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SARS invade Adamawa NUJ, brutalise journalists

By Emmanuel Ande, Yola 
04 April 2020   |   3:33 am
The Adamawa State lockdown took a dangerous turn on Thursday evening when the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) invaded the state secretariat of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) where reporters gathered to file their reports using the facility’s internet services...

The Adamawa State lockdown took a dangerous turn on Thursday evening when the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) invaded the state secretariat of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ) where reporters gathered to file their reports using the facility’s internet services due to the closure of business centres.

The operation was led by the OC of SARS in the state in conjunction with the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of Jimeta Division. The OC SARS entered the press centre about 6:28p.m and started making phone calls and within few minutes six Toyota Hilux vans filled with heavily armed police operatives invaded the centre and started beating and forcing journalists into the vehicles.

After the operations, 12 journalists including the state chairman of the NUJ, Mr. Ishaku Dedan, and 11 others were taken into SARS’ detention facility.

While SARS operatives were arresting journalists discharging their duties at the NUJ secretariat, the birthday party of one of the police officers was going on at the police officers mess located along Galadima Aminu Way with over 100 people in attendance.

The detained journalists were however released within two hours on the directive of the Commissioner of Police, Audu Adamu Madaki.The Commissioner also directed the operatives that made the arrests to tender an apology to the NUJ within three days.

Speaking after his release, Dedan said: “If the police said my members were socialising did they arrest anyone as bar attendant? The OC SARS has a different motive against journalists.”

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