Abia Police Command has ordered an orderly room trial of its personnel involved in the invasion of Abia Breaking News Television/Radio station in Umuahia.
A release by the Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO Moureen Chinaka, said that the Commissioner of Police Kenechukwu Onwuemelie who visited the station on the spot assessment of the situation had vowed to sanction the affected personnel if found culpable.
According to the release, the CP has condemned the unprofessional conduct of the affected personnel and apologised to the Director of the media house, Mr Ifeanyi Okali.
The release said that preliminary investigations into the incident indicated that “the police officers who made the arrest, conducted themselves unprofessionally.”
The release read in part:”While there is no law prohibiting a police officer from making an arrest in a studio, the facts surrounding the particular case being investigated by the police officers do not warrant such actions.
“The Commissioner of Police Abia State Command visited ABN TV/Radio on 17/1/24, where he conducted an on-the-spot assessment. He had discussions with the Director of ABN TV/Radio, and apologized for the conduct of the officers. The matter was resolved amicably.
“However, the officers have defaulted and their orderly room trial commences today 18/1/2023. If found guilty they will be disciplined accordingly.
“The Abia State Police Command is 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 Ebetokun, PhD NPM.”
Recall that policemen invaded the said station during a live programme to arrest a guest, one Mr Udensi Bernard.
The police claimed the elder brother of the guest, one Mr Uche Onwuka Udensi had written a petition against him over a family matter.
Despite repeated pleas by the staff of the media house to the officers to allow the programme to come to an end before the guest could be arrested, they insisted on whisking him away while the live programme was on.
The incident has attracted nationwide condemnation.
Okali had threatened to institute legal action against the police if they failed to tender a police apology and pay for the damaged equipment in the station
He, however, commended the CP for the visit but insisted that police brutality especially against the media must stop.
