The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ogun State Council, has declared the Special Assistant to Governor Dapo Abiodun on Student Affairs, Azeez Adeyemi, persona non grata over alleged harassment, intimidation and threats against a journalist, Comrade Olajide Osoba.
Rising from an emergency meeting of its State Executive Committee, the Union condemned what it described as a deliberate and unjustifiable assault on its member, allegedly orchestrated by the governor’s aide.
The NUJ explained that the harassment of Comrade Osoba began during the 2025 May Day celebration held at the June 12 Cultural Centre, Kuto, Abeokuta, where the journalist, a bonafide member of the Union, was reportedly attacked and seriously injured by individuals believed to be loyalists of Adeyemi’s faction of the National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS).
The Union further alleged that rather than showing remorse, Adeyemi has since resorted to orchestrating further intimidation by petitioning security agencies, labelling Osoba as a cultist, and using his political office to mobilize police for arbitrary arrests without proper investigation.
In the statement jointly signed by the Chairman of NUJ Ogun State Council, Comrade Wale Olanrewaju, and the Secretary, Comrade Bunmi Adigun, the Union condemned the incident, describing it as an assault on press freedom and an attempt to silence the media.
“Such attacks on journalists constitute an attack on democracy itself and violate the fundamental right of citizens to access accurate information,” the NUJ leaders stated.
They announced that Azeez Adeyemi, his loyalists, and members of his faction have been declared persona non grata within and around the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre, Oke-Ilewo, Abeokuta.
The Union also cautioned that the Iwe Iroyin Press Centre remains a safe space for journalists and will not be turned into a ground for intimidation or violence.
While acknowledging the good working relationship between journalists and the Ogun State government under Governor Abiodun, the Union called on the governor to urgently caution his aide to prevent further embarrassment to his administration.
“The NUJ in Ogun State has maintained a cordial relationship with the government of Prince Dapo Abiodun and will not allow the overzealous actions of one individual to destroy that relationship or paint the government in bad light before the public,” the statement added.
The Union further demanded that the harassment of journalists linked to the incident must stop, urging law enforcement agencies to conduct a proper investigation starting from the May Day assault.
The NUJ vowed to continue defending press freedom and the dignity of its members, warning that any further violations would be met with resistance.
