Ruth NWORIE
The Nigerian Union of Journalist (NuJ), Rivers State Council has condemned the attack on a journalist who works with Naiji/Beat /Classic FM, Port Harcourt Allwell Ene by suspected hoodlums.
The incident which occurred on Monday at Garrison Junction, Port Harcourt while he was carrying out a legitimate news assignments.
In a statement signed by the NUJ chairman Paul Bazia-Nsaneh and Secretary Dr. Ijeoma Tubosia said Allwell Ene attack was unwarranted and unacceptable.
According to the statement, Ene was brutally molested leaving him with multiple lacerations and swollen eyes while the hoodlums removed and destroyed his phone.
The Union also said the hoodlums tore his clothes before bundling him into an unknown place, before he was rescued.
“The NUJ is disheartened over the ugly incident, adding that rather than treat journalists as partners in nation building, members of society have in most cases consistently treated journalists as enemies who must be crushed.
“it is unacceptable that in a civilized society, a journalist will be attacked while doing his job”
” It is a clear case of violation of the rights of the journalist,” the statement added.
The NUJ however, called on the government and State Police Command to bring the perpetrators of the act to book.
Stating that they should adequately compensate Mr Ene for the brutalization meted on him while putting up machinery to prevent future incidences.
This condemnation by NUJ came after a video of a journalist called Allwell Ene went viral on how he was beating by hoodlums while on duty.
According to the video circulating “is unfortunate that somebody reported a case of arm robbery stolen phone, he duped him of his money, so the matter was brought to me, so, matched down here to this junction to find out what exactly happened.
While I was taking interviews and pictures of what has happened some hoodlums around this area those that he accused of collecting money and refused to give him the phone apparently saw what I was doing, the pictures and video records I was taken and their attacked me. Look at my eye their hit me, collected my phones and formatted the videos. Their manhandled me see me eye, see my head you can see everywhere around me.
So, I don’t know why this kind of thing will be happening in the broad daylight and people were watching people couldn’t rescue me, their moved me from this junction to where the Nepa office quity a distance holding me punching me. Their came in their numbers over fifteen of them attacking just me only you can see what their did to me is very pathetic is very annoying this kind of thing is happening here and nobody is saying anything”
