Police Allegedly Assault Delta Journalists For Filming ‘Shady Activities’ At Petrol Station

The Journalists led by the Manager News and Current Affairs of the broadcast station, Comrade Eddy Akpati Ogude were monitoring long vehicular queues at the North West Filling Station, Mariam Babagida Way, Asaba when they were reportedly assaulted.

Scarcity of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) popularly known as fuel have been bitting hard on motorists who queue endlessly for hours to get the product allegedly being sold in outrageous rates with ‘kickback’ taken from buyers in many parts of the state.

Narrating her ordeal, one of the Journalist, Ms Eunice Emeyazi, who was brutally attacked gave a graphic details of how she escaped from the scene running for her dear life with bodily injuries suffered as some of the policemen chased her until she escaped into a moving car.

She said she was recording the queue in the filling station and interviewing motorists when some policemen attached to the fuel station accosted her and started beating her. She said she managed to escaped from the onslaught but with a damaged phone and video camera.

According to her, while she was being chased, the other newsmen from the station were reportedly held hostage by the other police officers attached to the petrol station who were apparently angered that they were recording the scene at the filling station.

Ms. Emeyazia told newsmen that it took the effort of a good spirited citizen, who witnessed how she was being molested for her to come out alive as the rescuer swiftly made it possible for her to jump into his car as she was being chased by the policemen.

Emeyazia, who was still writhing in pains from bruises in her face, swollen head and broken wrist, said she had been going to the Federal Medical Centre Asaba for treatment and had underwent X-ray on the broken wrist.

She said that the General Manager of the station, Mr. Frank Osabohen, on hearing of the incident, swiftly called the State Police Command headquarters in Asaba to register their complaints.

While saying that the other staff led Comrade Ogude were later released unhurt, she lamented that her assault was sheer case of police brutality on an innocent journalist carrying out her official duty.

But when contacted, the State Police Public Relation Officer, DSP Bright Edafe, denied the allegations, saying that the journalist was neither beaten up nor anyone of them held hostage as claimed.

He said; “They were not beaten up because I have asked those group to come to the police station but they refused to come. They said their cameras were destroyed, I said they should bring the camera yesterday but they refused to come.

“They actually had small disagreement with the management of the filling station which was resolved.  They called me to say I should not worry that they have resolved so I don’t know where the report of they were beaten up is coming from”, he retorted.