Muhammed Isah Hassan, Senior Special Assistant on Media to the Chairman of Gwagwalada Area Council, has clarified that the Chairman did not issue any directive barring Chronicles Reporters Newspaper, its correspondent or human rights activist and community organiser Manasseh B.P. from accessing the Gwagwalada Town Hall.
Hassan made the clarification when he contacted a correspondent of Chronicles Reporters to address the circumstances surrounding the reported restriction of the newspaper’s team from entering the main hall during an event at the facility.
According to Hassan, the Chairman gave no instructions prohibiting Chronicles Reporters or Manasseh B.P. from entering the Town Hall. He further stated that staff members and bouncers had been cautioned against obstructing members of the press from accessing the facility.
The clarification follows an earlier account by Manasseh B.P., who said he and his crew, alongside a correspondent of Chronicles Reporters, were allowed to pass through the various security checkpoints manned by police officers and personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
However, Manasseh alleged that when the team attempted to enter the main hall, a council official and a bouncer informed them that Chronicles Reporters could not be allowed inside. He also stated that police officers attempted to intervene and calm the situation, but the council official allegedly maintained the restriction, forcing the team to leave without covering the event.
Hassan’s clarification indicates that the reported restriction was not based on an instruction from the Chairman. His statement that staff and bouncers had been cautioned against hindering journalists also raises the question of why the newspaper’s team encountered difficulties accessing the hall in the first place.
The development underscores the importance of ensuring that media access policies are clearly communicated and consistently implemented by officials and security personnel at public facilities. Journalists must be able to carry out legitimate reporting without facing arbitrary restrictions, particularly when seeking to cover events involving public institutions.
While the Chairman’s media aide has denied that any order was issued to exclude Chronicles Reporters or Manasseh B.P., the circumstances surrounding the conduct of the council official and the bouncer remain a matter requiring clarification.
Chronicles Reporters welcomes the clarification and expects the stated caution to staff and bouncers to translate into practical measures that prevent a recurrence of such incidents.
The newspaper maintains its commitment to responsible journalism, public-interest reporting and holding public institutions accountable while ensuring that all relevant parties have the opportunity to present their positions.