By Tajudeen Adebanjo
Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has expressed sympathy with The Nation newspaper, Television Continental (TVC), Lagos Television (LTV) and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the attacks on the media.
MURIC’s Director and Founder, Prof Ishaq Akintola, said he was deeply disturbed by these attacks on media houses.
According to him, the press has contributed immensely to the ability of various organisations to interact and there is no gainsaying the fact that the media is the voice of the voiceless.
The attack on the media, he said, was an attack on the downtrodden masses.
Akintola said: “It is on this bases that we conclude that the hoodlums who attacked these media houses acted in ignorance. They have attacked those who have been promoting their interests. Besides, hundreds could be rendered jobless by attacking media houses.
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“It is in this respect that we strongly denounce the attacks. How can we blame government and private entrepreneurs for lack of jobs when we senselessly use our hands to destroy workplaces where hundreds of fellow Nigerians earn their living? Salaries may not be fully paid or may not be paid at all for months as the employers struggle to replace vehicles and equipment burnt or carted away.
“MURIC hereby expresses heartfelt sympathy with The Nation newspaper, TVC, LTV, the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and all those affected by the attacks, particularly the owners of the media houses and the non-journalist staff. We pray that Allah will replenish their sources of income to enable them replace, rebuild and recover all losses suffered during the attack.
Akintola appealed to Nigerians to have an attitudinal change, saying “while we agree that protest is an Allah-given fundamental human right, protesters must respect decorum by focusing only on the expression of grievances and never derailing towards the tendency to destroy. We are simply demolishing our common patrimony and we may have to whistle for our dinner when night falls.”
