NSCDC responds to ‘beating’, detention of journalists, lawyer in Kwara

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has reacted to the alleged beating and detaining of some online journalists and a female lawyer in Kwara State.

The Chairman of the Association of Online Media Practitioners in the state, Salihu Shola Taofeek, had alleged that he and one of his staff who is the Editor of Informant247, Ayatullahi, including one Eyitanwa Lawal, a lawyer turned journalist with SOBI FM, were mercilessly beaten and locked up in the cell by the NSCDC at the weekend when they went to the command over a cousin that was arrested following a family matter.

He said, “On getting there, we were told it was a family issue and directed to the Peace and Conflict Resolution Unit of the command. At the unit, we were told that the detainee fought with the wife of one of their officers, simply identified as Kannike.

“We were about to leave when Lawal came and the officer at the counter started to abuse her for speaking with a detainee under their care.

• Okorocha launches project to return 1million children to school
• NASENI develops 150 innovative locally made products

“They called their colleagues, numbering about 30. The three of us were mercilessly beaten and our clothes torn in the process. They seized our phones, profiled us as suspects and we were thrown into detention for more than four hours before we were forced to write an undertaking dictated to us.”

But the NSCDC spokesman, Olasunkanmi Ayeni, denied any assault.

According to him, one Yusuf Yahaya reported a case against one Mr Damilola Bolanta.

He explained that, “The case was handled professionally until Lawal came to interfere in the official duty of our staff uninvited. She started hurling insults on one of the officers and the organisation right inside the premises of the command and had to be detained for constituting nuisance and obstructing officers from carrying out their lawful duties.”

He said the three of them were released after “about an hour following the intervention of some lawyers” before an undertaking was written on their behalf by Taofeek acknowledging her unruly behaviour.