NSCDC personnel brutalizes journalist covering election in Nasarawa
Story from Ibraheem Hamza Muhammad, Nasarawa
A personnel of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence corps (NSCDC), on Saturday brutalised Head of the News, Breeze FM, Lafia, Mr. Edwin Philip, while doing live coverage of Governorship and State House Assembly election in Nasarawa State.
Philip said he was beaten by NSCDC personnel when he was performing his constitutional and legitimate role in an election day.
According to him, while reporting election proceeding live to his station, Breeze fm situation room when he got a call that voters at one polling unit 061, Chiroma ward, Lafia East, are asked to come back to vote after being accredited against the electoral new law.
“On reaching the venue I was told by the electorates that they were told to be acreditated and go back home to return by 2: 30 pm, while their fingers are dotted by in symbolising that they have voted.
“On sighting a unidentified local traditional title holder, I moved away from the polling unit as he became violent and started beaten up some electorates.
“All of sudden he disappeared from the polling unit only to reappeared with NSCDC personnel and ordered them to beat me up and take me away, they beat me and left a deep cut on head and swollen body,” he narrated.
He said that the personnel took his wrist watch, fez cap and his mobile phone and later return his mobile phone to him, adding that he had reported the matter to NSCDC Nasarawa Command and Nigerian police, A division Lafia.
The NSCDC Nasarawa State Command Public Relation Officer, Mr Victor Jerry confirmed the attacked to newsmen in Lafia.
The PRO, however, said the personnel who carried out the attack were not deployed from Nasarawa state Command, noting that the command would launch an investigation to fish out whoever behind the attack to bring them to book.
