Teryima Andrew, Jos
The Plateau state chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) commemorates the 10 years anniversary of eight of Journalists who died in line of duty.
This is just as the union call for proper care of practicing Journalists in Nigeria, they will be ten years in death, this Tuesday.
The affected Journalists died in a ghastly motor accident on the convoy of the former governor of Plateau state Joshua Dariye, while on their to commission some projects executed by the the state governor in southern part of Plateau state on the 16th of May 2007.
The victims include Musa Nuhu, of News Agency of Nigeria, Moses Ezueluke, of then Champion Newspapers, Isaac Agboh, of the Nation Newspapers, Judith Adama of The New Nigeria Newspapers, Emmanuel Adinoyi, Africa Independent Television AIT, who got married barly one month before the incide died on the spot.
Others who struggle to the hospital were Sudan Lar, of the Nigeria Television Authority, James Avre, Leadership Newspapers and Rubben Emeje, Federal Information also died in the unfortunate incident; the driver of the bus, though not a Journalist, a civil servant who was about to retire also lost his life.
Those who survived the accident by the whiskers and still practicing the profession were Andrew Agbse, of Daily Trust news papers, Audu Ojogbane of Daily Independent news papers, the camera man of the African Independent Television (AIT) Agada Okopi, survived Seraki Adinoyi of This Day news papers was the luckiest among them, as he came out other vehicle without any injure, another survival was Asile Emmanuel of the Reality news papers.
Some of the survivors had to visit several hospitals for close to a year before regaining their health, and still practicing, but a few are still physically deformed.
Audu Ojobane, Agada Okopi and Seraki Adinoyi who cheated death during the accident in an interview said the incident was still fresh in their minds.
As at last check, if not all, most of the promises made by government and successive governments during and after the burials of the Journalists has not been fulfill ten years after.
The Plateau council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists has scheduled Tuesday 16th May 2017 which will be ten years after the death of the said Journalists, organize a public lecture to be delivered by the Director General of the Industrial Training Fund ITF Joseph Ari, to honor the fallen Journalists.
Chairman Nigeria Union of Journalist Plateau state chapter Yakubu Taddy, had earlier, while innagurating a six man member committee to work toward the ten years anniversary of the fallen colleagues, urge employers of Journalists across Nigeria to take proper care of their employees.
Mr Taddy noted with regret that most Journalists practicing in Nigeria live from hand to mouth, and at the mercy of their employers due to unpaid enumerations.
On her part, chairman of the organizing committee Gloria Thomas, on Monday in an interview with reporters in Jos revealed that there will be a fund raising to enable Plateau NUJ establish an ICT centre to enable Journalists in Nigeria assess first hand global information.
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