Police storm broadcast station, arrest guest during live television show

The Abia State Police Command on Tuesday caused panic, as its operatives stormed a television station ABN TV in Umuahia and arrested a guest Udensi Donald during a live programme, with some of the equipment of the station allegedly destroyed during the incident.

Penpushing reports that Director of the Radio and Television station, Ifeanyi Okali, confirmed the development in a statement on Wednesday adding that the live programme ‘Youth Rendezvous’, was anchored by Grace Onyekachi, noting that the management was worried by the police invasion

The Director of the Radio and Television station, explained that the incident happened at about 2:40 p.m. and that the police claimed that Uche Udensi, an elder brother of the guest, had written a petition against him over a family matter.

Penpushing further reports that Okali, stated that despite repeated pleas by the staff to the officers to allow the programme to come to an end before the guest could be arrested, they insisted (on) whisking him away while the live programme was on.

‘The management was worried by the invasion of our broadcast station by the police operatives. Despite repeated pleas by our staff to the officers to allow the programme to come to an end before the guest could be arrested, they insisted (on) whisking him away while the live programme was on. We find this very provocative and indeed an act of overzealousness by the officers who obviously acted in clear contravention of the rule of engagement’, he said.

Penpushing also reports that the Director in the statement, said he contacted the Commissioner of Police in Abia State, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, who invited some staff members of the station to the police headquarters.

The Director added that some police operatives at the police headquarters barricaded the door and harassed, intimidated and threatened to detain them, stressing that they(staff) were prevented from seeing the police commissioner.

Penpushing reports that he declared that what happened clearly negates the enhanced police-civil relation” often campaigned for by the police commissioner, adding that in the process of the invasion the station lost some of broadcast equipment

‘We lost some of our broadcast equipment. It has left us with huge financial losses. We are calling for the replacement of the affected tools. We demand an open apology from Abia State Command of the Nigerian Police over this unprovoked attack in our studio’, the statement said

Penpushing further reports that Okali pointed out that during the police invasion, some of the station’s broadcast equipment was damaged, including a laptop, camera, and microphones, stressing that the station considers the incident as an attack on press freedom.

The statement emphasized that it was open violation of the human right to expression, given that it happened during a live programme where important issues, such as youth development, were being discussed.

‘From all indications, the officers were not properly schooled on best approaches to relate with the civil populace in a democratic environment where the media play a key role to enhance their relations with the generality of the society,” he said.

Penpushing also reports that the Abia State Police Command Public Relations Officer Maureen Chinaka, when contacted on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of the guest, explaining that the command will later issue a statement on the incident to provide details.

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