Imo: Punch reporter abducted, beaten, held in Govt House for interviewing protesters

…NUJ, PDP, CSOs, others kick

The Correspondent of the Punch newspaper, Chidiebube Okeoma Monday evening narrowly escaped death when security men attached to the Imo State government abducted and brutalized him for interviewing street sweepers, who were protesting six months unpaid stipends.
The thugs and policemen, who attacked and abducted Okeoma, took him to the Governor’s Office where the Governor’s Chief Security Officer, Shabba Adamu interrogated him for daring to interview the protesting sweepers ‘without a permit’.
This is also as the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) Imo State Council, led by Comrade Precious Nwadike, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) in the state have in strong and unmistakable terms condemned the abduction and brutality meted out on the newspaper’s correspondent.
A statement signed by the Caretaker Committee Chairman and Secretary of the Imo NUJ, Comrade Precious Nwadike and Comrade Austin Okoro respectively, regretted that Okeoma’s only offence was that he was seen at the scene of the protest, reporting the dehumanizing treatement of the 750 widows engaged to sweep streets of Owerri and some major roads.
The statement reads in part: “We had before now, raised the alarm over the frequent resort to violence and hostile self-help by agents of the Imo state government when dealing with journalists in the state. It appears that the deployment of such draconian measures to civil matters is beginning to take a frightening dimension.
“We therefore, call on the government of Imo State to release every gadget belonging to Okeoma and ensure that those involved in this dastardly act are brought to book to serve as a deterrent to others. We also demand that his medical bills are fully paid and a formal apology tendered to the innocent journalist .
“As a union, we shall not hesitate to take every legally permissible measure to enforce his rights to practise journalism in Imo State without fear. Journalists are not threats to our democracy. We promote democratic values and should always be seen as partners in progress rather than enemies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F3Wvdmgx0I8

The thugs and policemen, who attacked and abducted Okeoma, took him to the Governor’s Office where the Governor’s Chief Security Officer, Shabba Adamu interrogated him for daring to interview the protesting sweepers ‘without a permit’.

Did he also have permit? Where is the photo of the brutalized journalist?

sweepers protest in Igbo land? I thought Igbo people are rich and they don't have poor people because of their hardworking



when I thought those chest beating here are real with if Igbo leave Nigeria will suffered crabs, so they've sweepers?



clown

The real clown is yourself....who doesn't realize that every clean society has people whose job is to sweep the streets & keep them clean....even the yankee wey u dey dream to go has street sweepers who make $30/hr.
But ur bigotry won't let you see front...NL has truly gone to the dogs....having sweepers is now a problem. U think IMO state is as dirty as your village ?

Ategberoson:
sweepers protest in Igbo land? I thought Igbo people are rich and they don't have poor people because of their hardworking



when I thought those chest beating here are real with if Igbo leave Nigeria will suffered crabs, so they've sweepers?



clown

moriss33:
The real clown is yourself....who doesn't realize that every clean society has people whose job is to sweep the streets & keep them clean....even the yankee wey u dey dream to go has street sweepers who make $30/hr.
But ur bigotry won't let you see front...NL has truly gone to the dogs....having sweepers is now a problem. U think IMO state is as dirty as your village ?

I thought Igbo hired outsider to do that for them or is sweeping part of being industrious?



you should check threads where your kinsmen chest beat of feeding the entire Nigeria. clown

Seniorman take corrections & stop with the bigotry & insults...it won't take you anywhere.
Point to any evidence to buttress ur claims...street sweeping is the bone of contention here not chestbeating about feeding the whole nation...no dey shift goal post.
Abeg no let ur hatred for the ibo race end you...infact
I decree that u will live long to witness the greatness of the ibo nation.

Ategberoson:




I thought Igbo hired outsider to do that for them or is sweeping part of being industrious?



you should check threads where your kinsmen chest beat of feeding the entire Nigeria. clown

The guys above me, una too like quarrel

moriss33:
Seniorman take corrections & stop with the bigotry & insults...it won't take you anywhere.
Point to any evidence to buttress ur claims...street sweeping is the bone of contention here not chestbeating about feeding the whole nation...no dey shift goal post.
Abeg no let ur hatred for the ibo race end you...infact
I decree that u will live long to witness the greatness of the ibo nation.

People don't take correction on Nairaland.
This site is home to the highest concentration of nonentities in Nigeria.

Bigotry and tribalism drive Nairaland; the same problems that have stopped Nigeria from making progress.

This forum represents everything wrong with the Nigerian state.

moriss33:
Seniorman take corrections & stop with the bigotry & insults...it won't take you anywhere.
Point to any evidence to buttress ur claims...street sweeping is the bone of contention here not chestbeating about feeding the whole nation...no dey shift goal post.
Abeg no let ur hatred for the ibo race end you...infact
I decree that u will live long to witness the greatness of the ibo nation.

