Shocking: How police ‘brutalise Nigerian journalist for taking photos of cattle’ in the north, details emerge

• A journalist working for a popular news medium has landed into serious trouble while reportedly carrying out his duty
• According to reports, the journalist, Gabriel Idibia, was reportedly brutalised by Nigerian police personnel for taking pictures of policemen shepherding a large number of cattle in Kaduna state
• The Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) confirmed the development via a statement and shared further details

Legit.ng journalist Esther Odili has over two years of experience covering political parties and movements.

Gabriel Idibia, a journalist with the Daily Times, has been reportedly brutalised for “taking pictures of cattle shepherded by police”.

Police allegedly ‘brutalise journalist for taking photos of cattle’. Photos for illustration purposes. Photo credit: Atlantide phototravel/GettyImages
Source: Getty Images

Journalist arrest: Group blows hot over police action

Idibia was said to have taken the pictures along the Kachia expressway in Kaduna state and was subsequently arrested on June 11.

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In a statement on Saturday, June 22, the Coalition for Whistleblowers Protection and Press Freedom (CWPPF) condemned the arrest.

As reported by The Cable, the group added that Idibia was carrying out his constitutional duty.

Idibia said he suffered eye injuries as a result of the torture and inhumane treatment meted out to him by the aggrieved officers. The Police have however denied claims of torture and brutalisation.

In an interview with The ICIR, Idibia said the incident happened on a public road on Tuesday, June 11.

According to him, he was apprehended and whisked to the CID Police Station in the Gabasawa area, in Kaduna, the state capital, on the allegation that he snapped them while they were transporting the cattle to an unknown destination.

“Mr. Gabriel Idibia in a chat with the Centre for Journalism, Innovation and Development (CJID) confirmed that he was arrested and taken to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) police station, Gabasawa, while taking pictures of a large herd of cattle being shepherded by the police on Kachia expressway, a usually busy road in the state,” the statement reads.

Speaking further, the group explained how the journalist landed into trouble;

“He was thereafter taken into custody and brutally beaten up. Mr Idibia insists that the physical torture severely affected his eyes, forcing him to access eye treatment.

“His allegations have been corroborated by media reports and an eyewitness that was arrested along with him.

“Before his arbitrary arrest, Mr Idibia had presented his I.D card to the police officers to identify himself as a journalist trying to cover the blockage of the Kachia expressway by the herd of cattle led by the same policemen.

"He was however denied an audience by the belligerent officers who asked him to leave the scene of the incident for no reason.

“The police officers thereafter seized his mobile phone and identity card when Mr. Idibia tried to take a picture of the road blockage and took him to the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) police station, Gabasawa where he was detained from morning till late in the evening.”

The coalition said Idibia narrated how the policemen forced him to write a statement without access to his lawyers or colleagues.

“On getting to the police station, one of the officers who brought me to the station punched me in the face, and hit one of my eyes, leaving me almost blinded,” the statement quoted Idibia as saying.

Mansir Hassan, spokesperson of the Kaduna police command, said he saw no sign of assault on the journalist.

“He was eventually granted bail on self recognition,” Hassan was quoted as saying.

The coalition asked Kayode Egbetokun, inspector-general of police (IGP), to ensure that a thorough investigation is conducted into the incident.

CWPPF also demanded punishment for any officer found culpable.

Police react as soldier stabbed mechanic to death in Abuja

In another development, Legit.ng reported that a mechanic identified as Yellow Bobo was allegedly stabbed to death by a soldier during an argument in Kugbo mechanic village along the Keffi-Abuja road in Abuja.

The soldier reportedly fled the scene after the incident. The incident sparked a crisis in the area, with an angry mob allegedly setting the soldier’s vehicle on fire.

Yusuf Mustapha, a mechanic in the area, disclosed that the police have taken up the matter and the venue of the incident to restore peace in the area.

Source: Legit.ng