Some soldiers deployed to protect President Goodluck Jonathan’s private residence in Otuoke, Bayelsa state, on Thursday harassed and detained a Punch reporter, Simon Utebor, for attempting to take pictures of the president’s house.
Mr. Utebor was arrested by soldiers from the Joint Task Force in the Niger Delta and handed over to the police at Otuoke Police Station.
Mr. Utebor was accosted by soldiers on guard duty while taking photographs of on-going work on the palatial residence constructed while the president was in office.
Artisans were seen putting finishing touches to the premises consisting of multiple blocks of two storey buildings.
Mr. Jonathan is expected to be received on Friday by the Bayelsa Government at the Gabriel Okara Cultural Centre at 3p.m. and later in his Otuoke country home by his kinsmen.
Efforts to speak with the Punch correspondent were unsuccessful as his mobile phone was switched off.
When contacted the spokesperson of the Joint Task Force, Isa Ado, a lieutenant colonel, said he was out of station on official assignment but however, pledged to investigate the report and respond as soon as possible.But speaking to PREMIUM TIMES in a brief telephone interview, Mr. Utebor said he was yet to regain his freedom.
“I have been transferred to the State CID, and I have written a
statement on the incident and we are still waiting for the Police
authorities,” Mr. Utebor said.
Source : Premiumtimesng
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