Punch Nigeria Limited, publishers of the
PUNCH titles, has suspended its membership
of the Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of
Nigeria, NPAN.
The company communicated the decision to
the NPAN in a letter dated Thursday,
December 17 and signed by its chairman,
Wale Aboderin.
“After a careful review of recent, and still
unfolding, developments, Punch Nigeria
Limited is suspending its membership of the
Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria
until further notice. This suspension takes
effect immediately
“The public will recall the criminal charges
levelled against a former National Security
Adviser, Sambo Dasuki, and several other
alleged accomplices.
“These charges border on the diversion of
public funds, totalling $2.1 billion, allocated
for the purchase of arms to prosecute the war
against terrorism.
“The revelations indicate that the sum of
N120 million was disbursed in murky
circumstances to some member-companies of
NPAN, ostensibly as compensation for the
losses they incurred in June 2014 when armed
soldiers seized newspapers and newspaper
distribution vans.
“The source of this money and the manner of
its receipt, allegedly through a company called
General Hydrocarbons, which is unknown to
NPAN, have raised public concerns about the
integrity of the press in Nigeria.
“The unfolding scandal has equally cast a
shadow on the reputation of the mass media,”
the paper said.
PUNCH also said it had always held that
state-sponsored attacks against the media
should be challenged in the open, boldly and
vigorously.
The company however cited an example of the
redress it sought over similar circumstance
two decades ago.
“It was for this reason that we instituted an
action against the federal government at the
Federal High Court, Lagos, on June 13, 1994.
“Among other reliefs, the company sought
compensation for the June 11, 1994 invasion
of our premises by a combined team of
policemen and State Security Service agents
who shut down our operations and detained
our staff.
“Suffice to say that the case is currently at the
Supreme Court where the federal government
is seeking to overturn the judgment of Justice
T.A. Odunowo, who declared the invasion
illegal and awarded PUNCH the sum of N25m
in damages,” the company said.
It said it had for long held a position that the
relationship between an independent press
association and the government should be
properly defined to preserve, at all times, the
independence of the press and the sacred duty
of the mass media as the watchdog of
society.
“This informed our decision to promptly refuse
to file any backdoor claim for compensation
for the losses we incurred during the military
assault of June 2014.
“PUNCH’s reputation, integrity, independence
and high ethical standards are well known.
“Our readers trust their newspaper and believe
that our editorial content is not influenced by
pecuniary, political or personal interests.
“PUNCH remains committed to the vision of
its founding fathers and the best traditions of
a free press.
“We believe in an independent and unfettered
mass media, trusted by the public and all
stakeholders.
“We have sustained losses, suffered closures
and endured privations in the past for our
beliefs.
“We have remained, and will remain, steadfast
in the defence of the ideals of responsible
journalism; hence, our decision.
“We reiterate the need to rebuild and refocus
the NPAN as a vibrant, independent business
association and pressure group, funded only
by its member-organisations.
“We will ONLY reconsider our withdrawal from
NPAN when the critical issues which we, and
other concerned stakeholders, have raised are
addressed,” the paper said.
Investigations into how $2.1billion allegedly
meant for arms procurement was spent had
revealed that the publisher of Thisday
Newspaper, Nduka Obaigbena, collected N120
Million from the former NSA on behalf of 12
newspapers whose circulation were disrupted
by the military in June 2014.

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/top-news/195403-dasukigate-punch-newspaper-withdraws-from-npan.html

k

EFCC arrests Stallion Group chief over
N1.3billion “gift” to Dasuki, Yuguda

http://www.premiumtimesng.com/news/195351-efcc-arrests-stallion-group-chief-over-n1-3billion-gift-to-dasuki-yuguda.html

Good for them. Right step they took.



Integrity and ethical standards matters a lot in journalism.

OZAOEKPE:
Buhari MAKA WHY?

When will you locate common sense?

themilanway:


When will you locate common sense?

Never. Its has been buried deep down in the Atlantic ocean.

braine:


Never. Its has been buried deep down in the Atlantic ocean.

You mean he is very useless?

themilanway:


You mean he is very useless?

Absolutes, bro, absolutely.

Nice one

themilanway:


When will you locate common sense?

More like "when will common sense locate him" since he won't even recognise common sense if it carries a placard sef.

Stop posting rubbish in d name of seeking attention, I read d editorial of punch newspaper yesterday and earlier today; it was never stated that it had renounced its membership of NPAN. moreover, u gas to remove that your falsified link below. Read below from d hoursesmouth :-) :-)

http://www.punchng.com/npan-and-arms-scandal/

The name of the company alleged to have supervised the disbursement sounds like they are into energy/petroleum. Pray tell, how can the propriety of their involvement possibly be explained?? To make matters worse, it is a private company.

What a mess.

Beremx:
Good for them. Right step they took.



Integrity and ethical standards matters a lot in journalism.

So do you advice Buhari to tow the same step and return the SUVs given to him. After all they got it from the same source (Dasuki) and from similar circumstances (Boko Haram attack)?

fistonati:
Stop posting rubbish in d name of seeking attention, I read d editorial of punch newspaper yesterday and earlier today; it was never stated that it had renounced its membership of NPAN. moreover, u gas to remove that your falsified link below. Read below from d hoursesmouth :-) :-)

http://www.punchng.com/npan-and-arms-scandal/

Read premium times report very well and understand before commenting. The link you provided is an editorial while premium times based their report on a letter written by punch newspaper to NPAN. And in fact, the spirit of the editorial aligns perfectly with premiumtimes report.

fistonati:
Stop posting rubbish in d name of seeking attention, I read d editorial of punch newspaper yesterday and earlier today; it was never stated that it had renounced its membership of NPAN. moreover, u gas to remove that your falsified link below. Read below from d hoursesmouth :-) :-)

http://www.punchng.com/npan-and-arms-scandal/

I go knock your big head now... mtcheewww

themilanway:

When will you locate common sense?

braine:

Never. Its has been buried deep down in the Atlantic ocean.

themilanway:

You mean he is very useless?

oluwafreshkid:

More like "when will common sense locate him" since he won't even recognise common sense if it carries a placard sef.

Haha!, Haba! this is too much for the Jonah boy naun.

themilanway:


When will you locate common sense?

E concern u?

Who cares, they collect their own brown envelope comes from Bourdillon