The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Rivers State Council, has commended the Rivers State Police Command for the arrest of a fake journalist in the State.
The police arrested the fake online news reporter who peddled fake news and false security reports, causing panic in the State, on Friday, April 26, 2019 in Port Harcourt.
The NUJ, in a statement signed by its Secretary, Ike Wigodo, on Tuesday, said it had gone through the list of its registered members in Rivers State and could not identify any Igwe Onyeche Wofuru (male), 38 years, from Egbeda in Emohua Local Government Area of Rivers State as its member.
The Council urged the police to prosecute the impersonator as the Union was ready to bear witness against the fake journalist.
According to the statement, the NUJ frowns against quackery in journalism profession and would need the assistance of the security agencies to flush out impersonators among journalists in the State.
The statement further warned some local government council chairmen who engaged unprofessional as their Press Secretary to desist from the act, saying the Union had alerted media houses to stop accepting press releases from such people.
The Union also warned against holding press conferences outside the NUJ Press Centre to avoid such act of impersonation by non journalists.