Fatal Accident: NUJ Calls on Gov Bello, Others to Assist Vanguard Correspondent

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The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kogi state council, has called on Governor Yahaya Bello and other public spirited individuals to come to the aid of Vanguard Correspondent in Kogi, Mr. Boluwaji Obahopo, whose wife is required to perform urgent surgery on her to stop further damage to her system.

Speaking at a news conference in Lokjoa on Monday, the State Chairman of NUJ, Comrade Adeiza Momoh-Jimoh, called for financial assistance to assist the correspondent’s distressed family.

Recall that on Friday 5th of November, 2021, the union bus conveying the family members of Mr. Bolu Obahopo, the vanguard correspondent in Kogi to a wedding in Benin City had an accident before Okene.

Unfortunately, 5 lives were lost and others sustained life threatening injuries.

As at today, the wife of the Vanguard correspondent has been referred to Abuja hospital because of her critical condition.

A whopping sum of 2.5 million is required to perform urgent surgery.

“It is on this note that the Union is calling on government and other public spirited individuals to please come to the aid of this distressed family by way of financial assistance.

“We wish to acknowledge the initial financial assistance given by some political office holders when the accident happened but what was realised has since gone into the preliminary treatment at the Okene General hospital, FMC, Lokoja and University Teaching hospital Gwgwalada before the real bill for the surgery came out.

“Donations can please be channeled into this this account: Acct Name: Boluwaji Obahopo, Bank Name: UBA, Acct Number: 2034447686

“We want to passionately appeal to the Kogi State government and by extension, Governor Yahaya Bello to please come to aid of this journalist who for over a decade now been reporting the activities of Kogi state,” he said.

Momoh-Jimoh stated that recent unfortunate happenings to journalists in the country have brought to the fore the need for insurance cover for journalists and members of their immediate families.

“The National Assembly should as a matter of urgency, come up with laws that will ensure that journalists get insurance cover that will be able to take care of their families in the event that they suffer permanent disability in the course of their duty.”

He also called on proprietors of media houses to make welfare of their staff top priority through prompt payment of salaries, provision of health insurance and other incentives needed for them to function well.

“Enough of the pauperization of journalists in this country. We must not be cap in hand begging for alms for any reason.

“The NUJ Kogi State council also wish to join the national Secretariat and other councils to condemn in strongest terms the controversial circumstances surrounding the death of Henry Tordue Salem Vanguard House of Representatives correspondent who went missing for days and was later found dead. It is our hope that the security agencies do more investigation to unravel the circumstances surrounding his unfortunate death.”


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