Biafra: Nigerian Army vows to punish soldiers who invaded NUJ building

The Nigerian Army says the soldiers who carried out the assault on Journalists, Umuahia, Abia State yesterday, will be punished for the misconduct.

The soldiers had invaded Nigerian Union of Journalists, NUJ, building yesterday in the state, in the afternoon over the accusation that the journalists were filming them as they moved by the secretariat, leading to assault of two journalists.

The journalists said the troops smashed their mobile phones and other valuable electronic devices during the attack, which occurred when the soldiers were allegedly trying to barricade the residence of the Indigenous People of Biafra leader, Nnamdi Kanu.

Read also: Nnamdi Kanu Reveals How IPOB Members Stopped Soldiers From Entering His House

The soldiers also clashed with supporters of Nnamdi Kanu as they attempted to place him on house arrest.

The incident has generated tension and panic across the state, thereby prompting Governor Okezie Ikpeaze to declare a dusk-to-dawn curfew in the state’s commercial town of Aba.

In his reaction to the soldiers’ assault on journalists, Oyegoke Badamosi, a spokesperson of the Nigerian Army 14 Brigade in Ohafia, said preliminary investigation has revealed that soldiers indeed launched aggression against the reporters who were on their legitimate duties.

“What happened was that while the soldiers on patrol near the Abia State NUJ Secretariat, they noticed some people filming them.

Read also: See details of what transpired between soldiers and IPOB at Nnamdi Kanu’s residence

“Unfortunately, they seized and damaged their recording devices; an iPad and 2 mobile phones. Preliminary investigation shows that the items belong to journalists on their legitimate duties.

“Consequently, the Commander 14 Brigade and Deputy Director Army Public Relations 82 Division delved into the matter which has since been resolved amicably.”

Badamosi, however, said some media outlets had exaggerated the incident, saying “the magnitude is not as was reported”.