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A journalist, Aliuna Godwin has narrated how he was beaten to a pulp inside Old Government House Abakaliki.
Aliuna Godwin is one of the Editors in The Nations News Nigeria and a correspondent of Daily Asset newspaper.
Aliuna who narrated his ordeal to newsmen at where he was hospitalized at one of the hospitals along Nkaliki road Abakaliki, said “I was roughly mal-handled today by Neighbourhood Watch, under the directive and supervision of a Commissioner (Name Withheld By This Newspaper Till We Hear From The Commissioner)
“So, I didn’t do him anything, just that they had a programme today, at the old government house Abakaliki, where he was trying to resolve the Ezeship tussle rocking one of the communities” .
It was gathered that Aliuna alongside other journalists went to cover the event at the open hall located at the old government Abakaliki
According to him, “trouble started when the commissioner ordered him to leave, and Aliuna started leaving but the Commissioner could not hold temper and first pushed him and then security operatives took him away.”
“I went there to cover the event at the ministry’s open hall located inside the old government house Abakaliki alongside other journalists. I was at the entrance, when one of the aides told me to come inside. I told her, let her wait, let me know what’s happening first.
“She said, I should come inside. So, by the time I came inside, I went there at the back, sat down. As I was sitting there for a while, just for a while, then the Commissioner started shouting, who is that journalist? I said, I’m the one, sir.
“Before you know it, they confiscated my phone. He ordered one of his aides there to delete everything, whatever in my phone, to ransack it and do whatever he wants.
“I said, Commissioner, allow me to go, that I’m just doing my work as a journalist. He started fuming, saying that if I talk again he will beat me up.
“He, the Commissioner, pushed me. I said, why are you pushing me? For what are you pushing me? Before you know it, he ordered the security agencies (Neighbourhood watch) to whisk me away. They bonded me away.
“As I was going out, I told him, allow me to go back and collect my phone, as I was still talking, one of them carried me up and threw me inside their cell.
“After throwing me on the ground, they started beating me up. About five of them descended on me, hitting me hard like a common criminal. For what, did I do that should warrant this mal-handling? So, after all the beating, then they ordered me to sit on the ground.
“They were hitting me hard at once, one on the head , another on the eyes, one was busy hitting me at the back, and another was trying to pull my hands behind my back, etc.
“I sat on the ground. They now told me to remove my cloth. I removed it. They said I’m under arrest as directed by the commissioner.
“One of them went outside, brought a weapon. He said, if I move, they will break my legs. I said, for what did I do? Did I steal anything to warrant this mal-handling?
“They said that the Commissioner told them to arrest me and detain me. I am under arrest.
“After a while, when they finished the event, then my colleague met with him. He started threatening again that he will deal with me and will report me to the governor.
“As you can see, I’m right now in this hospital undertaking some tests and treatments. I can’t see clearly with one of my eyes and So, on this note, I call on the state government to intervene.
“I urge the governor of Ebonyi State, Francis Nwifuru to call the commissioner to order. He should stop being hostile to journalists in the state.This is not how a Commissioner should behave.
“It is barbaric and uncalled for for a Commissioner to order security operatives to beat up a journalist to a pulp. For what purpose? He is doing this to stop freedom of information by journalists in Ebonyi state. It is condemnable and unwarranted.
“And I call on the general public, the editors, I call on neighbouring states, Humana Rights Groups, stakeholders and government at all levels to caution the Commissioner” .
“To caution him because how can a journalist who is doing his legitimate work be beaten like a common criminal by security operatives on the directive of the Commissioner.
“Journalists are the conscience and mouth piece of the society. I’m indeed not happy the way I was rough handled. I am not happy with what happened.
“The way the commissioner is gagging journalists in Ebonyi from doing their legitimate work
“Journalists in Ebonyi have cordial working relationships with the state government and I don’t know why the Commissioner would always be hostile to Journalists.
“Again, i call on the state governor, Francis Nwifuru to intervene and the human rights activists to rise up and intervene for me, because the way I was beaten like a common criminal is uncalled for” he stated.
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