The Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that its personnel foiled a near-deadly attack by armed youths on a television guest and members of the ARISE News crew during a live broadcast on Friday night.
The incident occurred at a hotel in the Orazi axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state, where ARISE News was conducting a live interview.
According to the police, suspected political thugs, reportedly armed, stormed the hotel premises while the interview was ongoing, disrupting the programme and attacking the television crew and their broadcast equipment.
The guest on the programme was a former Rivers State Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa.
Narrating his ordeal, ARISE News reporter, Mr Andy Omano, said he narrowly escaped harm during the attack.
He explained that he immediately contacted the police control room and alerted colleagues as the situation escalated.
“At that point, I called the police control room and also put a call across to some of my colleagues. The police responded and said they were on their way to the hotel,” Omano said.
He added that the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area arrived promptly with his officers and, in collaboration with the hotel management, ensured the safe evacuation of Dr Nwibubasa and the cameraman.
“They were taken out of the hotel to the Kala Police Station, where they made statements on what transpired,” he said.
Confirming the incident in an official statement, the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, said timely police intervention prevented further harm to the journalists.
“Police timely intervention averted the attack on the media crew,” she stated.
She further disclosed that all items taken from the journalists, including the camera and other equipment, have been recovered.
“The items have been recovered and the journalists are safe,” Iringe-Koko added.
The police command has not yet disclosed whether any arrests have been made in connection with the attack.
