By Chimezie Godfrey
A Civil Society Organisation, the Human Rights Defenders (HURIDE), Ebonyi State Chapter, has petitioned the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, over a recent assault meted out on the Abuja correspondent of Blueprint Newspapers, Mr Paul Okah, who was attacked on the 23rd day of August, 2020.
According to the report, Mr Paul Okah was allegedly attacked in the Afikpo home of an All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain.
The Chairman of HURIDE in Ebonyi State, Comrade Sam Oko Nweke (S.A.M) made this known Monday while presenting a copy of the petition to newsmen in Abuja.
He decried the incessant attack and persecution of journalists in Ebonyi State, noting that this new attack is coming barely one month after a similar attack on the Ebonyi State correspondent of The Punch Newspaper, Mr Edward Nnachi.
The petition reads in part: “Ebonyi State seems to be the headquarters of human right abuses in Nigeria today. Recently, we reported to your office of the attacks on Edward Nnachi, a Punch correspondent and other journalists in Ebonyi State by agents purportedly working for the State Government. The case of Mr. Paul Okah is yet another way of suppressing the truth in Ebonyi State.
“While home to make arrangements for the burial of his late father, on Saturday, August 22, 2020, Okah got a phone call from Pharm. Tony Ekoh to visit and cover his Ikeji activities (celebration of New Yam festival) the following day being Sunday.
“He got to Pharm. Tony Ekoh’s place around 4pm. On his arrival, he stumbled on Mudi and his cult boys. Immediately they saw him, they charged towards him and were roundly questioning his powers to report the activities of their master, Chief Mudi Erhenede and themselves.
“As he was trying to make representations, one Emmanuel Ibiam Ume (a.k.a Bakassi) from Enohia Itim in Afikpo slapped Okah, whereas other members of the same cult group, pledging loyalty to Erhenede, also descended heavily on him, while other cult boys watched as the manhandling lasted.
“Okah was fortunately rescued from the situation by bystanders, with the help of eyewitnesses and shepherded into another journalist’s car (Chief Unya Effor of Unity F.M, Abakaliki).
“Okah has been receiving threats to his life and that of his family members for discharging his legitimate duties as a professional journalist. On numerous occasions, he has received such threats to his life through phone calls by the cult boys with 07036862362. The threats still persist till date.”
He added: “In the course of investigation following the complaint, HURIDE phoned the accused, Barr Mudi Erhenede, who admitted that he was actually in Tony Ekoh’s compound on the said date of attack, but totally denied knowledge of the attack on the journalist by his alleged boys.
“HURIDE also contacted Pharm. Tony Ekoh, in whose compound the act was perpetrated, who acknowledged the presence of both Paul Okah and Barr Mudi Erhenede and his followers in his compound on the fateful date, but said nobody notified him when Paul Okah was being attacked.
HURIDE further stated: “In view of the above, we humbly pray for the following: That immediate investigation should be launched by your Men to unearth the whole truth about the human right abuses on journalists and other media practitioners in Ebonyi State, that the nefarious activities of cultists pledging loyalty to Mudi, especially on the death threats being issued by them to Mr. Paul Okah of Blueprint Newspapers, be judiciously looked into as to bring these individuals and other blood thirsty individuals to book;
“That the life of Mr. Paul Okah of Blueprint Newspapers is not only being threatened by these agents of darkness but also that of his family for reporting the numerous dastardly acts of evil men masquerading themselves as politicians in Ebonyi State.
“That the security agencies in the State seem to be helpless as none of the incidents reported to them saw the light of the day. We implore your good office to come to the aid of the citizens of Ebonyi State and other media practitioners.”
It could be recalled that Paul Okah has often been threatened by many Afikpo youths pledging loyalty to some politicians they claim the journalist criticises in the course of performing his constitutional duties.
