Why I flogged four Radio Bayelsa union leaders – GM

Why I flogged four Radio Bayelsa union leaders – GM

Mr John Idumange, the General Manager , Radio Bayelsa “ Glory FM ” , on Friday confirmed that he flogged
four union leaders of the station in self - defence .
Idumange told the News Agency of Nigeria on Friday in Yenagoa that the incident happened on Monday after the unions shut down the FM station operated by the state government .
The Radio Bayelsa Chapel of Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ ) and Radio Television and Theatre Arts Workers Union ( RATTAWU ) had alleged that Idumange was running the station outside public service rules.
Idumange, who explained the details of the incident to NAN , alleged that the unions in the station were working against his reforms aimed at repositioning the broadcast outfit.
“ At about 7 . 20 p. m on Monday , the day RATTAWU and NUJ embarked on strike , I heard voices near my window .
“ So I went out to see what was happening . I saw four persons , one of them a lady .
“ I could recognise Tonye Yemoleigha , one of the union leaders , who was on white shirt. I asked why they were there after chasing away all the workers , ” he said .
According to him , “ Tonye stood up and asked if the compound belonged to me . At that point I discovered he was ready for a fight but I did not bulge.
“ He brought his hands near my eyes so I blocked it. I had learnt Karate years back . One of them threw a chair at me and they all rushed to fight me . I had to fight back in self - defence .
“ They could have beaten me up but my Karate skills rescued me , ” he said .
Idumange, who was appointed on Dec . 6 , 2016 , claimed that he recently uncovered a N 5 . 7 million fraud and redeployed some staff .
“ The transferred workers have been meeting with them at NUJ Centre , they benefitted from the corruption and are fighting back , ” Idumange said .
Reacting , Mr Tonye Yemoleigha , the NUJ Chairman in Radio Bayelsa , said that the unions had reported the incident at Ekeki Police Division .
“ Four of us , myself and three staff were flogged by Idumange himself . The report that it was thugs is inaccurate . It was the general manager himself that attacked and beat us up .

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