(MRA/IFEX) – On 25 June 2004, Gbenga Faturoti, a correspondent for the “Daily Independent” newspaper in Osun State, south-west Nigeria, was beaten to near unconsciousness by a group of policemen in Osogbo, the state capital. Faturoti was subsequently arrested and briefly detained. He was assaulted by the policemen on the orders of O. C. Agboromoti, […]
(MRA/IFEX) – On 25 June 2004, Gbenga Faturoti, a correspondent for the “Daily Independent” newspaper in Osun State, south-west Nigeria, was beaten to near unconsciousness by a group of policemen in Osogbo, the state capital. Faturoti was subsequently arrested and briefly detained.
He was assaulted by the policemen on the orders of O. C. Agboromoti, an assistant superintendent of police (ASP) attached to the House of Assembly, the Osun State parliament, for failing to switch off his mobile phone while covering proceedings in the House of Assembly.
Faturoti had gone to the House of Assembly to cover a special parliamentary session in honour of a deceased former internal affairs minister, Chief Sunday Michael Afolabi. He was sitting in the press gallery of the House when his phone rang during the parliamentary session, before he could switch it off. Agboromoti subsequently ordered the journalist’s arrest and detention.
The policemen immediately lunged at Faturoti. Police Sergeant Adebayo Moses slapped him in the face twice while other policemen manhandled him and dragged him on the floor out of the House before he was subsequently arrested. In the process, he sustained injuries to his body.
Faturoti was released shortly afterwards, following the intervention of members of the press corps attached to the state governor.
