– The Army said the 10 people that were arrested did not identify themselves as journalists and one of them was a military deserter
– But eyewitness accounts claim that the military went from room-to-room in a Benin city hotel, fishing out the journalists at around 2.00am on Wednesday
Chief of Army Staff, Tukur Buratai
The Nigerian Army has denied that troops of the 4 Brigade and operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) on Wednesday, September 21, Nigerian Television Authority (NTA) reports.
The Army, in a statement signed by its public relations officer, Col. Sani Kukasheka Usman, said the report was ‘not correct’ because troops did not molest any civilian. It however claimed that only some suspects who did not identify themselves as journalists were picked up at a hotel.
The statement read: “The attention of the Nigerian Army has been drawn to an online publications alleging that Soldiers of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army and personnel of the Department of State Services (DSS) Edo State command of arresting and molesting 10 journalists in Benin, Edo State earlier today.
“This is not correct as the online media did not get their facts right.
“It is important to state that sequel to the prevailing security situation in the state which led to the postponement of the earlier scheduled Gubernatorial Election in Edo State, there were credible security reports that some unpatriotic persons have hired hoodlums with the intention of causing mayhem during the forthcoming election in the State. The reports further showed that the suspected hoodlums have been lodged in some hotels within Benin city and its environs.
“Acting on this, the DSS in conjunction with troops of 4 Brigade Nigerian Army carried out cordon and search operations in the suspected areas. This led to the arrest of 10 suspected persons in one of the hotel. Among the suspects arrested was a deserted soldier.
“It is pertinent to state that none of the arrested suspects identified himself as a journalist or mention the media he reports for, contrary to the allegations of the online media.
The statement continued: “In addition, quite a number of incriminating items including INEC sensitive materials were recovered from them.
“That notwithstanding, all the suspects were treated humanely and in the most dignified manner which has always been in accordance with our Code of Code and the tradition. Therefore none of them was molested at all during the operation and subsequent handing over to the relevant security agency.”
Premium Times had reported on Wednesday that some pressmen that arrived Benin on Tuesday, September 20 were arrested and molested by soldiers and secret service officials at their hotel.
“At approximately 1:45 a.m. soldiers and SSS agents stormed the hotel and demanded the whereabouts of our reporters. They went from room to room dragging them out and brutalising them,” Premium Times quoted Taiye Garick, the editor of Watchdog Media, as reporting based on eye witness accounts.
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