Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura of Nasarawa State has condemned the 247Ureport and other social media who wrongly reported that the Son of the Governor was arrested in Malaysia for drugs and gun charges.
In a statement by the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Iliyasu Ali Yakubu described the report as a mischief, chief blackmail and a calculated attempt to negatively invade into the private life of the Governor contrary to the ethical values of the journalism profession because they are paid to do so by the enemies of progress in Nasarawa State.
The statement further states that Kalil Umar Tanko Al-Makura was never arrested for any form of offense in Malaysia as wrongly reported by the social media.
Kalil Umar Tanko Al-Makura is presently studying in Malaysia and has never been engage in any form of trouble that may warrant his arrest how much more of dealing in drugs and gun running.
The 247Ureport and other social media should always get their facts straight before going to press to damage people’s image.
The press as the fourth estate of the realm recognised by the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 as amended is strongly build on truthfulness objectivity, and fairness.
The press apart from adequately informing the society of government and other activities around the people objectively it is respected that the press initiate ways of moulding the society for good as well as initiate peaceful co-existence among the people where the peace is being disrupted.
Ethically, the press is expected to reports facts especially facts that will promote the unity and wellbeing of the society.
However the modern days journalism in Nigeria has gone far apart from the ethical values of the journalism profession as practitioners especially those in the social media willing-fully invade wrongly into private life of people and cook baseless stories that never existed because they are being paid to do so as in case of Bauchi where they reported that considerable number of Corps members were killed in cold blood, an information capable of disrupting the peace of the nation.
May I draw the attention of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) to the unprofessional reportage of the social media which is geared towards tarnishing the image of the people and attempting to disrupt the relative peace being enjoyed in some parts of the country, however commend the NUJ for its efforts in checkmating the activities of the enemies of our noble profession which is strongly build on moulding the society for good.
It is obvious that the enemies of progress in Nasarawa State cannot fault the Governor anymore in terms of development, what is left is to wrongly tarnish his image and invade into his private life.
The Governor of Nasarawa State Umaru Tanko Al-Makura is the messiah of our time who has come to salvage the people of Nasarawa State from the boundage and agony they have been experiencing for the past twelve years.
No amount of critism or blackmail will deterred the Governor in his quest to deliver the dividends of democracy to the people of Nasarawa State.
Iliyasu Ali Yakubu
Chief Press Secretary to the
Governor
14th July, 2012
