TWO JOURNALISTS ATTACKED BY THUGS IN EBONYI STATE

Two journalists, Mr Charles Otu of the Guardian newspapers and Mr Samuel Nweze, Publisher of the People’s Leader, have been attacked in Abakaliki, Ebonyi.

The Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Jude Madu, confirmed the two incidents and said that the police have launched investigation to unravel the motive behind the attacks.

“The reports of the attacks on two journalists are before the police and we have launched investigation to unravel the motive behind the attacks and identities of those involved”, Madu said.


Otu told the News Agency of Nigeria, in Abakaliki on Saturday that suspected political thugs accosted him at about 6.p.m. on Friday at Vanco Junction in Abakaliki and started beating him with clubs and other dangerous weapons.

He said the beating attracted passers-by, “but the thugs threatened to shoot anybody that interfered.’’

He said he was later abducted and taken to the `Ebonyi Cabinet Office’ where he was asked to write an undertaking never to write any story against the state government or be silenced permanently.