Metro
Brutality! Human Rights Violation: Police Dehumanises Two Journalists in Delta
Two journalists were Thursday, brutalized by Police officers attached to Ughelli A’ division in Ughelli North Local Government Area of Delta State.
The journalists, Comrade Andrew Unutame of the Galaxy Television, and Comr. Oghenekaro Awodeha, publisher of The Periscope were attacked by the officers and Vigilantes at the premises of Ughelli A’ division, at the presence and instance of one of the Senior Police officer, Ogwu Chukwutem.
It would be recalled that on November 28, 2022, Police from Ughelli A’ Division led by one Asp Edet brutalized two Journalists attached to Pointer Newspaper and Galaxy Television, under the supervision of the Divisional Police Officer, while covering the visitation of the immediate past Deputy President of Nigerian Senate to religious leaders at Oduaran street, Ughelli, Delta state.
Narrating his ordeal, Comr. Gabriel Oghenekaro said, “I boarded a motorcycle, as we were on our way the rider, on sighting the police on stop and search duty, wanted to turn back and run, that he was not having papers, that he left it at home. I then encouraged him not to run but to meet them, that if he is stopped, I’ll plead on his behalf, and I only said so because I was suspicious, I didn’t really believe somebody will ride his motorcycle without photocopy of his particulars.
“When the police stopped us and demanded for his particulars and the man said he is not with them, one of the officers ordered us to alight and then drove the motorcycle to the police station. At this point the rider was blaming me for allowing the police to hold him because I refused to plead for him. I then told him that if truly he has his papers at home, he should go home and bring them. That once it’s established that he has his papers I’m ready to go with him to the station to assist in securing the release of his motorcycle.
“When the man brought his papers, as promised, I called a colleague and we went to the station with him. We were then directed to a police woman identified as, Corporal Ebi who said “The particulars are not authentic, that it could be forged. She asked us to bring N50,000. She now ordered us to leave her sight to go and look for the money when we tried to speak to her.
“At this point we decided to leave and went to our vehicle. As we were about going she ran towards us and asked the bike man to give her the papers, that we were running away. I was shocked when she said so. I asked the bike man to give her the particulars which he did.
Immediately she started raining abuses on us, when I told her that the insults were uncalled for, she said who am I to challenge her, just as she was shouting another male officer, one Inspector Erasmus Ikperinwa came and grab me on my trouser, cut my belt and started manhandling me before others around, but police and local vigilante joined in the beating.
“They handcuffed me, and forced me to lay down on the floor, threatening that they’ll throw me inside the cell where I will rot.
The woman Coporal, Ebi stated that she is a lawyer that has been call to the Nigerian Bar and nothing will happen, you can call the IG of Police and if it is case that you want, I will give you to the fullest.”
When my colleague saw what was happening and tried to intervene, they attacked him with woods and gave him the same beating. I only saw him runway towards the Area Commander’s section in the station. After then, the woman Corporal identified as Ebi from Ughelli A’Division brought paper that they force me to write statement and throw me inside cell.
“It was at this point that my colleague who ran to the Area Commander’s section came with a police woman on the instructions of the A.O summoning us to the office to hear what has happened.
“We did not commit any crime other than trying to do a humanitarian service, so I don’t see why we should be manhandle in such a way. I think it is high time the Inspector General and Delta State Police Command do something about the excesses of the police in Ughelli A Division. Assault on journalist by officers and vigilante attached to the division has been a routine, and must be stopped.”
Corroborating what his colleague said, Comrade Andrew Unutame said, “We come see how we can be of assistance to the bike man, because according to my colleague who called me to accompany him, the bike man told him he is new in Delta and has no one. When we got there we met the lady, she asked us to go and bring N50,000.
We don’t have that kind of money. And she was not ready to listen to any plea. At this point, we went back to our vehicle and wanted to go back, because my colleague said, he left his phones in the office, that he wanted to call someone to do some clarifications.
“This was when one Erasmus Ikperinwa came on the scene and start manhandling my colleague. When I tried to intercede they attacked me.
One of the vigilante took a 2by2 wood to hit me on my back.
When I saw that they were ready to kill me, I ran to the Area Commander’s office, that was when the A. O, tried to intervene in the matter.” particulars, that we wanted to run away.
We asked the bike man to give her the particulars. We then tried to explain to her that we’re not running and besides we didn’t commit any crime to So what are we running away from? She started raining all manner of curses, we she was not ready to stop, we told her that the fact that she is a police officer was not a license to defame or dehumanize lawful citizens.
“This was when one Erasmus Ikperinwa came on the scene and start manhandling my colleague. When I tried to intercede they attacked me.
One of the vigilante took a 2by2 wood to hit me on my back.
When I saw that they were ready to kill me, I ran to the Area Commander’s office, that was when the A. O, tried to intervene in the matter.”
For the timely intervention of the Ughelli Area Command, Admin Officer, A.O, we would have been dead or incarcerated by now.
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers on Tuesday attacked an Abuja-bound bus belonging to GUO Transport Company along the Akunu axis of Ondo State.
The suspected kidnappers injured some passengers and left the vehicle riddled with bullet holes.
