Mimiko condemns attack on ThisDayThe Ondo State governor, Dr Olusegun Mimiko, has condemned the bombing of the Abuja corporate office ThisDay newspaper, submitting that it was high time perpetrators of the dastard act had a change of heart and allow Nigerians to enjoy their freedom.Two persons were confirmed dead and six injured in the explosion that occurred at the office of ThisDay newspaper in Abuja on Wednesday, while another incident was reported in Kaduna some hours later.Governor Mimiko, through a message issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Eni Akinsola, said well-meaning Nigerians should plead with the perpetrators to have a re-think and show some respect for human lives and stop making children orphans, husband widowers and wives widows.S/South govs condemn bombingGovernors of the six South-South states of the country have condemned the twin bomb attacks on ThisDay Newsspaper offices in Abuja and Kadun State.In a joint statement issued on the sidelines of the second South-South Economic Summit in Asaba, the Delta State capital, the governors described the attacks as barbaric and cowardly.While wondering the motive of the attacks, which coincided with its ongoing regional summit where the newspaper's publisher, Mr Nduka Obaigbena, was playing a pivotal role, the governors urged the security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators of the attacks wereapprehended and made to answer for their heinous crime.'We totally condemn the bomb attacks on the premises of the ThisDay in Abuja and Kaduna State. It's barbaric, cowardly and condemnable.'We call on security agencies to fish out the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bring the full weight of the law to bear on them,' they stated.The governors sympathised with the staff and management of the newspaper, urging them not to be deterred by the incident.They expressed regret that the attacks came at a time President Goodluck Jonathan was doing a lot to restore confidence in Nigerians through purposeful leadership.Police minister condemns attack on media housesMinister of Police Affairs, Navy Captain Caleb Olubolade (retd), has described Thursday's bomb attack at the offices of ThisDay in Abuja and some media houses in Kaduna as not only wicked, dastardly and cowardly, but also calculated to muzzle public condemnation of the activities of terrorist groups in the country through the media.According to the minister, for these enemies of the society who have not been able to advance the cause of their violent acts to now resort to attacking the media, only showed that their desire was to just cause confusion in the polity and make the country ungovernable.Olubolade also gave the assurance that the government would never fold its arms and watch the desecration of people's rights to freely express themselves as exemplified by the attack on the media houses, which he referred to as the voice of the people and conscience of the society.Atiku condoles ThisDay, Sun, NPAN, NUJFormer Vice-President AtikuAbubakar has expressed his condolences to the management and staff of Leaders and Company Limited, publishers of ThisDay newspaper over the bomb explosions which rocked its Abuja and Kaduna offices and led to loss of lives.Also, the former vice-president expressed his sympathy and solidarity with the Sun Newspapers, which office was affected in the attacks in Kaduna, the Newspapers Proprietors Association of Nigeria (NPAN) and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) over the dastardly act.Atiku, in a statement issued by his media office, which building was also slightly damaged from the impact of the explosion, warned that 'the attacks on media houses are a dangerous dimension to the insurgency in the country and the government needs to be more creative in tackling the menace.'Oni commiserates with ThisDayNational Vice Chairman(South-West) of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Segun Oni, has commiserated with Chief Nduka Obaigbena, publishers of ThisDay newspaper over the bomb explosions which rocked the Abuja and Kaduna offices of the newspaper.In a statement signed by his media aide, Mr Lere Olayinka, Oni, who described the news of the bomb explosions as shocking and painful, prayed that God would console the families of those who lost their lives in the incident.While describing perpetrators of the dastardly act as enemies of Nigeria, who must not be spared by the law enforcement agencies in the country, Oni urged the management of ThisDay newspapers not to be deterred by the incident.He said: 'I can imagine the level of agony this incident has inflicted on your organisation. It is indeed shocking and painful.'Chime sympathises with ThisDayGovernor Sullivan Chime of Enugu State has expressed his sympathy with the management and staff of ThisDay newspapers over bomb attacks on its Abuja and Kaduna offices.The governor, in a message signed by his Chief Press Secretary, Chukwudi Achife, decried the continued attacks on innocent citizens in the country, more especially, those going about their legitimate duties.Chime urged ThisDay not to be deterred by the latest incident, but to continue rendering services to the nation through qualitative reporting.He extended his condolences to the injured and the family of the deceased, while urging security agencies to intensify efforts to prevent future attacks.Media Rights Agenda condemns bombingMedia Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned bombings of the offices of ThisDay newspapers in Abuja and