The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), LEADERSHIP Newspaper Chapel has condemned the brutal attack on one of its own, Benedict Uwalaka by men suspected to be staff of the Lagos University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH).
The union has also called on relevant authorities including the management of the hospital, the Lagos State Government and law enforcement agencies to lauch full scale investigation into the matter and ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous act are arrested and prosecuted and justice is achieved in the case.
Uwalaka, a photo journalist working in the Lagos bureau of the newspaper house was attacked and beaten while on duty, covering the release of corpses of victims of the Dana aircrash last week.
Chairman of the union, Mr. Romeo Chukwu-Eze in a statement in Abuja, regretted that such action would be carried out on a journalist while going about his constitutional duty or any Nigerian for that matter.
“A situation where the society has become so barbaric that people take up arms against hapless people while carrying out their legitimate duties in the full glare of the public is really unfortunate, defying all known law of respect for human life,” he said.
Chukwu-Eze urged members of the public to desist from attacking journalists going about their legitimate duties, as journalsist remained the last hope of the ordinary man.