POLICE ATTACHED TO OKOWA BRUTALIZES JOURNALIST AT BUDGET PRESENTATION
POLICE ATTACHED TO OKOWA BRUTALIZES JOURNALIST AT BUDGET PRESENTATION
OGHENETEJIRI NYERHOVWO
Over zealous and trigger happy men of the Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Delta State Command attached to the Delta state governor, Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa have molested a journalist on duty.
The officers whose identities could not be immediately ascertained before going to press reportedly pounced on Mr. Godwin Udoh, The Nigerian Xpress Newspaper Correspondent for allegedly challenging the officers over intimidation.
The incident occurred on Wednesday, November 6, 209 at the Delta State House of Assembly (D. T. H. A)Complex shortly after the governor presented the 2020 budget tagged, “Budget of Sustainable Development”to members of the House and was fielding questions from journalists at the entrance door to the Chambers.
Trouble however started when a member of the governor’s press crew in charge of the governor’s microphone and the speaker which amplifies the governor’s voice changed position due to interference on the sound wave which led some journalists to follow him but were stopped by the police who ordered that no journalist should step beyond a particular boundary.
Com. Udoh, The Nigerian Xpress Newspaper reporter, who is the Assistant Secretary, Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel (ICC)who told the officer that he should be allowed to record received attacks from the CTU men to his dismay.
One of them fair in complexion used his communication gadget on the journalist’s face when the reporter tried to resist him over the intimidation, another one behind him rushed the journalist while another who is dark in complexion and plumpy, identified by his rank as DSP, slapped the journalist and used his gun butt on the journalist while the governor was still briefing, before other journalists rushed to the scene to rescue their colleague.
Another journalist who was by the side of the attacked journalist who tried to pacify the security personnel inspite of his overbearing and uncivilized attitude was also threatened to be beaten up.
Narrating his ordeal in the hands of the police, Com. Udoh said: “when the man carrying the speaker left where we were standing, I and other journalists followed him. The police officer told me to stay back but I told him that I wanted to record. He told me that he will slap me if I make any other comment. I then told him that this is intimidation. He started using the communication gadget to hit me on my mouth.”
He added, “the other one behind him came and asked me to leave, it was then I left the scene but he walked up to where I was standing to slap me. In the process I lost my phone, my recording gadget. As I speak with you now, my mouth and teeth is aching me, I have even gone to the hospital for check up.”
Reacting to the situation, Com. Barth Ozah, chairman, Indigenous Correspondents’ Chapel,(I. C. C.)said that the action of the police officers was condemnable, he called on Dr. Ifeanyi Okowa to call his police aides to order as the police officer cannot prevent journalists from carrying out their legitimate duties.
He said the 1999 Constitution as amended empowers journalists to carry out their responsibilities within the parameters of the law, adding that since the journalists were carrying out their functions within the law, it was unlawful for the officer to slap him when it was obvious that he didn’t go against the law.
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