No fewer than 12 journalists were arrested by police in Adamawa while sitting at the NUJ Press Centre, Yola waiting for any update on COVID-19 in the state, Mr. Ishaka Donald Dedan the state Chairman of the Nigerian Union of Journalists NUJ, has confirmed.
Regretting the violation of NUJ sanctity, Dedan said, “The police stormed the NUJ secretariat at about 6 p.m. and arrested 12 journalists on assignment because they were supposed to brief the NUJ on the updates of COVID-19 and the economic situation of the general public in the state.’’
“I saw someone calling on the police through phone at the gate of NUJ Press Center, then within a short period of time, I saw three Hilux of Police came into the premises and started molesting anybody”.
The NUJ Council Chairman said, a Police Sergeant attempted to slap him but cautioned the Police on his attempted action.
According to him, some used sticks while others used their guns to beat those arrested before there were pushed to the vehicle.
He said, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Audu Madaki, directed for the immediate release of the people arrested.
Comrade Dedan said the action of the NUJ would be determined following the conclusion of an emergency meeting by the State Executives Council Friday.
Dedan expressed shocked with the attitude exhibited by armed Policemen who came in three trucks and disrupt the peace of the journalists at the Press Centre,’’ without considering that Journalists were among the exempted workers on essential duties.’’
Police denials
But when contacted, the police spokesman in the state DSP Suleiman Nguroje said, though the matter is being investigated that could not be unconnected with the enforcement of strict compliance of lockdown order slammed by the state government to contain the spread of the deadly novel coronavirus.
‘’Everybody knows that NUJ Press centre is a public and social hub centre, where people including non NUJ members do throng for clubbing and recreations.
”Police didn’t arrest any journalist, there!
‘’ They might have violated the state government’s pronouncement on lockdown order.
‘’ But let me tell you that there is a cordial relationship between Police and journalists in Adamawa, and to re-echo it, the Commissioner of Police Audu Madaki has ordered the immediate release of the said Journalists,’’ said Nguroje.
It was later gathered that those arrested include a Lawyer, Bank Manager, top official of Federal Inland Revenue and a Medical Doctor playing long tennis at the premises of the Press Center.
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