Men of the Abia State Police Command, on Tuesday, reportedly invaded a popular television station, ABN TV, in Umuahia and forcibly arrested a guest, Udensi Donald, during a live programme.
The Director of ABN TV/Radio, Ifeanyi Okali, made this known in a statement on his Facebook page on Wednesday. Okali stated that the police claimed a senior brother of the guest, Uche Onwuka Udensi, had written a petition against him over a family matter. He claimed that some items belonging to the station were damaged during the invasion and demanded an apology from the state police command.
Okali, however, described the invasion as a provocation against press freedom and human rights and an act of overzealousness by the police officers. He said, “We are worried about the invasion of our broadcast station in Umuahia by officers of the Nigerian Police, Umuahia Area Command in Abia State.
“At about 2:40 pm on Tuesday, January 16, 2023, the policemen invaded our station during a live programme to arrest our guest, one Mr. Udensi Donald, during a programme, Youth Rendezvous.
“The police claimed a senior brother of the guest, one Mr Uche Onwuka Udensi had written a petition against him over a family matter. “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. “It clearly also negates the enhanced police-civil relations which the Commissioner of Police, CP Kene Onwuemeile, has consistently campaigned for.”
