A former senator and governorship aspirant of the Peoples Democratic Party in Kwara State, Senator Gbemisola  Saraki and the Conference of Nigeria’s Political Parties, Kwara State, on Monday condemned the attack on  the crew of Channels Television by thugs suspected to be members of the Peoples Democratic Party.

The crew had gone to cover the PDP state Assembly congress at Yebmot Hotel, Ilorin, on Saturday, when they were attacked.

Saraki in a statement by his aide, Mrs. Olayemi Yusuf, said that the attack on the media crew of Channels Television and others in the
course of their assignment is “barbaric, despicable and clearly uncalled for.”

She  said, “Considering their thankless duties, journalists should be any politician’s last target for attacks. Attacking journalists is
tantamount to attacking the very foundation upon which our democracy is built.

“Instead, they deserve our collective support towards enthroning the tenets of democracy, good governance and public accountability.”

“The fact that the journalists are on official duty, and having duly identified themselves as journalists, would be targeted for attack is
the height of impunity. This unwholesome action must be condemned by all, irrespective of party affiliations.

“In the same vein, the Kwara State Police Command is hereby implored to live up to its bidding as the protector of the sanctity of human life and property. The report that uniformed men looked away while the atrocious attack on innocent journalists was being carried on, is not only puzzling but very unfortunate.”

The state Chairman of CNPP,  Alhaji Alabi Lawal during a media briefing condemned the attack on the journalists and also that of the
state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed, at Kaiama.

He called  on the Newspaper Proprietors Association Of Nigeria, Nigerian Guild of Editors, Nigerian Bar Association and other respectable bodies to act and condemn the attack on journalists in order to secure and preserve the sanity of the nation’s democracy.