Executive Secretary, Broadcasting Oragisation of Nigeria (BON), Yemisi Bamgbose, has urged the Nigeria Football Federation, Super Sport and those associated with the AFCON qualifier to ensure adequate compensation for the families of journalists attacked while heading to cover AFCON match between Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Libya’s Mediterranean Knights.

In a statement issued in Lagos, Bamgbose noted that, “BON commiserates with families of a broadcaster and other personnel that were killed by assailant on their way to Uyo, Akwa Ibom State for a national assignment.”

To him, “we have received with sadness the gruesome murder of a broadcast journalist and other officials who were murdered while travelling to Uyo, Akwa Ibom by road for the coverage of the AFCON qualifier between Nigeria and Libya last week. These young, talented Nigerians were hacked down in their prime age on their way to render national service to their father land. They went out with all enthusiasm only to be brutally killed by their fellow Nigerians codenamed ‘gunmen’.”

Wondering how long will wives continue to receive news of their husbands’ death? He further queried: “For how long will Nigeria continue to populate the young fatherless and motherless group just because people travel by roads to seek livelihood? For how long will the terrorists, bandits, gunmen, kidnappers, etc, continue to send people to their early grave on our roads?”

Saying government should devise a better way of protecting the citizens of this country, he added, “enough of shedding innocent blood across Nigeria. It is a shame that killing innocent people has been allowed to fester for so long without solution in sight.”

While sympathizing with the families of the media practitioner and others that were murdered by their fellow Nigerians codenamed ‘gunmen’ on the nation’s territory, we call on government and security agencies to review their strategies and secure Nigerians and foreigners residing in the country.”

Appealing to security agencies to secure the life of remaining personnel still held hostage by the assailants, he suggested, “broadcasters across the country should use their platforms more than ever before to appeal to the conscious of all Nigerians to embrace peace. It will not be out of place for the government to convoke a special conference that will navigate a better way of stopping the daily killings of innocent people across the country.”