Thugs Barge Into Rivers Hotel, Interrupt Live Arise-TV Interview, Make Off With Camera And Gear
Armed youths, believed to be political thugs, stormed a hotel in Rivers State's Obio/Akpor Local Government Area on Friday night, disrupting a live broadcast by Arise Television. The thugs, who were chanting in their local language, broke into rooms, threatened staff, and seized phones, forcing the interview to end abruptly. They made off with broadcasting equipment, including a camera and microphone.
A team of Arise TV crew was conducting a live interview with former Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa, at a hotel in Rivers State when things took a violent turn. Nwibubasa was discussing the state's political situation on News Night, reportedly touching on issues that didn't align with Minister of Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, when a man at the hotel's lounge allegedly summoned armed thugs.
The thugs, who arrived around 9:15 pm, were armed and broke into rooms searching for Nwibubasa and the Arise TV cameraman. They claimed the interview was conducted in their territory and sounded anti-Wike. The commissioner and cameraman narrowly escaped, but the thugs made off with broadcasting equipment, including a camera and microphone.
Nwibubasa condemned the attack, calling it unhealthy for democracy. The police have taken statements from those involved, and investigations are ongoing.
It narrated: “They were chanting in their local language (Ikwerre) that they would not allow such interview on their land. They were forcing doors open searching for the former commissioner and the Arise TV guys.
“The workers in the hotel started running helter-skelter. They later got to the spot where the interview was holding and started threatening the former commissioner and the Arise crew to discontinue the interview and forced them to stop.”
Arise TV news reporter, Mr Andy Omano, who had also escaped the scene, reached out to the police for distress.
He said: “At that point I called the police control room and also put a call across to some of my colleagues. The police responded and said they were on their way to the hotel.
“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of the area arrived with his men. Together with the hotel manager they ensured that the commissioner and the journalist came down and were taken out of the hotel to the Kala Police Station where they made statemens on what transpared.”
The Arise TV Camera man, Promise narrating his ordeal said: “The men seized my tSonny Canada Zed 280, industrial tripod, wireless microphone and other accessories.”
“I had just filed that report before starting with the former Commissioner in a programme called News Night when two men stormed the place and disrupted the live programme. “
Nwibubassa condemned the attack, stating that the development is not healthy in a democracy.
He said: “I was already rounding off the interview and speaking about the forth-coming 2027 general elections. They (assailants) have are already showing us signs of what will happen. See how they were breaking doors looking for me. Why? This is a free society. “