The police in Abia State, South-east Nigeria, stormed a television station ABN TV and arrested a guest Udensi Donald during a live programme.
The incident happened on Tuesday in Umuahia.
The programme, Youth Rendezvous, was anchored by Grace Onyekachi.
The Director of the Radio and TV station, Ifeanyi Okali, who disclosed this in a statement on Wednesday, said the management was “worried by the invasion of our broadcast station” by the police operatives.
Mr Okali said the incident happened at about 2:40 p.m. and that the police claimed that Uche Udensi, an elder brother of the guest, had written a petition against him over a family matter.
“Despite repeated pleas by our staff to the officers to allow the programme to come to an end before the guest could be arrested, they insisted (on) whisking him away while the live programme was on.
“We find this very provocative and indeed an act of overzealousness by the officers who obviously acted in clear contravention of the rule of engagement,” he said.
Mr Okali, in the statement, said he contacted the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, who invited some staff members of the station to the police headquarters.
The director said some police operatives at the police headquarters “barricaded the door and harassed, intimidated and threatened to detain them”.
They were prevented from seeing the police commissioner, he said, adding that what happened “clearly negates the enhanced police-civil relations” often campaigned for by the police commissioner.
‘We lost some of our broadcast equipment’
Mr Okali said that during the police invasion, some of the station’s broadcast equipment was damaged, including a laptop, camera, and microphones.
“It has left us with huge financial losses. We are calling for the replacement of the affected tools,” he said.
The director said the station considers the incident as “an attack on press freedom and most especially open violation of the human right to expression,” given that it happened during a live programme where important issues, such as youth development, were being discussed.
“We demand an open apology from Abia State Command of the Nigerian Police over this unprovoked attack in our studio.
“From all indications, the officers were not properly schooled on best approaches to relate with the civil populace in a democratic environment where the media play a key role to enhance their relations with the generality of the society,” he said.
When contacted on Wednesday, the police spokesperson in Abia State, Maureen Chinaka, confirmed the arrest of the guest to
Ms Chinaka, an assistant superintendent of police, however, said she would release a statement shortly to provide details of what happened.
“As I speak to you, I am investigating the case. I will get back to you on this,” she assured.
PREMIUM TIMES.
