Six journalists based in Tamale on Saturday literally went on full relays without batons when they were pounced on and nearly lynched by angry students of the University for Development (UDS), Nyankpala Campus led by the Students Representative Council (SRC) president.
Members of the inky fraternity had gone to the school at the invitation of authorities to cover a matriculation of fresh students and soon after the event, they were ambushed by the aggrieved students following reports that they had earlier engaged in a sex party.
The journalists including Daily Guide’s Regional Correspondent, Eric Kombat, Ghana News Agency reporter Albert Futokpor, UTV cameraman, one Samuel Sam of Business and Financial Times, Joseph Ziem and Mohammed Ibrahim had to resort to their legs for safety.
It is gathered that after the event when the Vice-Chancellor and his entourage had left, the students who were incensed following the sex party reports in the media, devised a strategy to beat the hell out of the journalists they accused of a bias report in respect of the matter.
“Their beef was that other media outlets reported the suppose sex party for freshers. We tried to let them reason and understand the issues but they refused continued hurling insults at us when we didn’t even carry out the initial report. The SRC was leading them. In fact, the guy is uncultured. At a point he removed his coat ready for a free-for-all fight”, one of the journalists told MyNewsGh.com.
“An administrative staff including the faculty officer and Vice Dean of Nyankpala campus were around at the time of the incident. The VC and his entourage had left after the matriculation ceremony which the university invited the selected media to cover’, he added.
Meanwhile, the Northern Regional Chapter of the Ghana Journalists Association (GJA) has condemned the action of the students stating that it is hocked about acts of indiscipline exhibited by some students of the Nyankpala campus who breached the law and attacked and manhandled a UTV Northern Regional correspondent under the instructions of the SRC president.
A statement issued and signed by the President, Caesar Abagali is calling on the police to immediately arrest the Nyankpala campus SRC president and thoroughly investigate the matter to the latter.
It also gave an ultimatum the UDS authorities to swiftly respond to its demands so as not to mar the long working relationship between it and the media.
Mynewsgh
