•IGP Kayode Egbetokun
On Monday, operatives of the Rivers State Police Command brutalised five Port Harcourt-based journalists reporting for different media houses.
The newsmen were attacked while covering the #Take-it-Back protest that held nationwide following the recent unconstitutional decisions of the federal government, especially, the declaration of state of emergency and suspension of Governor Siminialayi Fubara of Rivers State, his deputy, Prof. Ngozi Odu and 27 lawmakers in the state House of Assembly.
The civil society organisations and Niger Delta Congress, which organised the demonstration along side other youth bodies had converged on the Isaac Boro Park, in Port Harcourt but were attacked and dispersed with teargas by police operatives, reports Vanguard.
When teams of Police operatives arrived the scene of the protest, they fired several cans of teargas to disperse the protesters and assaulted Charles Opurum, a Correspondent with Channels Television, Ikeziam Godswill of AIT, Allwell Ene, Classic FM Port Harcourt and Soibi Oruwari, Nigeria Info.
Following, the new twist to the protest, the police operatives, who arrived the scene resorted to attacking journalists who were covering the demonstration, inflicting injuries on them and damaging some of their equipment.
I was forced to delete all my shots — Victim
One of the victims, who is a cameraman with AIT, Ikeziam Godswill, narrated that the policemen forced him to delete all the shots he got from the protest.
Godswill said the attack was supervised by the DPO in charge of Abali Park Police Station in Mile 1, who led the team of the operatives.
He said he was covering different scenes of the protest when the policemen held him and asked him to delete everything in his camera.
He said: “I was just doing my job when the policemen came. We thought they were there to maintain order and ensure security, until they started firing teargas.
“While I was still covering the development, the police came and held me. I told them I am a journalist. I was putting on a branded AIT jacket. They took my camera and said I should delete everything I have. When I deleted them, they removed the camera battery and smashed it.”
Also, Opurum, who was assaulted, arrested and later released noted that the policemen queried why he and other journalists had not left the scene.
He said: “I was at the CFC following the protest when the policemen came. They started with firing teargas. Later some of the policemen came and held me. I told them that I am a journalist. I even showed them my identity card.
“They tried forcing me into a waiting bus, but I resisted. They still forced me into a police van. I was there with other people arrested when a policeman who knew me came, because I am also the Police Correspondent. He started making case before they freed me.”
NUJ condemns police brutality, assault on journalists
However, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, has condemned the attack and assault on journalists during the protest as barbaric and violation of human rights.
The Rivers State Council of NUJ in a statement in Port Harcourt by Paul Bazia, Chairman, and Ijeoma Tubosia, Secretary, demanded apologies from the police within 14 days.
The statement read: “The NUJ Rivers State Council has condemned in strong terms the inhuman treatment meted out to some of its colleagues by men of the Rivers State police command.
“The union described the assault on Charles Opurum of Channels Television, Allwell Ene of Naija FM, Soibelemari Oruwari of Nigeria Info, Ikezam Godswill of AIT and Femi Ogunkhilede of Super FM as unprovoked, barbaric, inhuman and a violation of their rights.
“The four members of the NUJ were tear-gassed by the Police while carrying out their legitimate duties of covering a peaceful protest in Port Harcourt. Mr Opurum was even arrested and detained for a period of time by the security agents.
“The NUJ regrets that a security agency paid to protect lives and property could turn itself into a monster terrorising innocent citizens, particularly Journalists in the state.
“The NUJ, therefore, demands an unreserved apology from the Rivers State Police Command within 14 days for the assault against the journalists or risk its activities being boycotted by journalists in the state.
“The council also demands that all the officials involved in the condemnable act be brought to book. The council further warns that any further assault on journalists in the state would be vehemently resisted by the NUJ.”
