NSCDC to punish officers for brutalizing journalist in Nasarawa
Nasarawa State Commander, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Abbas Muhammed, has condemned the attack on Breeze FM Lafia News Chief, Edwin Philip, who was covering the elections for the post of Governor and the State Assembly on Saturday, March 18.
The journalist was beaten by Nasarawa NSCDC personnel, who were on routine patrol and monitoring the election process.
The incident happened at polling unit 061 in the Ciroma ward of the state’s Lafia local government area.
In a press release issued by NSCDC Nasarawa State public relations officer Jerry Victor on Sunday, the commander described the attack as a shameful act.
He apologized to the Nigeria Union of Journalists, the Nasarawa State Council and the general public, assuring that such an incident would not happen again.
“Nasarawa State Commander of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps, Abbas Bappa Muhammed, received with great shock the news of the attack on Chief Information Officer, Breeze FM Lafia, Mr. Edwin Philip at Voting Unit 016, Chiroma Ward, Lafia Local Government Council, in the gubernatorial and state assembly elections by some members of the Nasarawa State Command who were carrying out a routine patrol and monitoring the electoral processes in the metropolis of Lafia,” the statement said.
“Commander Bappa condemned this act in its entirety, as it does not accurately reflect the character and attributes of the command personnel. He pledged to investigate the incident to find the perpetrators of the attack on the journalist.
“He stressed the need for officers and men in command to demonstrate a high level of professionalism in the performance of their duties.
“The state commander had ordered that the injured journalist receive immediate medical attention with the promise to settle all incurred bills in order to avoid any health complications.”
Speaking shortly after the incident, Philip alleged he was beaten on the orders of a certain Adon Garin Lafia.
According to him, while reporting live on the election proceedings at his station, Breeze FM’s Situation Room when he received a call that voters at polling station 061, Chiroma Ward, Lafia East, are invited to return to vote after being accredited against the new ballot. law.
“On arriving at the scene, the voters told me that they had to be accredited and go home to return at 2:30 p.m., while their fingers are dotted, symbolizing that they have voted,” he said.
“Seeing an unidentified local traditional title holder, I walked away from the voting unit as he became violent and started beating up some voters
“All of a sudden he disappeared from the polling station only to reappear with the NSCDC staff and ordered them to beat me and take me away, they beat me and left a deep cut on my head and swollen body”,
He said staff took his wristwatch, fez cap and mobile phone and then returned his mobile phone, adding that he reported the matter to NSCDC Nasarawa Command and the Nigerian Police, division A Lafia.
