The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ekiti State Council, has announced plans to commence a clampdown on non-journalists using the Union’s car stickers and parading fake identity cards.
The enforcement exercise, scheduled to begin on Tuesday, is aimed at identifying and apprehending individuals who impersonate media practitioners and illegally use NUJ stickers on their vehicles.
In a statement jointly signed by the NUJ State Chairman, Comrade Kayode Babatuyi, and Secretary, Comrade O’Seun Ogunsakin, the Union said its Anti-Quackery Committee, led by Comrade Abiodun Olofe, would spearhead the exercise.
The committee, according to the statement, would be supported by personnel from the Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to ensure effective and hitch-free enforcement.
The NUJ said the exercise became necessary to protect the integrity of the journalism profession, ensure public safety and curb the activities of individuals providing services under the guise of being professional journalists.
During the operation, members of the Anti-Quackery Committee will verify the identity cards and press stickers displayed on vehicles of individuals claiming to be media practitioners.
The Union urged all practicing journalists in the state to carry their valid NUJ identity cards during the exercise to avoid unnecessary embarrassment.
The Ekiti NUJ Council reiterated its commitment to maintaining professional standards in journalism, stressing that it would not tolerate activities capable of bringing the profession into disrepute.
