Soldiers from the Nigerian Army 3 Battalion detained Galaxy Television’s South-South Bureau Chief, Dele Fasan, in the early hours of Friday in Effurun Uvwie Local Government Area, Delta State, for filming video clips during a planned labor demonstration in the city.
However, the planned protest could not be held in the Delta metropolis as it was cancelled after critical stakeholders met and discussed the issues on Thursday night.
The troops hauled Comrade Israel Joe, a human rights activist, to a neighboring military barracks following a minor schism with other activists such as Kelvin Ejumudo and others.
The molestation of the television journalist took place at the popular DSC roundabout in Effurun where the soldiers allegedly brutalised and hit him with the butt of the guns.
Witnesses said that Fasan was picked up by the soldiers in the presence of the police team led by a Deputy Commissioner of Police, DC Operations, Aina Adesola.
But Fasan was released by the soldiers following the intervention of the police boss and his colleagues who appealed to the Army Commander, Major AE Ohegbe, on whose order he was released and the handcuff pulled off.
Confirming his arrest in a chat with newsmen shortly after, Fasan said he was “trying to get video clips of the protest scene which was already taken over by security operatives when the overzealous soldiers accosted him.
Fasan, however, commended the Deputy Commissioner of Police, Operations, DCP Aina Adesola for promptly intervening in the matter.
