By Moh Bello Habib
Rising from an emergency meeting, journalists in Zaria have vowed to boycott activities of Zazzau Emirate Council in Kaduna state following a recent crisis that erupted between them and some officials of the emir’s palace in Zaria City.
The incident happened when journalists were interviewing the Deputy Governor, Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Alhaji Suleiman Barau, who was at the palace on a courtesy visit to the Emir of Zazzau, Alhaji Shehu Idris.
Shortly after the graduation ceremony of trained youths of Zazzau Emirate Empowerment Committee, Chief Palace(Sarkin Dogarai), Suleiman Idris, suddenly emerged and descended on the newsmen raining abuses on them to the extent of even slapping one of them.
Our correspondent reports that the Sarkin Dogarai had boasted that he acted on the directive of some top ranking council members of the Emirate.
He threatened to henceforth deal with any journalist that interviews a personality in the palace premises without seeking permission from as the Chief Palace Guard.
He said “we are going to beat and teach each one of you a lesson.”
Blueprint gathered that there is no hierarchical discipline in the palace as during the incident the Principal Private Secretary to the Emir, Alhaji Na’Allah Garba, Dokajen Zazzau, advised the Chief Guard no to insult any Journalist, but he ignored it.
It would be recalled that the same Sarkin Dogarai once insulted Governor Mukhtar Ramalan Yero, the Dallatun Zazzau, for shaking hands with the Emir when he was the deputy governor and yet no disciplinary measure was taken against him.
