A fresh crisis has erupted within the Kwara State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) following the suspension of three members by the union’s National Executive Council (NEC) over their alleged involvement in a court case challenging the outcome of the state council’s leadership election.
The three affected journalists are Adamu Usman Sabi, Mosunmola Ayobami and Dare Akogun.
Their suspension was approved at the NUJ NEC meeting held in Dutse, Jigawa State, on August 11, 2026, amid a continuing dispute over the Kwara State Council.
The national body suspended the three members over alleged involvement in a legal action connected with the controversial election that produced the current Kwara State Council executive led by Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed.
The decision has now triggered a strong reaction from some members of the Kwara council, who have publicly challenged the basis of the suspension and demanded an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding the case.
At a press conference held in Ilorin on Wednesday, members who gathered in solidarity with the suspended journalists said the development had become a serious concern for the entire union.
They argued that the matter should not be treated simply as an internal disciplinary issue involving three individuals, but as a test of the NUJ’s commitment to fairness, justice and due process.
The members said they were not seeking to undermine the national leadership or deepen divisions within the union.
Instead, they said their intervention was motivated by their belief that the NUJ must apply the same principles of justice and accountability internally that journalists advocate for in wider society.
They questioned the process through which the suspension was reached and said the affected journalists should have been given an opportunity to respond to the allegations against them.
According to the group, the central issue is whether the three suspended members actually instituted the court action that has been linked to their suspension.
The members said information available to them indicated that the case was filed by Fadeyi Babajide of the Federal Information Chapel and the late Saka Laaro of the Correspondents’ Chapel.
They therefore rejected the suggestion that Sabi, Ayobami and Akogun were the journalists who took the NUJ to court.
The group also raised concerns about the role of the Kwara State Council chairman, Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed, in the matter.
They alleged that the chairman presented the affected members to the national leadership as people responsible for taking the union to court.
The members said they believed this account required an independent examination because of the consequences that followed.
They called for an impartial investigation to establish who instituted the legal action, what role each person played and what information was presented to the national leadership before the suspension was approved.
The group argued that the investigation should take place before the suspension is allowed to stand.
They maintained that reviewing the decision would not weaken the NUJ or its national leadership.
Rather, they said, a transparent process would strengthen confidence in the union and demonstrate that disciplinary decisions are made according to established rules.
The dispute has placed the Kwara council in a difficult position because the disagreement is now no longer limited to the three suspended members.
It has developed into a broader argument over how the union should handle internal disagreements and disciplinary matters.
The protesting members said they were particularly concerned that the suspended journalists were allegedly not given a sufficient opportunity to defend themselves before the NEC took its decision.
They questioned whether the three members were invited, confronted with the allegations and allowed to explain their positions before the suspension was imposed.
For the members supporting the suspended journalists, fair hearing is a basic requirement that should apply regardless of the seriousness of an allegation.
They said disciplinary authority must be exercised transparently and within the provisions of the NUJ Constitution.
Their demand is for the national leadership to review the suspension and ensure that any disciplinary process involving the affected journalists follows the union’s established procedures.
The members also appealed to the NUJ national leadership to take steps to calm the situation and prevent the dispute from causing further division within the Kwara council.
They called for peace, unity and the restoration of confidence among members, while insisting that such reconciliation must be built on a clear understanding of what actually happened.
The group said the national leadership should not simply rely on competing claims but should establish the facts through an independent process.
They also made a stronger demand involving the state council chairman.
The members called on the National President of the NUJ to suspend Abdullateef ‘Lanre Ahmed while an investigation is conducted into his alleged role in the circumstances surrounding the suspension of the three journalists.
They argued that the chairman should not continue to occupy the position while allegations concerning his handling of the matter are being investigated.
The demand represents a significant escalation of the disagreement because it places the state council leadership directly at the centre of the controversy.
The members said their call was not intended to pronounce Ahmed guilty of any wrongdoing but to ensure that the investigation, if approved, can take place without concerns about a conflict of interest.
They said the union must be willing to examine the conduct of its own officials when allegations arise, just as it expects public institutions and other organisations to answer questions about their actions.
The group also warned about the possible damage the dispute could cause to the reputation of the NUJ if it is not handled carefully.
