NUJ condemns majority leader for alleged assault on reporter

Barely 72 hours after he was accused of assaulting the deputy governorship candidate of All Progressives Congress in Kano, Murtala Garo, the Kano State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), has accused the Majority Leader of the House of Representatives, Alhassan Doguwa of assaulting a journalist.

Mr Doguwa allegedly assaulted Mr Garo with a teacup during a meeting held at the residence of the deputy governor of the state. Mr Doguwa has denied the allegation.

But the leadership of the journalists’ union has also accused Mr Doguwa of assaulting Abdullahi Yakubu, a journalist with the Leadership Newspaper, during a press conference held at the lawmaker’s residence to give his account of what happened during the meeting at the deputy governor’s residence.

In a statement signed by the NUJ’s chairman, Abbas Ibrahim, and his secretary, Abba Murtala, the union said it has informed law enforcement agencies of the assault on the reporter.

“As the matter is already before the Judiciary and the police, we hope a thorough investigation will be conducted to unveil the truth just as the NUJ has set up a three-man committee for independent scrutiny of the matter.

“We wish to remind politicians that journalists are partners in progress in ushering a virile democracy come 2023 while our members must also strive to stick to their professional code of ethics at all times.

“The existing cordial relationship between the Kano State government, politicians and journalists is unrivalled and a departure will not augur well for all,” it stated.

Mr Doguwa denies assaulting journalist

However, Mr Doguwa denied attacking the journalist and described the claim as the handiwork of political mischief makers.

In a press statement on Thursday he said neither the police nor the magistrate has summoned him on the matter.

“As a law-abiding citizen of the country, I am willing and ready to honour any invitation by the court or the Police.

“They want to use the name of Alhassan Ado Doguwa to build their political career by spreading rumours against me. They want to destroy my reputation. They will surely fail. I am a man of the people. My popularity with the people cannot be tarnished by rumours,” Doguwa said.

He then cautioned those behind the claim to desist from using his name to score cheap political points.

Meanwhile, the Chief Magistrate Court 24 Gyadi-Gyadi Kano has directed the office of the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Zone 1 to conduct an investigation into the criminal assault against Mr Doguwa.

The directive followed a complaint lodged before the court by Mr Yakubu through his counsels, Bashir, Umar & Co. Legal Practitioners and Corporate Consultant.

In the letter addressed to the AIG Zone one dated 1st November 2022, signed by the Registrar of the Court a copy of which was made available to PREMIUM TIMES reads in part, “I am directed by the Presiding Chief Magistrate Court 24, A.B. Wali Complex, Gyadi-Gyadi Kano, to write and request you, to conduct discrete investigation against House of Reps member representing Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal Constituency, Alhassan Ado Doguwa.

“Upon lodging direct complaint before the court by the counsel to the complainant, Bashir, Umar and Co. Malam Abdullahi Yakubu of Sharada quarters. Attached is the of the complaint,” the letter said.

In the letter of complaint to the court, the counsel to the complainant said, “We act as solicitors to Malam Abdullahi Yakubu of Sharada Quarters Kano Municipal (hereinafter referred to as our Client) pursuant to his specific mandate and instruction we write to you this letter of complaint.

“It’s our humble brief that our client is a professional journalist working with Leadership Newspaper here in Kano acting as Kano Bureau Chief Leadership newspaper.

“That on 1st November 2022, our client together with some of his professional colleagues were at the residence of the above-mentioned member of the House of Representatives, based on his invitation for him to clear his name through our media on trending stories on social media accusing him of assaulting the former commissioner for local government and deputy governorship candidate of APC (Murtala Sule Garo) in the state.

“However, it was in the process of his narration concerning the episode at the deputy governor’s house where the incident between him and Murtala Sule Garo took place.

“That he became so provoked to the extent that he vowed to send his boys to destroy all the billboards and banners belonging to Gawuna/Garo for governorship and deputy governor.

“On noticing how he became furious, our client then took the bull by the horn to beg him not to take the law by his own hand instead of him to listen to our client and acting appropriately he used his right hand and gave our client had a deadly blow to his right ear.

“In fact since then, our client lost his good health our client encountered serious problems with his eardrums, tympanic membrane, excessive headache, general body pain and many more are some of the health issues our client is facing now.

“In view of the foregoing, we urge you sir to order the office of AIG Zone One Kano to investigate the case and bring the said Hon. Alhaji Alhassan Ado Doguwa to justice.”