From Cyriacus Nnaji, Lagos
An independent journalist with DigiVation Network, Hilary Damissah has suffered brutalisation at the hands of some overzealous Nigeria security operatives.
The editor with the organisation despite his visible media identification tag was in the midst of some protesters around the Berger Roundabout area on day three of the hashtag EndBadGovernanceInNigeria national protest when the unfortunate incident occurred.
Hilary who came out in response to the call of duty to have a first-hand information about the goings-on on that fateful day became a victim of the dehumanisation of the Nigerian Police brutality against journalists. He was tear-gassed at close range from a Stationed Police Hilux van while trying to take photographs of some protesters and onlookers which the officers considered unacceptable to them. While trying to scamper to safety, he was further assaulted including the use of baton to bruise him as he sustained serious injury and deep cut on his pointer finger. He thereafter managed to scupper to a safe place while gasping for breath before some of the protesting youths came to his aid and rushed him to a medical facility at Games Village, Kaura District of Abuja for medication.
According to an eye witness at the scene of the event, the journalist was unfortunate because some moments before the incident, a combined team of the Nigerian Police and that of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) had informed some of the protesters that the Berger location was not opened or approved for any anti-government protest. According to the security personnel, such an action would be resisted for what they described as “order from above”. “We are here to enforce law and ensure strict compliance to all the directives which forbids any demonstration around this place and anyone who refuses to obey will have themselves to blame” retorted a senior Police Officer whose name tag was not displayed on his uniform the eye witness stated.
It was unfortunate that the journalist experienced the excesses of the Police. One of the protesters who simply identified himself as Aminu further narrated what transpired. “It was just when some of the demonstrators moved towards the Berger Roundabout bearing various anti-government banners, especially from the Utako axis chanting solidarity songs that the Police man threw a tear-gas canister at him while he was also beaten to near stupor by the very huge officer, he ran towards the on coming crowd before the officer retreated”, he stated.
In a related development, at the Moshood Abiola National Stadium, security operatives moved into the venue of the hunger protest in an attempt to force the protesters to disperse. The masked official mounted a post at a strategic position near one of the main entrances to the stadium. After a while the protesters regrouped but this time around the security forces fired gunshots into the air and used tear gas to disperse the crowd and in the process arrested some protesters and journalists some of whom were later released upon self-identification. This hard and uncivil stance of the security personnel is a development which comes after Christopher Musa, the Chief of Defence Staff had threatened that the military would take action over the situation if the protests gets out of hand.
