Yesufu Idegu, The Nation newspaper correspondent who conducted the controversial interview with Danladi Ciroma, Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN) leader says he stands by his story. Idegu who said that the Premium Times, an online newspaper was hasty in sacking its staff over the report also said people should have waited until a comprehensive investigation had been concluded before passing judgement on the issue. While admitting his error in not having the interview recorded, Idegu insisted that even that slip was not enough reason Ciroma should be believed. In a statement on Tuesday the reporter said, “I still remain positive and confident that Danladi Ciroma is lying, the fact that I have no record of the interview does not also make Ciroma right in his claim.”
He also denied ever circulating the report to his colleagues through a social media platform. According to Idegu, there is actually an understanding among correspondents at his base that editorial content be not passed across through a social media platform.
While appreciating his employers for the confidence reposed in him, by waiting to exhaust all investigations before taking a decision on the matter, Idegu has a message for media colleagues. He cautioned against rushing to condemn and stressed the need to give a colleague who finds himself in this kind of crisis the benefit of the doubt. Idegu who argued that his 19 years of experience does not preclude him from making mistakes though said, “As colleagues or as a body of media practitioners, let us also not be too hasty in condemning any colleague that find himself in this saga for the fact that in all discipline, professionals can make mistake at a point in his work no matter your years of experience.”
He concluded by saying that he had no apology for Danladi Ciroma or his organization over the matter. Ciroma had denied reports credited to him in some newspapers that the killing of over 100 people in Plateau State recently was a reprisal action following the loss of 300 cows by herdsmen in the area.
But after the view drew widespread condemnation the chairman of Miyetti Allah in the Northcentral denied making that statement. Ciroma told another newspaper, “We talked on phone. Sincerely speaking, what that boy wrote was not what I told him. We did not speak on reprisal attacks”. And because of the inability of the reporter to provide a recording of the interview, Premium Times issued a public apology and sacked its staff, who apparently took the view credited to Danladi from Idegu.
