Gunmen Launch Early-Morning Attack on NUJ Secretariat in Damaturu, Injure Police Officer

In the early hours of Friday, unidentified gunmen carried out a bold assault on the Secretariat of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in Damaturu, Yobe State, injuring a police officer and heightening concerns over the safety of journalists in Nigeria’s volatile northeast.

The incident occurred around 2:00 a.m. on September 19, 2025, when the armed attackers stormed the NUJ office and opened fire on the police officer assigned to guard the facility, hitting him in the leg.

The officer was swiftly taken to the emergency unit of the Police Hospital in Damaturu, where he is currently undergoing treatment, according to preliminary reports.

Reacting to the incident, Rajab Ismail Mohammed, Chairman of the NUJ Yobe State Council, described the attack as “disturbing and alarming,” noting its psychological toll on journalists already working under difficult and often dangerous conditions.

“This wasn’t just an attack on a security officer — it was a clear attempt to intimidate the media in Yobe State,” Mohammed said. He urged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation and ensure that those responsible are swiftly apprehended and prosecuted.