Edwin Osuala, the State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Anambra State Command, has ordered an investigation into the alleged assault on an online journalist, Izunna Okafor, by personnel of the state command.
This was revealed in a press statement on Sunday by the NSCDC’s Public Relations Officer, Okadigbo Edwin, who stated that the investigation would bring everyone found culpable to justice.
Okafor was allegedly beaten by personnel of the Civil Defence Corps when he sought to recover his phone after misplacing it in a van conveying him and NSCDC officers to a ceremony in Nnewi.
He said, “I was in the same bus with the civil defense officials from Awka to the venue of the Anambra South Rally of the Soludo Ambassadors, which was held at Nnewi on Saturday, while the same bus (provided by the organizers of the event) also conveyed us back to Awka.
“The officials had earlier complained of hunger and frustration on their way back from the rally, but trouble started when I wanted to alight at the UNIZIK junction, but the driver ignored me on the instruction of the civil defense officers, who insisted that everybody must remain in the bus and follow them to the very last bus stop where they would alight.”
NSCDC begins investigation into officers accused of brutalizing journalists
