The Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has condemned in totality threat to the life of the publisher of WikkiTimes and his family which was allegedly issued by Makkah Eye Hospital.
Bauchi NUJ in a statement on Friday signed by its Secretary, Isah Garba Gadau said journalists are mandated to hold governments and individuals accountable to the people through their practice.
“Therefore, we see no reason they (journalists) should be deterred from carrying out this constitutional mandate.
“The Bauchi Council of the NUJ therefore wish to state that no amount of threat, hatred or intimidation will scare its members from discharging their constitutional rights, any time any day,” the statement read in part.
The NUJ said it is regrettable that Makkah Eye Hospital which has already approached the courts will resort to issuing threats on the Journalist.
“The NUJ while having confidence in the judicial system for being fair and just, however, condemned in strong terms the threat on Haruna Mohammed allegedly by Makkah Eye Clinic.”
The NUJ called on security outfits to identify the brain behind the threat so as to safeguard the life of WikkiTimes’ publisher his family and staff of the medium.
Equally, the statement called on government and private organizations to shun dishing out all forms of threats and intimidation to its members “for better, informed and balanced reports.”
WikkiTimes had documented how Makkah Eye Hospital through shoddy means continues to short-change the Bauchi State Government in taxes, maltreat patients, and systematically sacked indigenous staff of Bauchi extraction.
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After the publication and the legal suit filed against the medium, its publisher Haruna Mohammed Salisu and a reporter Kamal Idris, the hospital allegedly resorted to issuing threats to the publisher and his family members.
Al-Mufeed Law Firm had responded to the threat by filing a petition against Makkah Eye Hospital before the Bauchi State Commissioner of Police.
