HARRISON EDEH

THE Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) has made a demand of the Inspector-General of police (IGP), Tunji Disu, to identify and probe police officers who assaulted Sunday Michael Ogwu, the editor of Pinnacle Daily, in Abuja.

In a statement issued on Thursday, August 20, the coalition condemned the physical assault and harassment of Ogwu by officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), “supervised and led by the DPO of the Lugbe Police Division and members of the Vigilante Group of Nigeria (VGN)”.

According to the statement, the Pinnacle Daily editor said around 5 pm on August 19, he was taking a stroll at the Lugbe Federal Housing Estate (FHA) in Abuja when he encountered a joint demolition exercise.

Ogwu said the demolition exercise involved about four Hilux patrol vans bearing the inscription “Lugbe Police Division” alongside VGN members.

The editor said when he brought out his phone to film the exercise, a police officer snatched the device without warning.

Despite identifying himself as a journalist and asking to see the team leader, the police officers surrounded him and asked that he enter the patrol van alongside some youths.

“When he refused because he was a journalist and not a criminal, the officers flogged him with an electric cable on the instruction of the officer in charge for non-compliance,” the statement reads.

“In a further demonstration of impunity, after his phone was returned and he was told to leave, Mr. Ogwu walked approximately 100 metres away to record a video documenting the assault and send a distress message to his media organisation.

“Noticing that he was recording again, the police officers ran after him, dragged him back to the demolition site, and subjected him to a second round of flogging on the explicit order of the officer in charge, who declared that the first beating “was not enough”.

“The violent assault resulted in physical injury and severe damage to his phone before intervening passersby urged him to leave for his safety.”

The coalition said the “unprovoked brutality” of the editor and “lawlessness” of the Lugbe police division is “unsettling and unacceptable”.

The coalition said documenting the public operations of law enforcement agencies is a “constitutionally protected right, not a criminal offence”.

The coalition called on the IGP and the FCT police command to provide compensation for Ogwu over his damaged mobile phone and cover all medical expenses incurred due to the physical assault.

“We, therefore, call on the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, and the FCT Police Command to: Order an immediate, transparent investigation into the incident to identify, arrest, and discipline the police officers and VGN personnel involved in the assault on Sunday Michael Ogwu,” the coalition said.

“Provide full compensation to Mr. Ogwu for his damaged mobile phone and cover all medical expenses incurred due to the physical assault.

“Issue a formal public apology to Sunday Michael Ogwu and the management of Pinnacle Daily for the unlawful attack and destruction of property.

“Direct all police divisions across the FCT to immediately cease the intimidation, harassment, and physical assault of journalists covering public events.”