Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists NUJ, Imo State Chapter, Comrade Precious Nwadike, has called on Imo people to beware of those he described as impostors who are currently parading themselves as Coordinators of the International Institute of Journalism, (IIJ) Abuja, Owerri Study Centre.
Nwadike stated this in his office when some alumni of the institute paid him a courtesy visit in his office recently.
The group led by Kingsley Okorie, said, they are worried that the school has not been functional for some time. Hence, they decided to come around to know what the problem was.
Nwaidke thanked them for their concern. He told them that the headquarters of the IIJ, Abuja had in a letter dated July, 15, 2022 addressed to the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State Council gave conditions for reopening the Owerri Study Center at the Port Harcourt Road Secretariat of Imo NUJ. ‘’The conditions which include, renovation of the vandalized Secretariat have been met by the union, as the Canteen, cybacafe etc are now functional. The Union in Imo State has also informed the IIJ headquarters of its readiness to have the Study Centre relocated and for academic activities that were disrupted to be continued’’.
‘’But unfortunately, it appears that the National President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzo who was the arrow head of the plot to sell the Imo NUJ Secretariat is not pleasantly disposed to the reopening of the school at the Imo NUJ, where it was located right from inception. Hence the delay in resumption of academic activities’’.
The Imo NUJ boss, also alleged that the National President of NUJ, Chris Isiguzo has reportedly collected some money upfront from those who intended to buy the Secretariat and its appurtenances before their fraudulent plan was scuttled.
He used the opportunity to call on Imo people to be careful about dealing with the self-acclaimed Coordinators of IIJ, Owerri Study Center, to avoid being duped.
‘’Let it be known that the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Imo State Council is not aware of the resumption of Studies by IIJ at the Owerri Study Centre. The union will not also allow the school to be situated in a place that had been marked for demolition by the Imo State government. The union is in touch with the national headquarters of IIJ for further directives’’.
It has also come to the notice of the union that some persons have been collecting huge sums of money from unsuspecting Imolites in the guise of tuition and other fees. This, as far as the union is concerned, is fraudulent’’.
