Officers from the Abia State Police Command forcibly invaded ABN TV in Umuahia on Tuesday, disrupting a live broadcast of the program “Youth Rendezvous” and arresting guest Mr. Udensi Donald.
The Director of ABN TV/Radio, Ifeanyi Okali, expressed deep concern over the invasion and arrest in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Wednesday.
According to Okali, officers from the Umuahia Area Command of the Nigerian Police arrived at the station around 2:40 pm, claiming to be acting on a petition against Mr. Udensi Donald related to a family matter.
Despite pleas from ABN TV staff to allow the live program to conclude before making the arrest, the police insisted on taking Mr. Udensi away during the broadcast.
Okali criticized the police action, labeling it as a provocation against press freedom and human rights. He equally emphasised that such actions go against the promoted police-civil relations campaigned by the Commissioner of Police, CP Kene Onwuemeile.
He outlined the sequence of events during the invasion, pointing out that the police officers’ conduct was overzealous and in violation of established rules of engagement.
Okali articulated, “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 rule of engagement.
“It clearly also negates the enhanced police-civil relations which the Commissioner of Police, CP Kene Onwuemeile, has consistently campaigned for.”
In addition to the arrest, Okali alleged that the police damaged some of the station’s equipment. He called for an unreserved apology from the Abia State Police Command over the incident.
Watch video: https://youtu.be/wFB_yQ6M3ig