Abia State: Police begin trial of cops over radio station invasion

The Abia State Police Command said it had begun an orderly room trial of operatives that invaded a radio station on Umuahia last Tuesday.

The culprits were said to have stormed the ABN TV/Radio located at Azikiwe Road, Umuahia to arrest a guest, Udensi Bernard, during a live programme over a purported petition against him by his brother, one Onwuka.

The medium said the policemen forced their way into the studio to disrupt an ongoing live audience participatory programme that they had informed the guest to appear on some weeks back as he was best suited to speak on the subject matter.

Their conduct, according to the management of the media house, was provocative and the operatives acted with overzealousness and against the rules of engagement.

The media house had alleged that the arrest party did not come with a warrant and did not meet them to intimate them of their mission.

It said that they barged into their studio, damaged their facilities and whisked the guest away.

The medium described the actions of the policemen as a slap on them and a threat to journalism.

Video footage of the invasion by the policemen went viral on the social media attracting widespread condemnation.

Reacting to the incident, the Abia State Police Commissioner (CP), Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, said internal disciplinary measures had commenced against the culprits.

A statement by the spokesperson for the command, Maureen Chinaka, which confirmed the commencement of internal trial, did not reveal the identities of the culprits.

Chinaka said the CP had personally visited the radio station to apologise over the conduct of the personnel, adding that the culprits had been defaulted.

She further stated that the Abia State Police Command was committed to maintaining a professionally competent, service-driven, rule-of-law compliant, and people-friendly Police Force, in line with the vision of the Inspector General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.