The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Council, has warned the public, government agencies, and corporate bodies to beware of faceless groups exploiting its secretariat to stage fraudulent press conferences.
In a statement issued on Thursday, the Council’s Secretary, Comrade Jide Oyekunle, said some individuals, working with non-journalists, had been misusing the NUJ premises in Utako, Abuja, to blackmail, extort, and harass unsuspecting persons and organizations while falsely claiming to represent the union.
Oyekunle noted that certain groups had even circulated flyers announcing press briefings at the secretariat, only to use them as tools of defamation or, in some cases, fail to show up at all — exposing the schemes as fraudulent.
He stressed that the NUJ secretariat is not available for hire by individuals, coalitions, or organizations seeking to push personal, political, or commercial interests. Only accredited journalists and recognized professional media bodies, he added, are authorized to use the facility for legitimate purposes.
The Council said it has intensified efforts to identify those behind the fraudulent acts and would hand offenders over to security authorities. It also disclosed that security and vetting procedures at the secretariat had been tightened to prevent further abuse.
Reaffirming its commitment to ethical journalism, the NUJ FCT urged genuine journalists and stakeholders to support efforts to rid the profession of blackmail and fraud.
