Hoodlums suspected to be political thugs on Friday night attacked a popular hotel in the Orazi axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, disrupting a live Arise News Television interview being conducted with a former Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa.
The Arise News TV crew was reportedly in the middle of the live interview at the hotel when the assailants stormed the premises, as Nwibubasa spoke on the political situation in the state.
Eyewitnesses said the hoodlums, who were reportedly armed, broke into rooms in the hotel at about 9:15 pm, allegedly searching for the former commissioner and the Arise News TV cameraman.
“They were chanting in their local language, forcing doors open and seizing people’s phones. Workers in the hotel started running helter-skelter,” an eyewitness said, according to PUNCH.
It was gathered that the assailants later located the spot where the interview was ongoing and threatened the former commissioner and members of the Arise News TV crew, forcing them to discontinue the live broadcast.
One of the reporters with the Arise News TV crew said that he received a distress call from his colleague and immediately rushed to the hotel.
“At that point, I called the police control room and also made calls across to some of my colleagues. The police responded and said they were on their way to the hotel.
“When I arrived, the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area was already on the ground with his men.
“Together with the hotel manager, they ensured that the former commissioner and the journalist were brought out of the hotel and taken to the Kala Police Station,” he said.
He added that as of the time of filing this report, the police had taken their statements.
Speaking also, an Arise News TV cameraman, identified as Promise, said the assailants seized some of his equipment.
“The men seized my Sony Canada Z280, industrial tripod, wireless microphone and other accessories,” he said.
Promise expressed shock over the incident, noting that he had just concluded filing a report of an earlier assignment before commencing the live interview.
“I had just filed that report before starting with the former commissioner on a programme called News Night when two men stormed the place and disrupted the live interview,” he said.
He added that the assailants made threatening remarks but fled on sighting police officers who responded to distress calls.
When contacted, Nwibubasa confirmed that he was safe, adding that a team of policemen came to his rescue.
He, however, condemned the attack, describing it as unhealthy for democracy.
“I was already rounding off the interview and speaking about the forthcoming 2027 general elections. They are already showing signs of what will happen.
“See how they were breaking down doors looking for me. Why? This is a free society,” he said.
The media’ efforts on Saturday to reach the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, Grace Iringe-Koko, for reaction and confirmation of the incident failed.
The media made several calls to her mobile phone number but she did not answer, nor respond to the message sent to her.
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