Channels TV crew assaulted at Kwara PDP congress

A reporter of the Channels Television
in Kwara State, Mr. Akeem Garba and
his crew were assaulted in Ilorin
while they were covering the State
Assembly primary of the Peoples
Democratic Party at Ilorin West Local
Government Area of the state on
Saturday.
Garba and his crew had gone to
Yebumot Hotel, Ilorin, venue of one of
the congresses when some thugs
attacked them.
Garba said that the clothe of his
cameraman was torn while their
camera was smashed.
Garba said, “This morning when I got
to Yebmot Hotel to cover the congress,
my cameraman was filming while the
delegates were just going inside the
venue. About 15 thugs pounced on us
and asked us: Who are you? Who sent
you? All the explanations that I gave to
them to know that we are from
Channels TV did not yield any positive
result.
“They started beating us. Even the
clothe of my cameraman was torn and
the camera was smashed and
damaged. They were beating us right
in the presence of the security
operatives and they were just looking
at us as if somebody’s life was not as
stake.
“After the intervention of some elders
of the party, we were left alone. Again,
we identified ourselves that we are
from Channels TV. They pleaded with
us that we should hold on that they did
not know that we are from Channels
TV, and we can continue filming when
some of them are carrying placards to
show their protest aganst certain
individuals that we can then come and
film.
“About 30 minutes later, as we were
about filming the protest, another
group of thugs, about 20 in number,
pounced on us again and really
smashed our camera again. We had to
run to a petrol station for cover.”
There has been recurring violence in
Ilorin West LGA. Our correspondent
gathered that the violence affected the
congress in the LGA.
There was, however, no report of
violence in other venues of the
congresses as of the time of filing this
report.
The Kwara State PDP Chairman, Mr.
Iyiola Oyedepo, condemned the attack
of the journalists, wondering why
journalists on their official duties
would be attacked.
He said his party leadership will
address their supporters on the need
to avoid attacks on journalists.