9News Nigeria South-South Bureau Chief, Mr Emmanuel Atseyinku has sent a petition to Rivers State Commissioner of Police, Mohamed Mustapha Bala and the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun over a deadly attack on him and other 9News Nigeria Reporters on 5th October 2024 while covering the local government Election in the State.
In the petition, Mr Atseyinku said on Saturday, 5th October 2024, during the Rivers State Local Government Election, while they were out to observe and report the electoral process, they were attacked by some boys who claimed to be Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike’s loyalists.
He revealed that their car was damaged and the hoodlums also stole a Tecno Phone (Spark 20 pro) and equally destroyed a camera worth millions of naira owned by 9News Nigeria, a reputable media platform in Nigeria.
Mr Atseyinku identified one of the hoodlums as Ossy Ebom whom he alleged to be carrying a gun.
He asked the Inspector General of Police and Rivers State Commissioner of Police to arrest the perpetrators of the dastardly act as violence against journalists erodes the fundamental right to a free press, which is critical to a functioning democracy.
He noted that when journalists are attacked for simply performing their duties, it doesn’t only threaten their lives but also undermines the public’s right to receive accurate and unbiased information.
The petition reads in full ;
The Commissioner of Police Rivers State Police Command
Police Headquarters
Moscow Road, Port Harcourt
7/10/2024
Dear Sir,
RE: A CASE OF ATTACK ON JOURNALISTS, MALICIOUS DAMAGE AND LOOTING
I am Mr. Emmanuel David Atseyinku of No 3 Unity Estate Igwuruta in Ikwerre Local Government Area of Rivers State, a Chief Bureau of 9News Nigeria in charge of South-South Nigeria, an Investigative Journalist, and also a physically challenged person.
On Saturday, 5th October 2024, during the Rivers State Local Government Election, while we were out to observe and report the electoral process, we were attacked by some boys who claimed to be Federal Capital Territory FCT Minister Chief Barrister Nyesom Wike’s loyalists. At 2:45 PM, as we were moving from one polling unit to another, we ran out of fuel in the car we were using. No Filling Station was open, so we quickly called our friend who lives in the Igwuruta area. He drove down to assist us, and we transferred our working gadgets into his car. We were heading to Port Harcourt, just a few poles away from the Igwuruta divisional police station along Igwuruta-Airport road when a group of boys, alleged to be loyalists of Hon Obinna Ekem, a former council secretary of Ikwerre Local Government area of Rivers State, blocked the federal highway. The boys started throwing stones at us, and we couldn’t reverse.
Our car was immediately damaged, and they left with a Tecno Phone (Spark 20 pro) and destroyed our car’s windows and video camera.
Two of the boys were recognized as Ossy Ebom and another whose name is yet to be known. Ossy Ebom was carrying a locally made gun.
We are calling on the Inspector General of Police and the Rivers State Commissioner of Police to thoroughly investigate this attack on us and bring those boys to face the law.
Violence against journalists erodes the fundamental right to a free press, which is critical to a functioning democracy. When journalists are attacked for simply performing their duties, it not only threatens their lives but also undermines the public’s right to receive accurate and unbiased information.
We need those boys to be brought to book and face the law as we strongly believe in your capacity that you will do justice in this case.
