Wednesday 4 February 2015

Soldiers Brutalize Journalist In Ekiti

Soldiers detailed to provide security in Ado Ekiti yesterday brutalized the Daily Sun Correspondent of Ekiti State chapter of the Correspondents' Chapel, Mr. Wole Balogun. According to the victim, the incident occurred at about 10:05 at the Okeyinmi roundabout opposite the First Bank office in Ado Local Government Area of Ado Ekiti.


Balogun said he was trying to ask a motorist who had blocked his way and caused a gridlock to reverse his vehicle when the unknown soldiers, two of them, swooped  on him and began beating him with their belts.

The reporter further said all attempts to explain the situation to the soldiers fell on deaf ears as they whipped him continuously on his head and body till he rushed into his car and drove off to avert further tragedy.

Said he: "This morning I was driving from my place on Ajibade lane to the Ekiti State University (EKSU) campus for an event of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) I was invited to cover. As I approached the Oke yinmi roundabout directly opposite the First bank office in the area, I noticed a small hold up on the way to Adebayo and then tried to negotiate the bend so I could pass through the Okeyimin road as link to Ifaki Road, suddenly a motorist, obviously a member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who was driving down from the same road blocked my way.

 I hooted severally to him to reverse so the road could be free but he was adamant. Thinking he was not hearing the horn, I came out of my car to go and meet him and tell him to reverse the vehicle that it was already causing a hold up.

It was at this point that two young soldiers  appeared from my back and started beating me with their belts and boots.

 They whipped and kicked me severally and even hit me with their belts and ordered me to enter my car and drive to any where. All efforts to explain what really happened to them fell on deaf ears and even infuriated them the more as they continuously beat me on the head and all over the body.

  " I had to run back to my car, enter it and drove just to any where. In a couple of minutes my head was covered with my own blood and I had to seek help at a near-by hospital. I must have lost a lot of blood from the cut on my head which was caused by the metal on the belt of the soldiers. Right now I'm feeling very weak and feverish, he said.

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