ASABA/Nigeria: The recent police action, brutalizing a Vanguard Correspondent, Mr. Akpokona Omafuaire, and the destruction of his vehicle, had earned the Delta Police Command sanction from the Nigerian Union of Journalists, as the union had delisted the police, and pronounced sanctions against any member who covers their activities.
The union in a press release, signed by the State Council Chairman, Mr. Mike Ikeogu, and Secretary, Mr. Patrick Ochei, stated that Delta State Council has placed a ban on the coverage of all police activities in the state over the unwarranted attack and brutalization of the Vanguard Correspondent.
The statement accused the police of being insensitive to the plight of Mr. Omafuire, who had been lying critically ill in the hospital, without any care.
“We are sobre that the police could be insensitive to the plight of our member who is lying at the hospital yet without any care and attention from those who inflicted the injury on him.”
“The Council is taken aback by the indifferent disposition of police in Delta State as many journalists have one story or the other to tell about their experiences in the hands of those who are supposed to protect them since the #ENDSARS Protest began.”
It stated that the case of the correspondent is one of the numerous issues the council has recorded in the past few months and can no longer fold her hands and watch. It singled the Police Public Relation Officer, in the state as one of the problem the Council is experiencing, as she had failed to coordinate the relationship between the journalists and the Nigerian Police.
“Akpokona’s case is one of the numerous issues the Council has recorded in the past few months and can no longer fold her hands and watch endlessly her members being molested, beaten, harassed, brutalised, intimidated and detained.”
“Right now we are calling on our members in the Council to stop attending police press briefings, stop using their press releases, stop covering their activities or taking interviews from them henceforth. We are in support of the victim seeking redress in court and we will join him to get justice.”
“The PPRO whose office it is to coordinate police relationship with the media has shown disdain and no concern to the frequent harassment, intimidation and brutalization of journalists in the State.”
The statement further called for the removal of the Divisional Police Officer of the Owvian-Aladje Police Division, and to fish out one Sergeant Godspower and his colleagues who carried out the nefarious act, saying its only then that the Council will maintain synergy and cordial relationship with the police, as they are not ready to bury any of their members as a result of police aggressive actions, warning members of the consequences if the directive is disobeyed.
“It is on this note that we are calling first for the removal of the DPO of Owvian Aladja Police Division for gross incompetence and then the police hierarchy should fish out Sergeant Godspower and his cohorts for appropriate sanction.”
“We will maintain working synergy and cordial relationship with the Police Command in the State if they are ready”
“However, we are not ready to bury any of our members who will die from police brutality before the Police will learn how to deal with journalists.”
“We reiterate that the ban on coverage of police activities takes immediate effect and any member of the Union who flouts this order will face disciplinary action from the Council.”
