Amnesty International Slams Nigeria Police For Arresting Suspect On A Live Television Program In Abia

Right group, Amnesty International has slammed the Abia State Police Command for arresting a suspect on live television program in Abia state.

Naija News reports that during a live broadcast of “Youth Rendezvous,”  a program hosted on ABN television by Grace Onyekachi on Wednesday, men of the Abia command violently arrested the show’s guest, Udensi Donald.

Condemning the conducts of the police officers that initiated the arrest in a post via its official X account, Amnesty International said that the incident clearly demonstrates total disregard of citizens right to freedom of expression and media freedom.

“Amnesty International condemns the invasion of the studios of ABN TV/Radio Umuahia Abia State by the Nigeria Police and the arbitrary arrest of a suspect who was participating in a live programme “Youth Rendezvous.” This incident clearly demonstrates total disregard for right to freedom of expression media freedom and the due process of law,” the statement read.

The commissioner of police for Abia State, Kenechukwu Onwuemelie, has already expressed regret for the unprofessional behavior of his officers when they broke into the ABN radio and television studio in Umuahia and took a guest of a live broadcast.

The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Maureen Chinaka, expressed apologies for the Wednesday incident in a message posted on Facebook on Thursday.

The statement read, “The Abia State Police Command wishes to address the recent incident involving the arrest carried out by some police personnel at an online radio studio in Umuahia.  ⁠Preliminary investigations into the incident indicate that the police officers who made the arrest, conducted themselves unprofessionally.”