aside, you do not run press conferences inside the government house without the chair of the NUJ present for instance. That is a wrong that must be corrected one day.

Binocular: Why weapons are not tolerated inside the business hall of the NUJ during news conferences

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Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

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Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

By: Our Reporter

Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has announced a N1 billion financial support package for the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH) to facilitate kidney transplants for underprivileged patients from the state.

Demonstrating immediate commitment, Governor Zulum authorised an initial deposit of N250 million to cover transplants for 50 indigent patients.

The governor made the announcement during the 110th General Meeting of the Committee of Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors of Federal Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria, alongside the commissioning of the epoch-making projects at UMTH.

He confirmed that the remaining N750 million would be disbursed in three instalments.

“I am pleased to announce that Borno State government will deposit the sum of N250 million to support kidney transplant of 50 patients. I am ready to contribute N1 billion as government’s contribution towards supporting the less privileged indigenes of the State ,” Zulum stated.
“The Borno State government therefore pledges to support this initiative and is ready to provide all the partnership required to sustain the provision of kidney transplant to less privileged patients at UMTH. This is only the beginning—I promise to do even more,” he added.

Governor Zulum commended UMTH for its strides in specialised healthcare, particularly its recent successful kidney transplants.

“I was told both the patients and donors are doing very well. Indeed this is a landmark achievement and a great relieve to patients most importantly to those who cannot afford the cost of transplant,” he remarked.

Speaking on the State Emergency Medical and Ambulance Services (SEMAS), the governor confirmed that ten new fully equipped ambulances would be deployed across health facilities by the week’s end. This, he stressed, would bolster the Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative.

“As a Government, we pledge our full support for the sustenance and scale-up of the Maternal and Newborns Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative programme. We view it not as a standalone initiative, but as a critical complement to our broader health reform agenda,”.

“We are committed to ensuring that Maternal and Newborn Mortality Reduction Innovation Initiative succeeds in providing comprehensive antenatal care, emergency obstetric services, skilled birth attendance, postnatal follow-up and routine immunisation to protect our children from preventable diseases,” he stressed.

Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Professor Mohammed Ali Pate, lauded Governor Zulum for fostering collaboration between state and federal governments to deliver equitable, affordable healthcare.

“Governor Zulum exemplifies teamwork by working closely with the federal government to enhance healthcare quality and accessibility in Borno,” Pate said.

Chief Medical Director, University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital, Professor Ahmed Ahidjo acknowledged the state’s N500 million intervention following the 2024 floods, had helped to restore critical services, including the renovation of Trauma and Kidney Centres, procurement of medical consumables and the reactivation of oxygen plant.

The event was attended by dignitaries including Minister of Health and Social Services Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, National Assembly members, Ambassador Babagana Kingibe (GCON), the Shehu of Borno, Alhaji Dr. Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai El-Kanemi, Head of Civil Service of the Federation, Dr. Esther Didi Walson-Jack, former deputy governor, Hon. Usman Mamman Ndurkwa and over 70 Chief Medical Directors and Medical Directors.

Zulum announces N1 Billion support to UMTH for Kidney Transplant

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Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

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Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Joint Task Force (North East) Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised three terrorists and intercepted logistics supplies during coordinated ambush operations in Konduga Local Government Area of Borno State.

Security sources told Zagazola Makama on Tuesday that the operations were conducted by under Operation Desert Sanity IV.

The sources said that the first ambush occurred late on July 28 at Kawuri general area, where troops lying in wait intercepted terrorists transporting logistics. On sighting the ambush team, a firefight ensued, resulting in the neutralisation of two terrorists, while others escaped with possible gunshot wounds.

Items recovered included packs of salt, Maggi seasoning, detergents, wrappers, brassieres, hijabs, shoes, a solar panel, torchlight batteries, and packs of SIM cards.

The troops returned safely to base early on July 29.

In a separate incident around midnight on the same day, troops on patrol observed suspicious movement ahead of their location in Konduga.

An alert was sent to an ambush team already in position, which swiftly engaged the terrorists at a different axis of the local government area. One terrorist was neutralised, while others fled.

The troops recovered items from both operations and returned to base without casualties.

Troops neutralise three terrorists in ambush operations in Borno

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Troops neutralise two terrorists in Borno, recover weapons

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Troops neutralise two terrorists in Borno, recover weapons

By: Zagazola Makama

Troops of the Nigerian Army’s Operation Hadin Kai have neutralised two ISWAP terrorists during a fighting patrol in Aligambari village, near Gajiram in Borno State.

A reliable source told Zagazola Makama on Tuesday that the troops, acting on credible intelligence, launched a swift operation in the area at about 1:00 p.m. on Monday.

According to the source, the troops made contact with the terrorists and engaged them with superior firepower, killing two of them in the process.

He said that the soldiers also recovered one AK-47 rifle, one PKT machine gun and two magazines from the scene.

“The troops are currently dominating the area of responsibility with aggressive patrols to deny the terrorists any freedom of movement.

“All captured items are in the custody of the troops, and further instructions are being awaited from higher headquarters,” the source added.

Troops neutralise two terrorists in Borno, recover weapons

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