Igbo people are rich people, you're surely not Igbo for not accepting this truth. those sweepers must be from delta state



if correction dey hungry you, go organize small wood school to be correcting kids in your vicinity. you people like to insult but hate to be insult


we just started on this forum, let everyone be bigotry. una never see anything

SmartPolician:


People don't take correction on Nairaland.
This site is home to the highest concentration of nonentities in Nigeria.

Bigotry and tribalism drive Nairaland; the same problems that have stopped Nigeria from making progress.

This forum represents everything wrong with the Nigerian state.

correction that Igbo are the one feeding the entire Nigeria and Nigeria will suffered if Igbo leave



or Igbo land is rich to have sweepers, these claims are all your kinsmen statement here, so what you two are ranting about I don't understand



is it that there is lies in Igbo being rich or their capability to feed the entire nation? what's bigotry in reaffirming your kinsmen statement



the ability to write doesn't make you a smart individual if your brain keep having brain failure

Seniorman nobody is fighting with you lol...whatever greviances u have with the ibo race,I humbly apologize on dia behalf.
Abeg it's to early to be this bitter cuz I refuse to believe you were born this way.
Correction can come 4rm anywia sir...even little kids like us can correct you adults.
Let me reiterate my prayer 4 you...you will live long enough to see the greatness of the ibo race.

Ategberoson:




Igbo people are rich people, you're surely not Igbo for not accepting this truth. those sweepers must be from delta state



if correction dey hungry you, go organize small wood school to be correcting kids in your vicinity. you people like to insult but hate to be insult


we just started on this forum, let everyone be bigotry. una never see anything

Boss dem get plenty bitter & frustrated souls on NL.
As the economy no good...they come here to vent dia anger & frustration on anything instead of on the Politicans that they sold dia votes to.
Come 2023 they will still sell dia votes 4 peanuts & come here to vent dia anger when another tribes agitates to 4 secession.
U wont believe someone is angry cuz IMO state has street sweepers ?
Like is that a bad thing ?
Is it now wrong to have sweppers in ibo land ?
Nothing wey person no go see 4 NL.

SmartPolician:


People don't take correction on Nairaland.
This site is home to the highest concentration of nonentities in Nigeria.

Bigotry and tribalism drive Nairaland; the same problems that have stopped Nigeria from making progress.

This forum represents everything wrong with the Nigerian state.

moriss33:
Seniorman nobody is fighting with you lol...whatever greviances u have with the ibo race,I humbly apologize on dia behalf.
Abeg it's to early to be this bitter cuz I refuse to believe you were born this way.
Correction can come 4rm anywia sir...even little kids like us can correct you adults.
Let me reiterate my prayer 4 you...you will live long enough to see the greatness of the ibo race.

are southeasterners not rich and wealthy people?


are your kinsmen not the one that developed Lagos and the world at large?


why denying the wealth of your kinsmen that will make non Igbo in Nigeria suffer if they exit?



are all these your essay writing to justify your kinsmen statement here of being rich or to decline it?

moriss33:
Boss dem get plenty bitter & frustrated souls on NL.
As the economy no good...they come here to vent dia anger & frustration on anything instead of on the Politicans that they sold dia votes to.
Come 2023 they will still sell dia votes 4 peanuts & come here to vent dia anger when another tribes agitates to 4 secession.
U wont believe someone is angry cuz IMO state has street sweepers ?
Like is that a bad thing ?
Is it now wrong to have sweppers in ibo land ?
Nothing wey person no go see 4 NL.

repeating the same thrash all to justify what's not, how is repeating the same thing your kinsmen do say here vent of anger or bla bla you cooked up there



you need to go for a brain check up with this your childish impression


are Igbo people not rich people?

Seniorman it yaf do nah...US wey get money pass Nigeria,pays dia sweppers $30/hr more than your government pays sweppers a month.
Plenty ibo men & Nigerians would kill to get that job, I have told you show me where ibos said they can't sweep streets on NL but u can't?
An Ibo man Joe igbokwe is commissar 4 gutter affairs in lagos...what is ur problem oga ??

Ategberoson:



repeating the same thrash all to justify what's not, how is repeating the same thing your kinsmen do say here vent of anger or bla bla you cooked up there



you need to go for a brain check up with this your childish impression


are Igbo people not rich people?

moriss33:
Seniorman it yaf do nah...US wey get money pass Nigeria,pays dia sweppers $30/hr more than your government pays sweppers a month.
Plenty ibo men & Nigerians would kill to get that job, I have told you show me where ibos said they can't sweep streets on NL but u can't?
An Ibo man Joe igbokwe is commissar 4 gutter affairs in lagos...what is ur problem oga ??

oh I didn't know there is sweepers in USA until you're just telling me now, no be the work that some Nigerians do there? I mean Nigeria that come to build houses in your villages



the nutshell of your jargons is that not all Igbo people are rich as it was erroneously claimed by your kinsmen here !