Journalist Attacked at Kosofe Council Secretariat Weeks After Party Chieftain Attack

 

Barely weeks after a party chieftain was allegedly attacked at the APC secretariat in Acme, Ogba, a journalist has also alleged that he was assaulted within the premises of the Kosofe Local Government secretariat by individuals said to be loyal to the council chairman, Moyo Ogunlewe.

The journalist, Habeeb Adejobi of MITV, said the incident occurred on Wednesday when he visited the council secretariat to cover the screening of supervisors and special advisers appointed by the council.

Adejobi explained that he arrived at the secretariat around 4 p.m. and attempted to reach the council chairman and the information officer to formally notify them of his presence, but both were unreachable. He said he also contacted a councillor, who informed him that the council was still in session, conducting the screening exercise.

According to him, he waited for a while before setting up his camera within the premises. Shortly afterwards, a man approached him and asked if he was the journalist. After confirming his identity, the man allegedly told him that the chairman had directed that he should leave the premises.

The journalist said he questioned the instruction, explaining that he had already sent a message to the chairman informing him of his presence. He also asked to see the chairman directly, after which the chairman reportedly came out and confronted him.

Adejobi said the chairman asked him for his identification card, and when he replied that he did not have it with him at the time, the chairman allegedly ordered that his cameras be seized.

He further alleged that after the equipment was taken from him, officers of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and members of a special task force attached to the chairman descended on him, punching and beating him. He added that other individuals believed to be working with the chairman also joined in the assault.

The journalist said he was subsequently taken to the Area H Police Command, where his phone was also seized. He added that he was later taken before the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in the presence of the chairman’s Chief of Staff, Abiola Akinola.

According to him, the DPO later intervened to calm the situation before he was allowed to leave the station to seek medical attention.

The incident comes weeks after a similar allegation of violence linked to the council chairman surfaced during the APC congress at the party secretariat in Acme, Ogba, Lagos.

In that incident, a party chieftain, Kehinde Saka, was allegedly attacked on a Friday evening shortly after he stepped out of a meeting to break his fast. Eyewitnesses claimed he was confronted and physically assaulted by individuals alleged to be loyalists of the Kosofe council chairman.

Those identified by sources as allegedly involved in the attack included one Abuga, said to be a driver to the council boss; Segun Moyosore; and Yusuf Sanni, popularly known as Gazol. The attackers were said to have struck Saka with dangerous weapons, leaving him with serious injuries, before security personnel stationed at the secretariat intervened and rescued him.

While the exact motive for the earlier attack remained unclear, party sources suggested it may have been connected to tensions arising from the party congress. It was alleged that Ogunlewe had been prevented from meeting with a party leader, Bushura Alebiosu, popularly known as Baba Bush, amid claims that he had repeatedly insulted and disrespected the elder statesman.

Sources further alleged that the attackers accused Saka of being among those who blocked the meeting between the council boss and Baba Bush, which may have triggered the assault.

As of the time of filing this report, there had been no official response from the Kosofe Local Government chairman or his office regarding the allegations surrounding both incidents. Party stakeholders have, however, called for calm and urged security agencies to conduct a thorough investigation.