Journalist petitions police over assault
| April 5, 2011 12:24AM |  print  email   |
Xavier Ndah, a crime reporter with the Moment Newspaper in Lagos, has petitioned the Lagos State Commissioner for Police following his alleged arrest and detention by officers of the Ketu Police Station while on election duties on Saturday.
Mr Ndah said he was stripped naked and detained in the cell on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer of the police station after officers saw him taking pictures of person arrested by the police for flouting the no movement restriction on election day. "On April 2, 2011, I was directed by my organization to join other colleagues to monitor election in Lagos State," he said. "That on same day I went to Ketu. At the bus stop, I noticed that despite the no movement order, some members of the public still went out with their vehicles and policemen from Ketu division had mounted a roadblock and had arrested several vehicles. I stopped by and commended their effort of ensuring the no movement order was strictly adhered to."
The arrest
He narrated that immediately a policeman noticed that he was taking pictures, he was swamped by the officers. "An officer alerted the Divisional Police Officer, Mr Gwarzo, who ordered that I should be arrested and detained," he said. "Despite my pleas that I am a journalist and I went on to show them my identity card, but all these fell on deaf ears. The DPO seized my mobile telephone and had cut me off from communicating with anyone. I was stripped naked on the orders of the DPO."
Mr Xavier added that he was in the police custody for more than one hour before one of the police officers allowed him to call his colleagues who later came to his rescue. "It was a terrible experience and I saw this as an injustice," he said. "I am demanding an unreserved apology from the DPO, and I am by this petition demanding that he be sanctioned accordingly as his action amounts to intimidation and abuse of power. I have also briefed my lawyers and very soon you will hear from them."
Reacting, police spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, said the command is investigating the case.
Mr Ndah said he was stripped naked and detained in the cell on the orders of the Divisional Police Officer of the police station after officers saw him taking pictures of person arrested by the police for flouting the no movement restriction on election day. "On April 2, 2011, I was directed by my organization to join other colleagues to monitor election in Lagos State," he said. "That on same day I went to Ketu. At the bus stop, I noticed that despite the no movement order, some members of the public still went out with their vehicles and policemen from Ketu division had mounted a roadblock and had arrested several vehicles. I stopped by and commended their effort of ensuring the no movement order was strictly adhered to."
The arrest
He narrated that immediately a policeman noticed that he was taking pictures, he was swamped by the officers. "An officer alerted the Divisional Police Officer, Mr Gwarzo, who ordered that I should be arrested and detained," he said. "Despite my pleas that I am a journalist and I went on to show them my identity card, but all these fell on deaf ears. The DPO seized my mobile telephone and had cut me off from communicating with anyone. I was stripped naked on the orders of the DPO."
Mr Xavier added that he was in the police custody for more than one hour before one of the police officers allowed him to call his colleagues who later came to his rescue. "It was a terrible experience and I saw this as an injustice," he said. "I am demanding an unreserved apology from the DPO, and I am by this petition demanding that he be sanctioned accordingly as his action amounts to intimidation and abuse of power. I have also briefed my lawyers and very soon you will hear from them."
Reacting, police spokesman, Samuel Jinadu, said the command is investigating the case.
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