They argued that the union’s credibility depends not only on its defence of journalists and the role it plays in promoting accountability in society but also on how it resolves disagreements among its own members.
According to them, the NUJ cannot effectively demand justice, transparency and due process from government institutions and other organisations if members believe those same principles are being ignored within the union.
The members described the suspension as a matter that affects more than the three journalists involved.
They said it should concern every NUJ member who believes that union members have the right to fair treatment and an opportunity to defend themselves when disciplinary allegations are made.
The controversy also places attention on the court case that triggered the disciplinary action.
At the moment, two competing positions are at the centre of the dispute.
The national disciplinary decision links the three journalists to alleged anti-union activity arising from the legal dispute involving the Kwara council.
The protesting members, however, insist that the three journalists were wrongly associated with the case and that the actual parties who instituted the action were Babajide and the late Laaro.
Determining which account is supported by the relevant court documents would therefore be central to resolving the disagreement.
The members believe that an independent investigation could establish those facts without relying solely on statements from either side.
The NUJ NEC had approved the suspension of the three Kwara members at its August 11 meeting in Dutse.
The NEC also suspended two members from the Cross River State Council at the same meeting, bringing the number of journalists suspended in the two councils to five.
The national council said the suspensions were related to anti-union activities and reminded members of the importance of complying with the NUJ Constitution and using established internal mechanisms to resolve disputes.
That position is now being challenged in Kwara by members who believe the disciplinary process against their colleagues should be reviewed.
They are asking the national leadership to temporarily halt the implementation of the suspension while an independent investigation determines the facts.
The group said such an approach would give the national leadership an opportunity to resolve the matter without appearing to take sides in an internal dispute.
They also expressed confidence that the national leadership could handle the matter fairly and restore unity within the Kwara council.
Despite their criticism, the members said they remained committed to the NUJ and did not want the controversy to destroy the union’s structures.
They stressed that their disagreement with the handling of the suspension should not be interpreted as opposition to the existence or authority of the union.
Instead, they said they wanted the organisation to operate according to the principles contained in its constitution.
The dispute now leaves the NUJ with the task of finding a way to protect its authority while addressing the concerns raised by members who believe the disciplinary process was flawed.
For the suspended journalists, the immediate concern is the status of their membership and the circumstances that led to their punishment.
For their supporters, the larger issue is whether disciplinary proceedings within the NUJ can command the confidence of members if those facing sanctions believe they were not given a proper opportunity to defend themselves.
For the national leadership, the challenge is to determine whether the allegations and information that informed the NEC decision accurately reflected the circumstances surrounding the court case.
And for the Kwara State Council, the dispute threatens to deepen existing tensions unless a process acceptable to the different sides is found.
The members who addressed the press are therefore calling for an investigation rather than a prolonged confrontation.
They believe the facts should be established, the roles of the individuals involved should be clearly determined and the appropriate constitutional procedures should be followed.
They also want the national leadership to take action concerning the state chairman while the allegations surrounding his role are examined.
The outcome of the dispute could have wider implications for relations between the national leadership and the Kwara State Council.
If the matter is handled through a transparent process, it could provide an opportunity for the union to resolve the disagreement and rebuild trust among its members.
If it remains unresolved, however, the current dispute could continue to create tension within the state council and further divide members.
For now, the suspension of Sabi, Ayobami and Akogun remains at the centre of the controversy.
Their supporters insist that the three journalists should not be punished for a court action they say was not instituted by them, while also questioning whether the affected members were given fair hearing before the NEC decision.
They are demanding an independent investigation, a review of the suspension and steps to restore peace within the Kwara NUJ.
They are also calling for the suspension of Ahmed pending an investigation into his alleged role in the matter.
The group ended its appeal with a message of solidarity, stressing that the treatment of one member should concern the wider union.
As the controversy continues, the attention will now be on the NUJ national leadership and whether it will respond to the calls for investigation, review of the suspension and action concerning the Kwara State Council chairman.
For a union whose central role is to defend the rights and interests of journalists, the manner in which the Kwara dispute is resolved could become an important test of its own commitment to fairness, accountability and due process.
Crisis Deepens in Kwara NUJ Over Suspension of Three Members
