Summary:
- Ayoola Babalola, a reporter at Peoples Gazette, has been suspended for one month without pay due to violations of the organization’s social media policy.
- Babalola faced social media attacks following a scoop on Peter Obi’s phone call with Bishop Oyedepo, and his conduct in response to online trolls raised concerns about the publication’s integrity.
- During the suspension, Babalola will attend counseling sessions, and he has agreed to comply with the management’s decision, aiming to uphold the professionalism expected of Peoples Gazette employees.
Peoples Gazette has announced the suspension of its reporter, Ayoola Babalola, for a period of one month without pay.
The decision came in response to Babalola’s conduct on social media, which violated the organization’s social media policy and raised concerns about its integrity.
Babalola has agreed to attend counseling during the suspension to enhance his conduct.
Deputy Managing Editor Boladale Adekoya announced the decision in a company-wide memo on Tuesday, stating that Babalola’s conduct on social media, both in recent and past months, grossly violated the organization’s guidelines on personnel conduct.
The decision was made after a thorough review of the reporter’s interactions with online trolls, concluding that Babalola failed to maintain the professionalism expected of Peoples Gazette employees.
The suspension comes after Babalola faced vicious social media attacks following the publication’s scoop on Peter Obi’s phone call with Bishop Oyedepo.
Despite sympathizing with Babalola, Adekoya emphasized the importance of professionalism in handling online trolls.
Although Babalola removed the controversial tweets, screenshots of the posts could still negatively impact the publication’s reputation.
The senior editor expressed appreciation for Babalola’s service and cooperation in addressing the situation and hopes to welcome him back to the organization after his suspension and counseling sessions.
Babalola, who currently covers the political desk at Peoples Gazette and previously worked with U.S.-based Sahara Reporters, has agreed to comply with the management’s decision.
The company’s employee handbook allows editorial staff members to express themselves on social media but discourages the use of offensive language.