By: Ali Musa Biu- Naiduguri.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has denied selling in any part of the plot allocated to it by the Borno State government to anybody or group of persons.
A communique issued at the end of an emergency Congress of Borno State council on Monday signed by Zare Baba and Sulaiman Gimba zonal Vice President and Secretary respectively urged the general public who were deceived into buying any part of the land belonging to the union in Maiduguri to collect back their money from person or person’s they gave such money to.
The Congress was held at the instance of the Zonal Vice President and the Zonal Secretary to brief members on the outcome of an extra ordinary meeting held with the embattled council chairman, the Secretary and the Auditor, on the prolong controversy surrounding the sales of a portion of NUJ plot of land in Maiduguri-Borno State by the chairman and two other officers, which led to the resignation of four members of the Exco.
The meeting also sought to ratify earlier decisions reached over the matter, the communique noted, stating further that, “at no time did the NUJ Borno Council entered into negotiation to sell its plot of land to any body.
“That as far as the NUJ is concerned, the plot of land allocated to it by the Borno State government is still intact and every effort should be made to secure it.
“That the alleged sale and sub-division of the land was unilaterally and surreptitiously carried out by the same officials of the council and as such is null and void.
“That monies alleged to have been collected by the former chairman of the council on the said land was not paid in to NUJ account, rather in his personal account and shared among the officials as such, it should immediately be returned to the owner.
“That for peace and stability of the council, the chairman, secretary and the auditor have voluntarily resigned their positions.
“That the four officers who purportedly resigned have withdrawn their resignations and are back to the council to move the union forward.
“That the Vice Chairman who now stepped in as Acting Chairman should appoint two Ex-officio members to serve in the Council.
“That the Exco should immediately constitute a development committee to handle issues surrounding the said plot of land.
“That the Council should immediately pay the Ground Rent to the Borno State Geographical Information System (BOGIS) in order to secure the land.”
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