Police ‘Panel Beats’ Journalist In Anambra Over Photograph

Police ‘Panel Beats’ Journalist In Anambra Over Photograph

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The spate of police brutality and abuse of the law which the Nigeria Police Force is charged to enforce, continues to suffer careless neglect in the hands of poorly trained policemen. Information available to 247ureports.com indicate that a journalist in Awka, Anambra State was mercilessly manhandled by a group of police men.

According to the information received, a journalist by the name Peter Okolie who works for NAN and stationed in Awka, Anambra was at a restaurant where journalists normally assemble at the end of the work day in Aroma Junction – when an altercation was heard outside the restaurant.

Intuitively, he ran outside. As he made it outside the restaurant he noticed a police officer seated inside a UNIZIK transport bus ‘throwing’ punches at the jaw of the young male driver. The policeman had attempted to stop the driver for the normal ‘roger’ but the driver, according to eyewitnesses on the scene, did not react positively. As the attempted to drive off, the police jumped into the car and began throwing punches to the face of the driver.

Peter Okolie who noticed what was transpiring, reached for his camera and his notepad as a journalist. He took some shots with his camera and began to take notes. In a quick flash, another police officer [badge number 10142 from B Division] descended on Peter Okolie with punches at his faces. The policeman punched without asking questions. After having thrown several punches, the policeman demanded for the camera. Peter Okolie refused to hand over the camera but introduced himself as a journalist with NAN. He attempted to present his identification card to the policeman. But the policeman got more angry and continued to throw more stiff punches at the jaw of Peter Okolie.

It took the intervention of other patrol vehicle from sister paramilitary agency who stopped the policeman from continuing with his punches. Peter Okolie was allowed to hold on to his camera and notepad.

The matter was quickly reported to the National Union of Journalist [NUJ] Executive team. The Chairman of the body took the matter along with a host of Journalist including Peter Okolie to the police station in question – location directly across the State Secretariat in Awka near Aroma Junction. At the police station, the officer in charge quickly rebuffed the NUJ chairman and his group – threating to lock them all up if they do not leave the station.

The NUJ Chairman and his group were not given the necessary audience by the police chief at the station.

The NUJ Chairman placed a verbal petition to the Commissioner of Police in Anambra – and the Commissioner pleaded with the NUJ Chairman and his group to ‘cool down’ and allow him weigh-in on the matter.

However as 247ureports.com placed a call to the public relations officer for the police in Anambra State, Ms Nkeiru, she denied knowledge of the incidence. “I am not aware of it”.