A reporter for the Peoples Gazette, Ayoola Babalola, is in trouble for his alleged involvement in the publication of a fake audio conversation involving Peter Obi, the former governor of Anambra State and the Vice Presidential candidate of the Labour Party in Nigeria. The newspaper has announced that Babalola has violated the company’s social media policy and has been suspended for one month without pay.
The suspension was announced in a memo signed by Deputy Managing Editor Boladale Adekoya and sent to all reporters. Babalola, who worked on the political desk of the Peoples Gazette, had previously worked for Sahara Reporters, another online newspaper in Nigeria. The decision to punish Babalola was made after the newspaper’s management reviewed his responses to online trolls.
The newspaper concluded that his behavior was not in line with the expected professionalism and decorum of the organization’s employees.
“Ayoola Babalola met with the HR, where he was directed to proceed on suspension for one month without pay,” the online newspaper stated in the memo.
“Mr Babalola is a vibrant and respected member of the organisation’s editorial team,” the statement noted but the reporter’s “conduct on social media, both from months past and as recently as last weekend, grossly violated the organisation’s guideline on personnel conduct.”
“Still, while the organization sympathises and stands strongly with Mr Babalola and all staff members who come frequently under social media onslaught, the manner with which colleagues handle online trolls is what distinguishes us as professionals,” it said.
