An Umuahia-based Radio/TV online station, ABN, was on Tuesday thrown into darkness after a guest, Mr Udensi Donald, who was on a live programme, was arrested by policemen.
Donald, who was live on a program “Youth Rendezvous”, was
whisked away by policemen who broke into the studio of the station located in
front of Matter Dei Cathedral, the headquarters of Catholic Diocese of Umuahia,
the Abia State capital.
The officers, who brandished their identity cards on
entering the live studio, initially refused to state the offense of the man
they came to arrest but later said he was wanted because of a petition written
by someone.
From a trending viral video on social media shared by some
viewers, the staff of ABN and the guests were seen pleading with the policemen
to allow the program to end or to explain his offense before arresting him.
The officers refused their plea and arrested the man,
bringing the programme to an abrupt end.
Speaking to DAILY POST on Wednesday morning about the
incident, the Director of ABN Radio/TV, Mr Ifeanyi Okali, decried the actions
of the policemen, saying that microphone, laptop and camera were damaged during
the struggle to arrest the guest.
He narrated that the invasion happened at about 2:40 pm on
Tuesday, adding that the police claimed an elder brother to his guest wrote a
petition against him over a family matter.
“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 Onwuemelie, has consistently
campaigned for,” he said.
Okali lamented that staff of ABN who were invited by the
Abia State Police Commissioner to explain what happened, were allegedly
harassed by police officers at the CP’s office who again threatened to arrest
them.
He described the invasion as unprovoked, demanding the
replacement of destroyed equipment and an apology from the Abia State Police
Command.
The Command was yet to react to ABN management’s statement
as the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Maureen Chinaka, did not pick her
phone call and did not respond to messages sent to her at the time of writing
this report.
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