Kaduna as well as the offices of the Sun and the Moment newspapers in an apparently coordinated plan.According to a statement signed on behalf of the organisation, MRA's executive director, Mr Edetaen Ojo, and made available to the Nigerian Tribune in Kano, the organisation condemned what he called 'a cowardly and dastardly' attack on media freedom and a shocking disregard for human life.The Abuja office of the newspaper was bombed at about 11.30, with scores of lives reportedly lost while several others were injured.Mr Ojo also stated that at about the same time, a building in Kaduna, housing ThisDay, the Sun and the Moment newspapers, was also bombed with no fewer than three deaths also reported at the incident.Kalu condoles with ObaigbenaA former governor of Abia State and Publisher of The Sun newspapers, Dr Orji Uzor Kalu, has condemned the attacks on the offices of ThisDay and the Sun newspapers in Abuja and Kaduna.Kalu, in a statement signed by his Special Adviser (Media), Mr Emeka Obasi, said it was an unfortunate development that the media could become the focus of attack of those who did not want the progress of the country.He said that but for the media, Nigeria might not have remained a united entity today, adding, 'why should we then turn on the very agent that has kept us together as a whole''You cannot write the history of this country without reserving a place of prestige for the media, especially during the fight for independence and the return to democracy in 1999.Bomb explosion rocks Kaduna again, as Yakowa commiserates with victimsAnother bomb blast has rocked the Unguwan Muazu village at the outskirts of Kaduna, just as the Kaduna State governor, Patrick Ibrahim Yakowa, has sympathised with victims of the bomb explosion.He expressed shock over the deadly attack on the SOJ building housing three newspaper houses in Kaduna.The Unguwan Muazu blasts occurred some hours after a building housing the newspapers offices, Soj Plaza, was bombed by a terrorist now under police custody.The police had moved to the area and were yet to release details of the latest blast.Deputy speaker condemns attack on media housesDeputy Speaker of the House of Representa- tives, Rt Honourable Emeka Ihedioha, has condemned attacks on the Abuja and Kaduna offices of ThisDay and the Sun newspapersNoting that journalists were constitutionally empowered to embark on their professional duties, he described the incident as unholy, unwarranted and uncalled for.The deputy speaker, who stated that the role of journalists was critical to nation building and the growth of democracy, observed that bomb battle against journalists and media houses would not do the nation any good.'Let me appeal to those behind this battle against the media, and by extension, journalism profession to kindly sheath their swords and give peace a chance,' he stated.Ex-Lagos NUJ chairman condemns actsA former chairman of the Lagos State council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Mrs Funke Fadugba, has condemned the bombing of the Abuja office of ThisDay newspapers.Fadugba, who was in Ado Ekiti, the Ekiti State capital, regretted that 'targeting the media for performing their statutory duties in the society was absurd and inhuman.'Fadugba, who was in Ekiti as part of her ongoing campaign for the presidency of the NUJ, charged the Federal Government to intensify efforts in further reducing the spate of bombings in the country, saying, 'the country has been reduced to a society where human beings are treated as animals.'She urged the government not to relent in its efforts in unmasking those behind the bombings.She sympathised with the management of ThisDay newspapers and the other media houses affected in the incident, as well as the families of those affected by the bombing.Abia gov commiserates with ThisDay, journalistsAbia State governor, Chief Theodore Orji, has commiserated with the publisher of ThisDay newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena and the management and staff of the company on the bombing of their offices. The governor said that he was shocked over the unfortunate incident which claimed lives and property worth millions of naira.Governor Orji said that the attack on ThisDay was an attack on the media. He maintained that the Nigerian media and their practitioners deserved commendation, instead of humiliation. Chief Orji argued that the media had played a vital role in ushering and sustaining democracy, which is firmly taking roots in the country.Lagos assembly condemns bombing of media houses in Kaduna, AbujaTHE Lagos State of Assembly, onThursday, condemned the bombing of Abuja and Kaduna offices of This Day, Leadership and The Sun newspapers, describing it as criminal act.Addressing the newsmen in Lagos, its Speaker, Right Honourable Sabit Adeyemi Ikuforiji, stressed that it was highly disheartening that while many countries in the world were making very frantic efforts to strengthen the various institutions and values critical to democratic rule, Nigeria's media stations had become targets for the rage of terrorist groups.Emphasising that the gale of bombing in the North as well as the resurgence of kidnap saga in the South-East and the South-South respectively were not healthy for the sustainability of democracy and development in Nigeria, the Speaker said that the bombing menace was becoming very disturbing and horrific, portraying Nigeria as not only a weak nation but a danger zone to local and foreign investors.
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