SaharaReporters obtained a disturbing video from the scene showing the aftermath of the attack.
Bullet holes riddled the body of the vehicle, and blood was visibly splattered across the front seats, indicating that some passengers were injured during the ambush.
“Make I come make them bring tyre out there. I thank God nothing happened to me. You no see wetin bullet do this place (Let us bring the tyre out of there. I thank God nothing happened to me. Can you see how they damaged the vehicle with bullets?),” the driver said in the video, pointing to damage on the bus caused by bullets.
The attack reportedly occurred between Akunu in Ondo State and Ayere in neighbouring Kogi State, an area notorious for frequent bandit and kidnapper activity, despite regular police checkpoints in the region.
“Kidnappers open fire on Abuja bound GUO bus shortly after driving about 3 minutes passing a police checking point Akunu in Ondo, before Ayare in Kogi state,” an X user who claimed to be privy to the development added.
One passenger could be heard urging others to re-enter the bus so the exhausted driver could rest.
When SaharaReporters contacted GUO Transport through its official WhatsApp line for comment, the company’s automated response said: “Thank you for contacting GUO Transport. We’d love to help, but we’re currently off work hours. We’ll attend to all enquiries in the next working hour.”
As of the time of filing this report, the spokesperson for the Ondo State Police Command, Funmilayo Odunlami, had yet to respond to multiple calls and follow-up messages seeking comment.
A devastating fire that broke out early Tuesday morning has reportedly destroyed at least 55 shops in the herbal medicine section of the Zamfara Central Market.
This incident follows a similar fire just six weeks ago, which also ravaged more than 100 shops in the same market.
The fire, which began around 1:00 AM, is still under investigation, and the exact cause remains undetermined. There are, however, suspicions that the blaze may have been triggered by flammable herbs stored in some of the affected shops, although no official conclusions have been reached.
Alhaji Sa’adu Dahiru, the chairman of the affected section, confirmed the scale of the damage and described the incident as catastrophic. “The fire also destroyed shops belonging to blouse and seasoning sellers,” he explained. “I know some of our members who have lost everything. These people have families to care for and depend on this business for their livelihood.”
Dahiru shared a poignant story of one of the traders who had stored ₦50,000 in his shop, intending to deposit it in the bank on Tuesday, but the money was destroyed in the fire along with his goods. He called on the state government to provide financial support for those affected. “I am appealing to the state government to look into our plight and offer us assistance,” he added.
Alhaji Ahmad Salihu Shinkafi, the Managing Director of the market, said the management is still probing the fire’s cause. He noted that some traders suggested that the blaze might have been sparked by a herb that is sensitive to excessive heat, which can cause it to explode. “We are still investigating to determine the exact cause of the fire,” he said.
Shinkafi also highlighted the preventive measures that had been implemented in the market, including a ban on the use of fire within the premises. “We don’t allow tea sellers, food vendors, or others who use fire near the market,” he explained. “So, only God knows what caused this inferno.”
As the victims assess their losses and call for government intervention, this incident underscores the growing concern over recurring fire disasters in markets across northern Nigeria, highlighting the need for improved safety measures to prevent such tragedies in the future.
A 35-year-old man, Gaddafi Isah, and Badamasi Isah, aged 30, have been beaten to death by a mob over the suspected theft of livestock at Katsayal village in the Sandamu Local Government Area of Katsina State.
A counter-insurgency expert focused on the Lake Chad region, Zagazola Makama, made this known in a post on his X handle on Monday.
According to him, intelligence sources revealed that the two victims had driven their father’s vehicle to the outskirts of the village to learn to drive.
He stated that, in the process of the practice, a mob approached and accused them of stealing livestock.
He added that the mob surrounded the two men and beat them severely, causing them to sustain varying degrees of injuries.
“The victims were rescued by the security forces who were deployed to the scene and rushed to the Community Health Centre in Sandamu for treatment, but they were later confirmed dead by a medical doctor,” he posted.
He also disclosed that the vehicle the deceased victims were driving was also damaged during the attack.
He noted that the police had launched an investigation into the incident, and efforts were underway to apprehend the perpetrators responsible for the attack.
When contacted, the spokesperson of the state police command, Abubakar Aliyu, did not respond to calls made to his telephone line.
A text message sent had yet to be replied to as of the time this report was filed.
-
News15 hours agoOERAF held memorial lecture on conflict resolution, security/safety of community in Nigeria
-
News20 hours agoTRADE WAR! U.S. angry over Nigeria’s import ban on 25 products
-
News21 hours agoINTERVIEW: Introduction of Child Rights Curriculum In Nigerian Universities Will Take CRA to Families – Dr Obiorah Edogor
-
News15 hours agoHoR Minority Caucus decries killings in Plateau, Benue states, urges immediate presidential decisive actions
-
News41 minutes agoUS revokes more than 500 foreign student visas
-
News7 hours agoBandits have seized control of 64 communities in Plateau – Gov Muftwang
-
News7 hours agoAir Peace unveils new process for boarding passengers
-
Economy7 hours agoMobile Money transactions hit $1.68trn in one year