The editorial crew of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Bayelsa State has been barred from the coverage of activities marking the 6th anniversary of Governor Seriake Dickson in office.
This may not be unconnected with the reporting of the collapse of a commissioner in the administration during a press briefing in which the government media managers had ordered all media outfits in the state to blackout the incident.
Commissioner for Special Projects, Mr Fred Obua had slumped on January 30 at the Inter-ministerial briefing held at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre and Mr Daniel Iworiso-Markson, Commissioner for Information who was also at the occasion threatened that any journalist who reported the incident would be ‘sanctioned and dealt with’ and ‘banned from the state.
Following the threat, only NAN correspondent at the occasion summoned up courage to file the reports while reporters from other media houses chickened out.
A media aide, who spoke against the reportage had boasted that they were instructed to exclude NAN from subsequent Bayelsa Government activities over the report which found its way into some national dailies.
Two NAN correspondents deployed to cover a press conference last Friday night were turned back at the Government House, venue of the event.
NAN had earlier been put on the list of media outfits expected at the event but later reportedly removed by aides to the Commissioner for Information who claimed to be acting on instructions.
According to one of the securitymen at the gate, “we will not allow you guys to go inside because NAN is not in this list for the programme.
“You people have to leave here immediately or face the consequences; this is the list we have and that is the only one.”
The Commissioner for Information drove to the Bayelsa State Government House gate at that moment and was approached by the correspondents who were at the verge of being thrown out by the security operatives.
“You people should go and check your names on the list with the security men, they are the ones to clear,” Iworiso-Markson said.
A reporter with one of the national newspapers who spoke in confidence for fear of being victimised condemned the stance of the government media managers.