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| L-R: Joseph Odok, Obasesam Okoi, Agba Jalingo and George Odok Jnr |
Efio-Ita Nyok|6 September 2017
The duo of journalist George Odok Jnr and Obasesam Okoi Ph.D., as well as other well-meaning Nigerians have raised their voice in condemnation of the report credited to a leading online news repository which was posted on the social media timeline of one Agba Jalingo, the publisher of an online news platform NegroidHaven can report.
In a 9-paragrahed thread, Odok Jnr has submitted in plain terms, in perceived reaction to Jalingo’s publication, that his CRW report was indented. Odok Jnr is even alleging deliberate diversion on the part of the said report. For Okoi, he finds it difficult to establish the objectivity of the report. Okoi further sees the report as a vendetta aimed at character assassination.
Odok Jnr’s report reads in part, ‘Stories are flying up on what the girl said, and some people are quick to digest it. If I may ask, who saw this girl before her arrest? Who interviewed her after her arrest to ascertain the true cause of the incident? But, we are keen on digesting ‘hear-say’ report.
‘The girl has been arrested and she is presently in the custody of security agent were she is providing useful information for further investigation.
‘It is wrong for us to go to press and publish a ‘one sided story’ without giving it fairness by hearing from Odok.
‘Joseph was never arrested by anybody, after his rescue yesterday by a combined team of security men, he went to the DSS this morning to give his statement. He has not spoken to any newsman. His phone was also collected by those who stabbed him while his car was equally destroyed.
‘As it stands now, it is only the security agency that can reveal to us, after their thorough investigation, the true cause of the incident.
‘Until that is done, we must filter all that we hear on a screen of truth. Social media is not a ‘law court’ to pass judgement on any individual’.
According to Okoi somewhere below the said report on Jalingo’s timeline, ‘I don’t believe this story. Agba Jalingo did not interview Joseph Odok or his accuser but derived his story from third party. I have read this report twice and can’t establish its objectivity.
‘Joseph sustained deep machettes, so why is he detained by DSS instead of sending him to the hospital? A sensible journalist will exercise some patience to make sure he had actually interviewed Odok or the so-called visa lady to get their perspectives and the credibility of their evidence before drawing conclusions or coming online to smear Odok’s name.
‘This seems to me like character assassination and a kind of vendetta than journalistic report’.
What follows is Jalingo’s CRW report as it appeared on his Facebook account yesterday:
‘Developing Story: The Attack On Joseph Odok
‘Joseph Odok, a very vociferous critic of the Ayade government was attacked yesterday at Zanzi Bar, off parliamentary road in Calabar.
‘The CrossRiverWatch team this morning went to Zanzi Bar, spoke to the staff and security men.
‘We confirmed that Odok was attacked and stabbed there by some three guys who were invited to the scene by a girl who has a private business transaction with Odok.
‘The security men at Zanzi bar also confirmed that during the scuffle before the bloodletting, the argument between Odok and the guys during the shouting match was about how the said girl paid Odok money to process a visa for her and she has since not gotten the visa or her money back.
‘She was said to have invited some guys to come attack Odok, having sighted him at Zanzi Bar after a long time.
‘Both Odok the lady were later arrested by some DSS operatives and detained at the DSS state office.
‘We also just left the DSS office about 10mins ago, where we confirmed that both Odok and the lady were still in custody at the DSS facility.
‘The DSS have asked us to check back in one hour to get more information about the matter but one operative confirmed that the matter is about visa procurement.
‘A relation to Odok who did not want to be named, also confirmed to CrossRiverwatch that the lady has been pestering Odok to help her process a travel visa to an unnamed country.
‘We are however worried about the health of Odok because his picture online shows deep wounds on his shoulder and belly.
‘How is the DSS treating those wounds while keeping Odok in detention?
‘Nothing must happen to Odok and the lady while in custody of the DSS until the appropriate authority takes over the investigation of the allegations.
‘CrossRiverWatch is following the matter and will soon publish the details @crossriverwatch.com‘.
In their book, “The Elements of Journalism”, the duo of Bill Kovach and Tom Rosenstiel have outlined nine principles of journalism popular among which is the —discipline of verification. To my mind, Jalingo’s itchy propensity to go to the press with a flurry of anonymous third party accounts without hearing from Joseph Odok and the suspect-of-a-girl violates this principle. Besides, and even though Jalingo may be excused on the tag that it’s a ‘developing story’, the question is, what does Jalingo stand to loose should he not have published the hear-says, with out listening to Odok and the said girl, from anonymous security agents and so-called family members.
Efio-Ita Nyok
Is a Blogger, the Editor & Publisher of NegroidHaven
