Resist plan to cow the press, labour urges Nigerians

[MrVan]

By VICTOR AHIUMA-YOUNG

LAGOS – MARITIME  Workers Union of Nigeria, MWUN, weekend, called on Nigerians to rise up against attempts to muzzle the press, following last Thursday's attacks on three media houses in Abuja and Kaduna, describing the attacks as callous and senseless.

In a statement, President-General of MWUN, Mr. Emmanuel Nted, lamented that the attacks on ThisDay, Sun and Moment newspapers, which he noted were latest assault on the media and journalists after the killing of Channels Television and Nigerian Television Authority, NTA, staff.

Nted called on the  security agencies to live up to their constitutional responsibilities and save the nation from the evil trend it was witnessing daily.

He called on northern state governors and religious leaders in the region to do more to bring the activities of the gunmen to a stop before it degenerates into ethnic and religious crises.

He said: "We condemn in strongest terms, the orgy of violence now plaguing the nation, especially the northern parts of the country.

"Thursday's attacks on ThisDay, Sun and Moment newspapers in Abuja and Kaduna respectively, has added another dimension to the activities of the attackers.  These attacks were the latest assault on the media after the killing of Channels and NTA staff.

"If this is an attempt to muzzle free press in Nigeria, I believe Nigerians should rise up against any attempt to undermine free press in the country."

We call on the nation's security agencies to live up to their constitutional responsibilities. Similarly, we call on the Northern governors and religious leaders in the northern part of the country to do more to arrest the activities of the sect and save Nigeria from degenerating into ethic and religious crisis.

"We are tired of bomb blasts and killings of innocent Nigerians under any guise. Every decent human being should be concern. We call on President Goodluck Jonathan to act decisively in the interest of the unity of the country because the constitution has given his all the necessary powers to protect the lives the citizens of the country.

"We commiserate with managements and staff of  ThisDay, the Sun and the Moment Newspapers as well as families of those who lost their lives in the attacks, especially that of ThisDay Abuja office," he added.

Vanguard Nigeria