The policemen who claimed that they tracked the guest to the studio, damaged some equipment belonging to the station.
Personnel of the Nigeria Police Force in Abia State, Southeast Nigeria, invaded the ABN TV in Umuahia on Tuesday and forcibly arrested a guest, Mr Udensi Donald, during a live programme, “Youth Rendezvous,” anchored by Grace Onyekachi.
The policemen who claimed that they tracked the guest to the studio, damaged some equipment belonging to the station.
A video of the invasion seen by SaharaReporters on Wednesday shows two policemen in mufti and one other person shouting in the studio.
"I don't know what this country is turning into. I know the commissioner of police is a man I trust so much; he will use his office to make things right. Everything that has been damaged in this office, they will pay for it," a voice is heard in the background of the video.
The guest, Udensi Donald, is also heard raising his voice and saying: "Who is looking for me? I don't know you." Addressing a man in mufti who claimed to be a policeman, he asked, "Where is your ID card?"
"I have my ID card," the policeman said and raised something that appeared like an ID card.
The man said, "Do you think you can come and give false information?"
Udensi said, "Who wrote a petition against me?" However, the policeman replied, "Don't worry, when you get to police station, you will know who wrote the petition. You feel you can hide?"
But Udensi replied, "If I'm hiding, will I come to live TV programme? How can Nigerian Police be tracking anybody? Did I do anything to you (referring to the policeman)?".
Then the policeman said, "The programme was wrong; you people will go and be televising rubbish. You people are calling me a kidnapper. We are Nigerian policemen. Come out from that place."
"I have not committed any offence. Police never invited me and I refused to honour it. I am not a criminal to be tracked inside a studio. If I have committed offence, they should have invited me or stayed outside. After the programme, they will arrest me. This is impunity at the highest order," Udensi said.
@TimiBlaze who shared the video on his X (formerly Twitter) handle wrote: "What is Nigeria turning to?
“How can a guest be arrested during a live broadcast? When would this era of when you get the police station you would find out end?
"Nigerian police need to do better!"
https://twitter.com/TimiBlaze/
Meanwhile, the Director of ABN TV/Radio, Ifeanyi Okali, has condemned the invasion of the station and the destruction of studio equipment.
In a statement shared on his Facebook page on Wednesday, Okali described the police action as a provocation against press freedom and human rights.
He lamented that during the invasion, some items belonging to the station were damaged.
“We are worried by 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 plea by our staff to the officers to allow the programme 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 rule of engagement.
“It clearly also negates the enhanced police-civil relations which the Commissioner of Police, CP Kene Onwuemeile, has consistently campaigned for.”
Okali, however, demanded an apology from the state police command.
https://x.com/timiblaze/