The Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) representing various stakeholders in the media industry on Tuesday paid solidarity visits to the headquarters of Vintage Press Limited, publishers of The Nation Newspapers and Television Continental (TVC) over recent attacks on their stations.
Both stations were touched by arsonists on Wednesday last week in the widespread arsons and violence that trailed the #EndSARS protest in the state.
The TVC headquarters along CMD road in Lagos was razed completely with multibillion naira equipment including official and private vehicles as well as four Outside Broadcasting (OB) vans burnt in the arson by armed hoodlums.
Also, heavily armed street urchins touched the premises of the Nation Newspapers along Matori road Oshodi Lagos.
The NPO comprising the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria (NPAN), the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) expressed shock over the attacks on the two media houses.
Chairman of NPO and Publishers of This Day Newspapers, Mr. Nduka Obaigbana, led the team comprising the Publisher of Vanguard Newspapers, Uncle Sam Amuka, former Ogun State Governor, Chief Olusegun Osoba, Mrs. Maiden Ibru, President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Chris Isiguzo.
Also in the entourage were General Manager, Southern Operations of Daily Trust Newspapers, Mr. Ademola Oladosu, Chairman of NUJ Lagos, Dr. Qassim Akinreti and Ag. Provost of the Nigeria Institute of Journalism (NIJ), Mr. Gbenga Adefaye.
The first port of call was the Nation Newspapers where the team was received by the Chairman, Mr. Wale Edun. Chief Executive Officer of TVC, Andrew Hanlon received the team at the premises of the company.
Obaigbena said the visit was to show solidarity with the newspaper over the recent attack, expressing confidence that the newspaper would come out of the challenge stronger and better.
The NUJ President on his part said the attack on the Nation and TVC was an attack on the entire media industry, noting that several other media houses across the country were victims of the attacks in the aftermath of the #EndSARS protests.
