Journalists numbering up to fifteen were assaulted by suspected APC thugs at Mbaike rerun collation centre located at Mbaitoli LGA headquarters, Nwaorieubi.
According to reports, the pressmen were on a special duty to cover and monitor the Mbaitoli/Ikeduru supplementary election slated for April 15, 2023.
The Bigtruth reporter, Ifeanyi Iheakanwa, among the assaulted journalists, said that he was spotted with his colleagues at the collation centre and was called by some security agents for interrogation.
“I was with my colleagues at the collation centre which is located at Mbaitoli LGA headquarters when a policeman signalled me to come. After asking my name, he said there was an instruction from the LGA chairman to see all of us out of the premises.
“But when i objected and told him that i was there to do my job as a journalist, he applied force and with the combined efforts of his colleagues, we were bundled out of the premises.”
The journalist noted that the collation centre which was supposed to be the place for sorting and counting of results, was abandoned and all Collation Officers duly reported to the office of the Sole Administrator of Mbaitoli, Chinasa Opara.
The brief drama, according to the journalist, took place immediately after the candidate of APC for Mbaike federal constituency, Akarachi Amadi, stormed the headquarters on his entourage and went straight to the chairman’s office where the collation was being carried out.
