News Central TV To Probe Bribe Offer by LCDA Chair Rasheedat Adu
News Central TV says it has launched an investigation into FIJ’s report mentioning one of its reporters among the journalists who were offered bribes at the Lekki tollgate, where #EndBadGovernance protesters had converged on Thursday.
After the incident, FIJ had reported how Rasheedat Abiodun Adu, Chairperson, Iru-Victoria Island Local Council Development Area (LCDA), offered a bribe of N50,000 each to journalists covering the #EndBadGovernance protests at the Lekki tollgate in Lagos.
Adu offered the money through one of her aides who had accompanied her to the venue of the protest.
The aide stood by her as she addressed the press, urging protesters to hand President Bola Tinubu ore time, arguing that he had put in place some “policy implementations”.
With a long, brown envelope in hand, the man, whose name is not known said, “My Oga has something for you guys. Don’t video me.”
The envelope was then presented to a woman with the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), who then asked a reporter who identified himself as a freelancer with Twenty20 Media Limited to collate the names of reporters on the ground.
FIJ’s Emmanuel Uti and West Africa Weekly’s Mayowa Durosinmi asked the collator to strike the names of their organisations off the list because they wanted no bribe.
Media houses whose names appear on the list are NTA, Lagos Television, News Central, and a number of lesser-known platforms.
A statement signed by the management of News Central TV
Responding to the report on Friday through a statement signed by its management and titled ‘Statement on Foundation for Investigative Journalism Report’, News Central TV acknowledged that a member of its team had been reported to have collected money from an individual after an interview, disclosing it had already launched an investigation.
“We are taking these allegations very seriously and have launched an internal investigation,” it said.
“We want to unequivocally state that News Central TV does not condone any form of unethical behaviour, including the solicitation or acceptance of money in exchange for favourable coverage. Our editorial policy strictly prohibits such actions.
“As a media stakeholder, News Central remains committed to transparency, objectivity and accountability in carrying out its activities. The reputation and integrity of our organisation are invaluable to us and anchored on providing our audience with balance and fairness in news reporting.”
