The leadership of the Ijaw Publishers Forum, IPF, an umbrella body of Ijaw publishers in the Izon Nation, has warned against assault, intimidation and harassments of its members.

The body through its president, Comr. Austin Ozobo, issued the statement after rising from a meeting on Sunday, January 28, 2024, in Warri, Delta State.

The statement is coming on the heels of the recent assault and intimidation of the group's spokesman, Mr Ezekiel Kagbala, by suspected members of the Ijaw Youths Council, IYC, in the penultimate week.

The media professionals in the statement said they would defend and stand with members against assault, intimidation and harassments by suspected individuals, no matter how highly placed they may be in the society.

Lamenting on the sad incident, the media gurus said people should desist from assaulting and intimidating journalists for doing their lawful business, adding that nobody has the monopoly of violence and that the body would react to every assault and intimidation against members.

According to the publishers, journalists are nation builders being the fourth estate of the realm, and as such they should not be molested and assaulted on every slightest provocation.

The IPF President stressed further that the leadership would use the law as an instrument to bring such individuals to justice no matter how highly placed they may be in the society.

The IPF appealed to members of the public to see journalists as their friends, brothers and always protect and support them, rather than bullying them and in most cases subjecting them to excruciating torture and death.

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