NUJ FCT Demands Apology After Alleged Harassment of NTA Journalist

August 31, 2025 – Nigeria –

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council has strongly denounced the alleged harassment and intimidation of Ladi Bala, a transport correspondent for the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and former president of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), by Kayode Opeifa, Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC). The incident took place on August 27, 2025, as Bala was covering the aftermath of a train derailment along the Abuja–Kaduna rail line.

According to a statement by NUJ FCT Secretary Jide Oyekunle, Opeifa disrupted Bala’s live reporting, directing a barrage of demeaning insults at her—calls such as “you are stupid, your management is stupid, foolish woman”—and proceeded to order security personnel to forcibly remove her from the scene. Additional journalists at the scene corroborated these claims, noting that the NRC boss questioned her profession and appearance, casting doubt on her right to report on the incident.

When NUJ officials contacted Opeifa, he claimed his actions were justified on “security grounds.” However, he purportedly escalated matters by threatening to report Bala to security agencies, the Presidency, and NTA management, with the explicit aim of having her dismissed and barred from covering future NRC events.

The NUJ described Opeifa’s conduct as a blatant violation of Bala’s fundamental rights and press freedom—rights protected under Sections 22 and 39 of the 1999 Constitution (as amended). The union called the behavior dehumanizing, antithetical to democratic norms, and a marker of increasing intolerance among public officials toward scrutiny and accountability.

In response, the NUJ demanded an immediate and unreserved public apology from Opeifa and urged the NRC to implement measures preventing any recurrence. It also called upon relevant authorities to ensure a safe and respectful working environment for journalists—particularly for women in the field—and reaffirmed its commitment to protecting media practitioners’ rights and welfare.

Reference – 

https://thenationonlineng.net/nuj-fct-condemns-alleged-harassment-of-nta-journalist-by-nrc-md-demands-public-apology/#google_vignette