The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has arrested two journalists from the international news agency Agence France-Presse (AFP) who were covering the ongoing #FreeNnamdiKanuNow protest in Abuja.
The journalists, identified as American correspondent Nick Roll and Nigerian videographer John Okunyomih, were reportedly detained while documenting the demonstration. Press freedom advocates have since demanded their release.
According to reports by TheCable, the duo were apprehended on Monday near the entrance of the Transcorp Hilton Hotel in the Maitama area of the Federal Capital Territory, where police officers were seen firing teargas to disperse protesters demanding the release of detained IPOB leader, Nnamdi Kanu.
The AFP staffers were filming the chaos when officers violently accosted and attempted to restrain them.
During the confrontation, their camera got damaged while their phones were seized.
The operatives also allegedly yanked off the journalists’ teargas protection.
Subsequently, Roll was released but Okunyomih was taken to the FCT command criminal investigation department (CID), and let go much later.
The police also arrested Aloy Ejimakor, one of the lawyers representing Nnamdi Kanu, leader of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
Earlier, police emptied teargas canisters on commuters at the Central Business District of Abuja as activists assembled to commence the protest.
Some of the commuters were waiting for vehicles to take them to workplaces when they were teargassed.
The protest is being spearheaded by Omoyele Sowore, publisher of Sahara Reporters and ex-presidential candidate.
Kanu has been in the custody of the Department of State Services (DSS) since his re-arrest in June 2021. He has been on trial at the federal high court in Abuja.
FOLLOW US ON:
FACEBOOK
TWITTER
PINTEREST
TIKTOK
YOUTUBE
LINKEDIN
TUMBLR
INSTAGRAM
