The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Nasarawa State chapter condemns in strong terms the maltreatment of some of its members attached to the Nasarawa State contingent for the recently held 2021 Aiteo Cup Finals in Benin City, Edo State.
This was contained in a press statement signed by the State Chairman of SWAN, Comrade Isa Mohammed copy of which was made available to CAPITAL POST in Lafia on Tuesday.
“Though we appreciate the gesture extended to our members courtesy, Commissioner of Youth and Sports Developments, Othman Bala-Adam for carrying us along with regards to activities of the ministry, we are however appalled by the conduct of officials of the ministry recently in Edo State.
“Three of our members were duly invited by the Honourable Commissioner to join the State entourage to Benin City to cover the Aiteo Cup finals at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium on Sunday. The statement continued.
“But even before they reached Edo state, arguments arose over their logistics between the ministry and the management of Nasarawa United led by Isaac Danladi, which is pivotal in getting the best out of the journalists.
Nevertheless, they carried out their duties despite the difficult situation they were faced with.
After the state team’s painful loss to Bayelsa United, a 6:30am departure time was agreed for the entourage the next day, but to our dismay, the journalists who were also part of the entourage woke up and found out that the entourage led by directors of the ministry had left the Sate, abandoning the journalists to their fate.
All pleas to stop the vehicle so the journalists could catch up with them was rebuffed. The barbaric behaviour of the officials is highly condemnable and we demand an apology for the undignified treatment our members passed through.
We commend the state commissioner of Youth and Sports for intervening and finding an alternative transport means several hours later but insist that the inhumane treatment meted on our colleagues be addressed to prevent it repeating itself in future.
We will not sit idle and allow any negative element destroy the giant strides achieved and other efforts put in place by the Governor Abdullahi Sule administration to revamp the Sports sector in the state for effective service delivery.
