Abuja, Nigeria – Friday, August 30, 2025
The Federal Capital Territory council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has condemned the alleged harassment and verbal assault of Comrade Ladi Bala, a senior transport correspondent with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) and immediate past President of the Nigerian Association of Women Journalists (NAWOJ), by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Railway Corporation (NRC), Dr. Kayode Opeifa.
According to a statement issued by NUJ FCT Secretary Jide Oyekunle on Thursday, the incident occurred on Wednesday, August 27, 2025, at the site of the Abuja–Kaduna train derailment. The NUJ said Opeifa disrupted Bala’s live report, used insulting language against her, ordered security operatives to remove her from the scene, and threatened to report her to security agencies, the Presidency and her employers at NTA, as well as bar her from future NRC events.
The union described the act as “an attack on press freedom and the dignity of women in journalism,” demanding an immediate and unreserved public apology from the NRC managing director.
When contacted, Opeifa was quoted as saying his actions were based on “security reasons” for stopping the live broadcast. As of press time, the NRC had not issued a formal public statement addressing the NUJ’s allegations.
The NUJ reiterated its commitment to defending the rights of journalists and called on authorities to ensure such incidents do not recur.