The Nigeria Union of Journalists, Ogun State Council, has urged Governor Dapo Abiodun to call his Special Assistant on Students Affairs, Azeez Adeyemi, to order and ensure that measures are put in place to safeguard the rights and safety of journalists in the state.
The Council, in a statement by its Chairman, Wale Olarenwaju, and signed by its Secretary, Bunmi Adigun, on Monday condemned the harassment of its member by the special assistant, warning it will not tolerate any move that will prevent its members from discharging their statutory responsibilities under any guise in the state.
DAILY POST had reported that Toheeb Olajide Osoba, the publisher of Newsangle, was allegedly harassed and beaten on the directive of the special assistant during the Workers’ Day celebration held at the June 12 Cultural Center in Abeokuta.
Following the incident, the NUJ Ogun Council ordered a temporary blacklist on the coverage of activities of students in the state, pending the outcome of its ongoing investigation alongside with that of the police.
However, the Council disclosed that the special assistant, Adeyemi, had resorted to using his office to harass the journalist and had written two petitions where he called Olajide Osoba a member of a dreaded cult group.
The statement reads:
“Rising from it’s emergency State Executive Committee (SEC) meeting, the Union condemns the unwarranted threats, assasination of character, verbal abuse, and reprehensible behaviour towards a journalist 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).
“ This utterly unacceptable act began from the 2025 May 1st celebration which our Union, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), an affiliate Union of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) actively participated with her members. 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, Comrade Osoba, incidented at the Ibara Divisional Police Station, Ibara, Abeokuta. Following his invitation for inquiry by the police from Ibara Divisional Police Station, the S.A 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 using his office as Special Assistant to Governor as basis for this oppression.
“ Last week only, 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. In the same vein, officers from the Abeokuta division of the office of the AIG, Zone 2, Lagos, came with another letter of invitation while Adeyemi’s boys also continually laid siege for Osoba at the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre.
“ This utterly 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. The press must remain free, unshackled, and empowered to fulfill its vital role in society.
“ 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.
Consequently, we resolve 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 alike 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.”;
