NUJ South-West Demands End to EFCC’s ‘Harassment’ of Ogun Officials, Threatens Legal Action

…Says Journalists Have Honoured Invitations About 25 Times, Seeks Impartial Investigation

By Ayobami Agboola, Osogbo

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Zone B, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to immediately stop what it described as the incessant harassment and persecution of officials of its Ogun State Council over an alleged politically motivated petition.

The union also urged the anti-graft agency to ensure an impartial investigation into the allegations against the council’s leadership, warning that any official found culpable should be prosecuted through appropriate legal channels rather than subjected to sustained intimidation.

The position was contained in a communiqué issued at the end of the Zonal Executive Council (ZEC) meeting of NUJ Zone B, comprising Lagos, Ogun, Oyo, Osun, Ondo and Ekiti states, held at the Lagos State Council Secretariat on Sunday, November 8, 2026.

The communiqué was signed by Princess Ronke Afebioye-Samo, Vice President, Zone B, and Abdulrazak Alege, Zonal Secretary, and was made available to CityMirrorNews

The meeting, according to the communique, was presided over by the Zonal Vice President, Princess Ronke Afebioye-Samo, and attended by the Deputy National President of the Union, Dr Abimbola Oyetunde, other national officers, as well as chairmen and secretaries of the six state councils.

According to the communiqué, the union expressed serious concern over the alleged repeated invitations, verbal attacks and profiling of Ogun State Council officials by operatives of the EFCC, Ibadan Zonal Office, in connection with a petition purportedly submitted by a group identified as ‘The Patriot’.

The ZEC disclosed that the Ogun State Council Chairman and other officials had honoured invitations from the commission on approximately 25 occasions, opened the council’s financial records and responded to questions raised during the investigation.

It, however, expressed reservations over the handling of the matter, particularly allegations of bias and prejudgment against the council’s chairman by an EFCC official identified as Mr Bashir, Head of the Economic Governance Unit.

The communiqué alleged that the official had reportedly claimed to have concluded his preliminary report before interviewing the Ogun NUJ chairman.

The union also questioned why the EFCC’s Ibadan Zonal Directorate was handling the petition, arguing that Ogun State falls within the jurisdiction of the commission’s Lagos II Zonal Directorate. It further raised concerns about the identities and membership status of some petitioners, alleging that some were individuals suspended by the NUJ National Executive Council over alleged anti-union activities, while others were not members of the union.

Reaffirming the institutional independence of the NUJ, the ZEC maintained that the union was neither a financial institution nor a government agency or contractor, adding that its activities were sustained through voluntary contributions and support from individuals, governments, groups and corporate organisations.

It stated, “While no individual or organisation is above the law, investigations must be evidence-based, conducted with fairness and respect for fundamental human rights, and must not degenerate into instruments of intimidation or persecution.”

The union called on the EFCC leadership to urgently intervene, ensure professionalism and impartiality in the investigation and prevent further alleged harassment of the affected officials. It also declared its readiness to pursue legitimate institutional and legal measures to protect the rights and dignity of its members.

The communiqué added that where investigations established prima facie evidence of wrongdoing, the commission should proceed through the appropriate legal process by instituting prosecution before a competent court.

Beyond the Ogun State controversy, the ZEC urged journalists across the South-West to maintain objectivity, impartiality and non-partisanship in their coverage of the 2027 general elections.

It directed the six state councils to organise adequate training and capacity-building programmes for members on the Code of Election Coverage to strengthen responsible, balanced and credible electoral reporting.

The union also expressed concern over the deplorable conditions of some strategic roads across the South-West, calling on federal, state and local governments to accelerate ongoing projects, resume abandoned ones and rehabilitate damaged roads to reduce road crashes and safeguard lives.

The ZEC commended Ondo State Governor, Lucky Aiyedatiwa, for elevating the appointment of NUJ member, Prince Ebenezer Adeniyan, from Chief Press Secretary to Special Adviser on Media. It also appreciated Ekiti State Governor, Biodun Oyebanji, for reappointing Yinka Oyebode as Special Adviser on Media and promising to donate an administrative block to the state’s NUJ council.

Similarly, the union praised Senator Solomon Olamilekan Adeola, popularly known as Yayi, for his contributions to the development of the Ogun State Council, particularly his support for the construction of a 1,000-seater event centre and donation of an 18-seater Toyota Hiace bus.

The ZEC further commended the outgoing Lagos State Council Chairman and Secretary, Comrades Adeleye Ajayi and Tunde Olalere, respectively, for their six years of service, urging the incoming leadership to sustain the council’s unity and institutional growth.