NUJ sues Customs N.5bn over attack on journalist

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NIGERIA: FOR alleged brutal attack on its member who was on reportorial assignment, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Lagos State Council has instituted a N500 million suit against the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS).

The NUJ said that the NCS must atone for the assault on a member of its council, Yomi Olomofe, who was mercilessly beaten to coma on June 22, last year while carrying out assignment at the Seme-Border of the NCS command.

The men of the customs were alleged to have aided some smugglers to descend on Olomofe, who is the Chairman, Editorial Board of a news magazine, Badagry Prime.

The assault took place within the premises of the NCS Seme-Border Command in Badagry, Lagos State, specifically on June 22, 2015.
Counsel to the NUJ, Jiti Ogunye, said at a news conference at Alausa Press Centre in Lagos that the case had been brought before a Lagos Federal High Court.
According to him, the brutal attack on Olomofe by unidentified persons within NCS premises, over six months ago, was a violation of the victim’s fundamental human rights.
Ogunye explained that one of their demands before the court was a pronouncement over the dastardly beating of the journalist, said to have been abandoned at a refuse dump after the attack.

The human rights lawyer stated that Olomofe’s attackers left him there apparently thinking that he was dead, adding that medical reports showed that the victim who is still recuperating suffered severe injury and psychological trauma due to the severity of the punishment on him.
He further stated that it was unfortunate that journalists that played prominent roles in the return of democracy to the country continued to be battered by security agents and those holding positions of power.

Also speaking on the incident, the National President of the NUJ, Waheed Odusile, promised that the union would not allow the incident to be swept under the carpet.

According to him, the union would see to the logical conclusion of the suit.
Odusile explained that all letters written to the Nigeria Police Force and the NCS for thorough investigation of the attack several months ago were not attended to.

He stated that the media practitioners would never be intimated while discharging their responsibilities as long as they are operating within the ethics of journalism.
The Lagos State Chairman of the NUJ, Deji Elumoye, urged fellow journalists to fully support the course of getting justice for Olomofe.

Offering support in this direction, according to him, was necessary as “injury to one is injury to all.”