- The security operatives on Monday, March 12, barred top media houses from covering President Buhari’s visit to Benue
- The media included Punch, Nation, Vanguard among others
- Those that were allowed to cover the events were restricted to seven
The security operatives on Monday, March 12, barred correspondents of The Punch, ThisDay, Vanguard, Tribune, New Telegraph, The Nation and others from covering the president’s visit to Benue.
The Punch reports that about 30 correspondents from various media organisations were in the state, but only seven handpicked media organisations were allowed to cover the president’s visit.
READ ALSO: PDP holds mega rally in Jigawa state
NAIJ.com gathered that the Punch correspondent, who had gone to the Benue state government House in the early hours of the day, was told that his organisation was not among those allowed to cover the visit.
Checks revealed that there was a directive from the Presidency to restrict the number of media organisations to cover the visit to seven.
The media allowed to cover the visit were: The News Agency of Nigeria, Daily Sun, Voice of Nigeria, Daily Trust, Leadership, The Guardian and Daily Independent.
No reason was given for the decision.
It was reported that the security operatives from Abuja took over the activities at the state’s seat of government.
Apart from journalists, invited stakeholders were turned back at the third gate of the government House where security, mainly operatives of the Department of State Services, checked the names of guests against a list they clutched jealously.
Some protesting youths, who had stormed the venue to register their grievances over incessant killings in the state, were sent away by security men, while their placards were seized.
One of the protesters, Jonah Kwaor, who described the operatives as overzealous, said: “We wanted the President to know the magnitude of the senseless killings in our communities, but security men, including the police, drove us away and seized some of our placards.”
Members of the Peace Corps, who attempted to enter the government House to appeal to the President to rescind his decision and sign the Peace Corps bill, were prevented from entering.
It was gathered that the itinerary of the President was adjusted as his visit to the state chairman of the state traditional council, Tor Tiv, Prof. James Ayatse, was cancelled.
PAY ATTENTION: Read the news on Nigeria’s #1 news app
Also the President’s scheduled visit to the Internally Displaced People’s camp at Gbamjiba, in the Guma Local Government Area was reportedly put off.
Meanwhile, NAIJ.com had previously reported that President Muhammadu Buhari sympathised with the people of Benue state saying his administration will continue to work towards providing peace to all Nigerians.
Victims of Herdsmen killing buried in Benue state - on NAIJ.com TV
Source: Naija.ng