TUC Condems Attacks On Media Houses

The Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) has condemned the recent attacks on media houses, describing them as a defilement of the people.

The condemnation was contained in a statement signed by TUC President Mr Peter Esele and TUC General Secretary Mr John Kolawole,  in Lagos.

The statement was in reaction to bombing of the ThisDay newspaper offices in Abuja and Kaduna, as well as the Sun, Moment and Tribune newspapers also in Kaduna on April 26.

The TUC, noted that the mass media were the basis for existence of democracy because they gave the society opportunity to express itself.

“It is the only channel through which all of our views both the rich and poor are expressed. It gives vent to our feelings and our desires.

“Media organisations are sacred to us all, the believer and the atheist, the strong and the weak and for the government and the governed,’’ the statement said.

The statement said that in the midst of the so-called undeclared war, there were places that should be recognised by the combatants as sanctuaries.

It said that the mass media remained an oasis and should be respected as such since they represented the collective interests of all the combatants.

“There is no justification whatsoever for the carnage and bloodletting being perpetrated by the Boko Haram sect against Nigerian people,’’ it said.

The TUC advised the Boko Haram sect to state their grievances so as to guarantee the attainment of their objectives.

It warned that the continuous destruction of lives and properties would not fulfil their objectives as it would only lead to deaths of innocent and poor Nigerians.

The statement called on the Federal Government to put in place measures to protect Nigerian workers from the continuous attack.