Olatunji Ridwan Disu has said Nigerian journalists are professionals who deserve respect and should not be treated as beggars.
The Inspector-General made the statement on Saturday during the congress of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) FCT Council held in Abuja.
Disu praised journalists in the Federal Capital Territory for their role in informing the public and contributing to national development. He noted that his relationship with the media has always been based on mutual respect and professionalism.
“I have always had a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship with journalists. They are professionals who deserve respect and should never be treated as beggars,” he said.
Responding, the Chairman of the NUJ FCT Council, Grace Ike, congratulated the new IGP on his appointment and described him as a longstanding friend of the press.
She expressed confidence in his leadership and assured him of the council’s readiness to collaborate with the police in reporting security matters objectively.
Ike also disclosed that Disu would be invited as a special guest to the council’s 2026 Press Week celebration.
In a related development, more than 150 journalists enrolled in the Federal Capital Territory Health Insurance Scheme (FHIS).
Speaking on the initiative, the Mandate Secretary of the FCT Health Services and Environment Secretariat, Adedolapo Fasawe, called on philanthropists, political office holders, religious leaders and business leaders to support journalists by sponsoring health insurance coverage for them.
Ike described the initiative as a historic development for the council.
“Today marks a historic moment for the NUJ FCT Council. For the first time in the history of our council, we are flagging off a health insurance initiative specifically designed to support the welfare and well-being of journalists in the Federal Capital Territory,” she said.
Also speaking, the National President of the NUJ, Alhassan Yahya, commended the initiative, describing it as an important step toward improving healthcare access for journalists.
