Ovedhe Hezekiah-Warri.
Nigeria Union of Journalists, NUJ, Warri Correspondents’ Chapel has given 24 hours to the IGP squad in Warri to apologise for unlawful arrest of four journalists on Tuesday.
The union says the Inspector General of Police, IGP, squad attached to Warri area command arrested four journalists who were on duty.
The NUJ handed down the ultimatum after it returned from the Area Command’s Office in Warri, Delta State.
The NUJ threatened to file a fundamental rights action against the Police if it fails to tender the apology within the 24 hours.
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The NUJ said they will file the action because the rights of its members were infringed upon and their privacies invaded.
In an interview with newsmen, the NUJ Chairman, Comrade Okiees Veeky condemned the invasion of its press centre by the IGP’s squad.
“With all due respect, we the members of the NUJ, Warri Correspondents’ chapel, are disappointed at the actions of the so-called policemen who picked up our members unlawfully because up till this moment, we do not know why they were picked up.”
“If not for the intervention of the Commissioner of Police and some of our friends, we won’t be saying this now.”
“We condemn in very strong terms the activities of the so-called police who claim they are from the IGP’s office. We have been here waiting for them. They asked us to come in at 10am. We mobilized here at 10am, it is more than two hours. They are nowhere to be found.”
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“It is on record now that they have escaped from their duties. We are calling on the appropriate authorities, especially the IGP to call his men to order, allow journalists to do their work. Stop this harassment of our members. We will not take it likely. From now on, we will release all the arsenals at our disposal to show that we are unhappy with the actions.”
The Delta State NUJ Chairman, Comrade Michael Ikeogwu said, “for us in Delta State NUJ, we are very concerned about the unprofessional display of these so-called policemen from the IGP.”
Comrade Ikeogwu was represented by Comrade Felix Ekwu, an ex-officio 1, of the State NUJ at the Warri Area Command today.
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“For the fourth estate of the realm who more or less speak for the members of the society to be so harassed and intimidated like this, it shows the extent to which this country has deteriorated to, nobody is safe.
“So we urge the police authority to investigate the matter. We smell foul play in the actions carried out by these policemen.”
“From interactions at the Area Command, it appears that the supposed policemen are ghosts, and appear not to have left traces.”
