Henry Emeana
Newspaper stands in some strategic areas of Owerri, have been deserted. Newspaper hawkers too were not in sight.
This anomaly, according to feelers, was due to the arrest, torture of seven newspaper vendors and distributors by the police in Owerri on Tuesday as their newspapers, mainly local tabloids which carry Biafra agitation stories were seized, confiscated and destroyed.
Condemning the act, a newspaper publisher and a journalist who does not want his name in print, lamented that this ugly challenge is weighing down newspaper production in the state.
“I condemn the invasion of newspaper stands and the arrest of over seven newspaper vendors and distributors in Owerri. This negativity was uncalled for as people rely mainly on newspapers and magazines for accurate information.
Also, some newspaper readers in Owerri under anonymity lambasted government, DSS and police for invading the newspaper stands and arresting vendors and distributors, advising government to stop gagging the press, hailing journalists for always being by the side of the people, saying “press freedom should be applied and respected. Government should stop this petty act of haunting down media professionals, newspaper vendors and distributors”.
The people recalled how a newspaper distributor with Telegraph Newspaper, Chuks Ugwuibe, was arrested on the way at Orlu and taken to an unknown destination for carrying some local tabloids that carry Biafra agitation stories, urging authorities to free him alive having committed no offence by merely distributing newspapers to vendors.
However, Commissioner of Police, Imo State Command, CP Abutu Yaro, when contacted, stated that the operatives who carried out the operation were not from Owerri, but added that “when I called Frank Mba, Force spokesman, he said he would get back to me, but did not”.
