Governor of Kaduna State, Malam Nasiru El-Rufai has said that the state government will not tolerate any attempt by disgruntled elements to stifle  freedom of expression in the state.

The Governor was reacting to Sunday’s invasion of a press conference organised by Senators Shehu Sani and Othman Hunkuyi at the secretariat of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Kaduna by suspected political thugs who attacked and injured several journalists.

In a statement signed by the governor’s spokesman, Samuel Aruwan, El-Rufai sympathised with the NUJ and all persons attacked by the hoodlums and directed security agencies to immediately beef up security at the secretariat. According to Aruwan:

“Having been briefed on the situation, the governor expressed sympathy with the NUJ and the persons that were harassed by the hoodlums. The governor directed that the security agencies should investigate and take necessary actions against the hoodlums.

“Politics should not be a desperate game. And desperation should not be visited on journalists or any citizen. The government of Kaduna state will not tolerate any attempt to muzzle the press and innocent citizens from exercising their constitutional rights.

On Sunday, loyalists of the Akida group of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state had stormed the NUJ secretariat in the city to contest the result of the recently held delegates’ election for the forthcoming non-elective convention of the party.

As senators Shehu Sani and Hunkuyi were expressing their grievances, the thugs stormed the venue, destroying doors, windows and chairs and attacking journalists assigned to cover the press conference while both senators were whisked away by their security aides