Saviola Godwin, a broadcaster with a radio station in Owerri, the Imo State capital, has raised a cry against police brutality targeted at journalists in the State, after being brutalized by police officers, and having his electronic devices smashed.
Narrating the incident to TOAST FM’s correspondent, Saviola said he was heading for a meeting with a friend, when they were halted by the police officers whom he said he believed “were high on drugs” at a “usual stop and search” checkpoint.
On being asked for the car documents, he presented complete documents to them but was surprised at the eventual turn out of the incident, as their conversation rather turned into an assault by the officers.
He stated that the officers, who were “led by one Mr. Isa” became aggressive to him and his friend, smashing their phones, tearing their dresses, and even firing a bullet that nearly hit them.
The radio presenter said he sustained injuries on his head, and had a swollen face, despite receiving medical attention afterward.
Saviola while calling for justice and right actions to be taken by the Police State Command, said ‘This is becoming a recurrent decimal in the state. What we demand is Justice! I demand that I be taken care of too. I demand Justice!”
In recounting a similar incident that occurred between a Print Media Correspondent, Chidiebube Okeoma, and some personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps at the Federal Girls’ Government College, Owerri, Saviola alleged that journalists, seem to be the target of security personnel in the state.
“These acts are targeted at journalists. Once you mention you are a journalist, it becomes a trigger. The moment they learned I’m Saviola who works at Osiza FM, they even became angrier. They even mentioned Chinonso Uba NonsoNkwa, and said ‘we will soon come for that one. Their targets are journalists”, he said.
In trying to reach the Imo State Police Public Relations Officer, Mike Abatam, and get their reaction on the incident, the Police Control Post through a phone call with our correspondent, promised to inform him of our attempts to contact and to return the call, still being awaited for.
However, Saviola informed our reporter that the PPRO who reached him confirmed hearing Isa’s version of the story, and promised to take action while pleading with him to keep the story “low key”.
