Hunger protest: Security operatives beat, arrest journalists, activists in Cross Rivers

Some journalists and activists were beaten up, handcuffed, and taken away by security agents to unknown destinations during the hunger protest in Calabar, Cross River State on Thursday. 

Mr Jonathan Igbal, the managing editor of the online newspaper, CrossRiverWatch, is one of the known journalists taken away.

They were taken away by security personnel alongside other activists early Thursday morning to an undisclosed destination.

The journalists followed some activists around the popular Mary Slessor circle in Calabar where a handful of them had gathered to mark the first day of the 10-day planned protest against alleged bad governance in Nigeria.

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The names of the activists arrested were not immediately known.

Monitoring the protest, Ugbal had posted a video in the morning which showed that the surrounding roads to the Mary Slessor roundabout had been deserted.

Reacting, Barrister James Ibor, a human rights activist, said the arrest and torture of the activists and journalists was condemnable.

He alleged that the heavily armed security agents who tortured the journalists came in four Hilux vehicles and SUVs.

“We challenged the authorities to produce any evidence that Ugbal and others were violent.

“This is very sad. It is a disappointment and we call on Gov Otu to order the release of these journalists and activists whom I believe strongly are in government’s custody.”