Nigerian Army to punish soldiers who assaulted journalists

The Nigerian Army has vowed to punish the soldiers who participated in the assault on journalists in Umuahia on Tuesday.

During the sad occurrence, at least two journalists were reportedly assaulted. The soldiers had accused the press men of filming them as they rode by the state secretariat of Nigerian Union of Journalists.

The newsmen said the troops smashed their mobile phones and other electronic devices during the incident.

The incident has sparked tension across the state, prompting Governor Okezie Ikpeaze to declare a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state’s commercial town of Aba.

In his reaction to the soldiers’ assault on journalists, Oyegoke Badamosi, a spokesperson for the Nigerian Army 14 Brigade in Ohafia, said preliminary investigation has revealed that soldiers indeed launched aggression against the reporters who were on their legitimate duties.

“What happened was that while the soldiers on patrol near the Abia State NUJ Secretariat, they noticed some people filming them.

“Unfortunately, they seized and damaged their recording devices; an iPad and 2 mobile phones. Preliminary investigation shows that the items belong to journalists on their legitimate duties.

“Consequently, the Commander 14 Brigade and Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division waded into the matter which has since been resolved amicably.”

Mr. Badamosi, a major, however, said the magnitude of the incident was not as reported by some media outlets.

“The magnitude is not as was reported,” he said.