5. When journalists became criminals
From a distance, one would have ordinarily applied caution in dealing with security personnel, sensing that Abuja might have drafted a script for the officers. Nothing could have substantiated this than the assault carried out against Mr. Ayodeji Moradeyo, a senior reporter of Television Continental News (TVC) and his cameraman, Binafia Miebi.
The journalists were attacked at the secretariat of the Peoples Democratic Party in Osogbo and handed over to the police as criminals. It took the intervention of the leadership of the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) and some other colleagues to secure the release of both men. This made journalists covering the election to brace up for harassment.
However, the police, acted contrarily, forcing this reporter to wonder if the police could actually be so dignifying in their approach.
News was all over town that some INEC officials were detained at the office of State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Osogbo, after being arrested in Obokun local government for electoral fraud. TheCable visited SCID for confirmation and in the process came in contact with perhaps the most civilized corps. ‘
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“You are welcome, what can we do for you?” he asked politely.
“Ooh! It’s not here. Can you follow me for direction, please? God bless you; have a nice day”.
Such courteous utterances of from a police officer?
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