Lagos: The IPC’s Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists (I-CSPJ) has expressed profound dismay and disapproval over the reported police invasion of ABN TV and the forced arrest of a guest during a live programme in Umuahia on Tuesday, January 16, 2024.
According to information obtained by I-CSPJ from its field monitor, the incident occurred at approximately 2:40 p.m. during the live broadcast of the “Youth Rendezvous” programme. The police invaded the station to apprehend Mr. Udensi Donald, a guest on the show.
Despite pleas from the station’s staff to allow the programme to conclude before making the arrest, the police, citing a petition from the guest’s senior brother regarding a family matter, proceeded to detain Mr. Udensi Donald.
Ifeanyi Okali, the station’s director, remarked, “The police claimed a senior brother of the guest had written a petition against him over a family matter. 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.”
In response to the incident, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, the Executive Director of IPC, criticised the police action as unnecessary and overzealous. He suggested that the officers could have waited for the live programme to conclude before taking any action.
I-CSPJ is urging Commissioner of Police Kene Onwuemeile to rein in his officers and ensure the replacement of damaged items belonging to the station during the invasion. Additionally, I-CSPJ is calling for an official apology on behalf of the affected station.
