NTA Reporter Assaulted at Yobe Assembly Complex During Budget Presentation
A journalist with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Mr. Babagana Kolo, was reportedly assaulted at the Yobe State House of Assembly complex in Damaturu on Thursday, during Governor Mai Mala Buni’s 2026 budget presentation.
According to reports, the incident occurred when journalists covering the event were waiting to gain entry into the assembly chamber. Eyewitnesses alleged that the Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the Yobe State Governor, CSP Yakubu Zakari Deba, physically attacked Kolo, striking him in the face and causing injuries to his mouth.
The assault sparked outrage among members of the press who were present at the scene.
Journalists immediately staged a protest, condemning the attack as an assault on press freedom and a violation of professional rights. Many threatened to boycott the budget session in solidarity with their injured colleague.
It took the intervention of the Yobe State Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdullahi Bego, to calm the situation and persuade journalists to resume coverage of the governor’s presentation.
The State Commissioner of Police, CP Emmanuel Ado, has since ordered an investigation into the incident, assuring that justice will be served once findings are concluded. “No one is above the law. The matter will be handled professionally, and necessary actions will be taken,” he said.
Journalists in the state have continued to demand accountability from the government and law enforcement authorities.
The Yobe Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) also condemned the assault, calling it “an unacceptable act of intimidation against the free press.”
CSP Yakubu Zakari Deba, the alleged assailant, is reported to have had previous altercations with media practitioners, raising concerns about his conduct and the treatment of journalists covering government events in the state.
Meanwhile, the victim, Mr. Kolo, has received medical attention and is said to be recovering from his injuries.
The attack has drawn wider criticism from media rights advocates, who have urged the government to take stronger steps to protect journalists and guarantee press freedom across Nigeria.
The incident underscores persistent concerns about the safety of reporters covering political and governmental activities in the country, particularly in states where tensions often rise around sensitive public events.
