By: Suzan Edeh
Bauchi Field Office of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), has condoled the Nigeria Union of Journalists Bauchi State Council over the death of two journalists who recently died in a ghastly motor accident while on an official assignment.
Recall that 13 journalists while covering an NEDC assignment in Bauchi were involved in a fatal crash, sustaining various degrees of injuries.
Among the victims of the crash, two camera men succumbed to their injuries and passed away. Channels Television cameraman, Kani Ben died from injuries sustained in the same accident nine days after the crash while the cameraman with the Bauchi State Television Authority (BATV), Kabiru Ahmed Ilaleh died three weeks after the crash.
The UNICEF Chief of Field Office (CFO), Dr Nuzhat Rafique who led a delegation of UNICEF staff on the condolence visit to the Secretariat of the Bauchi State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), on Monday, commended the cordial and professional relationship between it and working Journalists in Bauchi State, describing it as healthy and beneficial to the well-being of women and children.
“Since I have come into this country and the Bauchi Field Office, this is my first experience where we are working so closely with the Journalists.”
“And one of the best teams of Journalists I have seen in Bauchi. And I really thank you for that great team and the great mission you people have in Bauchi and in Nigeria, which is very, very highly needed.”
“So you people are the backbone of society. You are the makers and the breakers. I always say, you can make or break the culture, the traditions, the society. You can break the bad practices and you can promote and you can make the culture positive for everyone, especially for children and women.”
“So you are not only our friends, you are part of us. You are part of the UNICEF team. You are working for women and children with us. And you know now all these places are very familiar to me. One of you here, he is my brother. He is always with me everywhere when wherever I am encouraged by that,” She said
Nuzhat Rafique then expressed the condolences of UNICEF over the recent deaths of two Journalists saying, “So that said, I am really, really very grieved by the incident that happened. Please accept wholeheartedly, UNICEF condolences for that precious life, precious Journalists lost in that incident.”
“And I pray for their best Darajat in Jannah and their souls may rest in peace forever. And may the families be comforted, God bless them with the courage to bear these losses. The loss is huge, not only for the Journalists, families, even for UNICEF. It’s a huge loss.”
“And for their families definitely. And I pray and I wish that all the blessings go to their families for the strength and the courage to bear these losses. And to you as well as the families to be the part of solidarity and stay as a family and be a very, very strong team of Journalists in Bauchi. But the loss is irreparable and we can only pray for them.”
“So thank you very much for this opportunity to come and express our feelings on behalf of UNICEF Bauchi field office and UNICEF Nigeria.”
In his response, the Chairman of the NUJ, Comrade Umaru Saidu, thanked the UNICEF BFO, CFO, Dr Nuzhat Rafique, and her team for finding time to pay the condolence visit saying that it was a demonstration of good leadership and working together.
According to him, “We were there together, and we saw everything that happened leading to the crash. And now we thank God, we lost only two members because, I think that had the bus went on flame, this would have been all over. But Alhamdulillah, this is a design by Allah.”
“And we really appreciate the support we have received and the steps taken, especially on the medical aspect of the Journalists by the State Governor as well as the NEDC. They have really supported us throughout the period. And Alhamdulillah, as I’m talking to you now, we don’t have any patients in the hospital. All of them, the remaining ones have been discharged, they are receiving treatment from home.”
Umar Saidu added, “So, I really appreciate your coming and as well as the partnership between UNICEF and Journalists in Bauchi State. And as you rightly pointed out, the Journalists in Bauchi State, they are just like part of UNICEF, it is like their homes."(Independent)
