By Aminu Kutama
A Kano based radio station, Premier Radio, has condemned an alleged brutal attack on its staff, Muhammad Bello Dabai, by police officers.
The attack was reported to have occurred in front of the station while the staff was carrying out his lawful duties on Monday afternoon.
In a statement by Premier Radio’s Manager of News and Current Affairs, Mukhtar Yahaya Usman, the incident occurred around 3.30pm.
According to the station’s account, the attack on Muhammad Dabai happened in front of the Station while carrying out his lawful duties on Monday afternoon. The unfortunate incident happened at around 3:30pm when the attention of Mr Dabai was called to witness an escaping thief that was being pursued by the public as he was running away from Nassarawa Hospital where the Police have taken him for treatment.
According to statement, members of the public were in his pursuit and pelting him with stones, the thief fell down in front of our Station. Muhammad Bello Dabai was at the scene snapping the incident as a journalist for his news beat when one of the police officers confronted him to stop him, and a fracas ensued.
Even after Mr Dabai showed him his ID Card, and identified himself as a journalist, he was forcefully manhandled by the policeman, who pushed him into their service vehicle, declaring that they would take him to the Police Station for interrogation and detention. Mr Dabai was then beaten and slapped severally on their way to the office, where he was also forced to lie on the vehicle floor.
“When Premier Radio quickly reported the matter to the Area Commander of the Metro Police Command to secure the release of Mr Dabai, the Area commander rebuked his officers for their high-handedness. The recalcitrant police officers were however non-repentant and unapologetic,” the statement alleged.
The station therefore demanded a verifiable action on the unrepentant and brutal officers, including an unconditional apology without which we reserve the right to seek legal redress.
