BY JULIET EKWENUGO
The Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN), Kaduna State chapter, has declared a continued boycott of all Kaduna Polo Club activities following assault on one of its members and disrespect shown to its National President.
In a statement jointly signed by the Kaduna SWAN Chairman, Shehu Abdullahi, and Secretary, Okpani Jacob Onjewu Dickson, the association said the club’s management had failed to apologise despite being formally notified of the incidents.
According to the statement, security personnel attached to the club assaulted Idris Dari, a reporter with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) and the association’s Financial Secretary, during the last edition of the Kaduna Polo Tournament.
“Same day, our well-respected National President, who was at the Polo Club, was also humiliated, a development we cannot sit and watch without taking action,” the statement read.
SWAN described the conduct of the Polo Club’s management as “unfriendly and arrogant,” accusing it of disregarding the media and failing to maintain cordial relations with journalists.
“We are informing all sports writers worldwide that Kaduna Polo Club has chosen not to be media-friendly, hence the boycott of their activities during the last edition,” the association added.
The body urged sports editors and correspondents within and outside Nigeria to stand in solidarity by withholding coverage of Kaduna Polo Club events until the management tenders a public apology.
“We call on all sports editors to keep the Polo tournament stories under their drawers until the Kaduna Polo Club management does the needful,” SWAN stated.
