Breaking: Uncertainty as Police arrest NUJ chairman

The chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ), Ebonyi state chapter, comrade Tony Nwizi, has been reportedly arrested by the Police.

Nwizi was said to have been arrested at the early hours of  Saturday from his Abakaliki resident, by men of the Nigerian police believed to have been sent by the Inspector General of Police, Adamu Mohammed.

This was first disclosed by the Vice chairman of NUJ in Ebonyi, Benjamin Nworie, in Abakaliki.

He said, “Information reaching me now says that Ebonyi state NUJ chairman, Comrade Tony Nwizi, has been arrested by the Police from Abuja Hdqs on the purported order of the Police IG over undisclosed petition.

Reacting to the arrest, the state Police spokesperson, DSP Loveth  Odah, denied knowledge of the said arrest.

“I have been making inquiries from my colleagues nobody seems to have Information of that. If you have Information tell us, tell Ben Nworie to call me and give me information if he has one, so that we  can call them and talk to them before they leave the state.”

But a report according to punch quoted the same police spokesperson to have said, “I know some Policemen came into Ebonyi yesterday (Friday) from anti-kidnaping unit of Lagos state police command. They wanted their papers to be signed, so that an arrest can be effected.

“We are still on the matter, in order to confirm if he was the one that they came for. The identity of whoever they came for is not usually disclosed.”

Further investigation by Blueprint revealed that the policemen came from Enugu.

Our Correspondent also learnt that though the said petition and where it emanated from were yet to be known, Nwizi was arrested alongside others.

Sources close to the family said the petition is connected to NUJ issues.

“I heard it is connected with NUJ. Petition was written against him and other persons who would also be arrested. I learnt they are at the area command, Abakaliki,” the source also revealed.

Another source said, “Nobody knew what  the petition is all about, they refused to disclose the content of the petition. They said there are some other persons they were also asked to arrest before taking them to the command at Enugu.

“Is like they took him to Abakaliki command, after arresting others, they will now take them to Enugu.”

Already, the latest police onslaught in Ebonyi has raised several reactions among journalists.

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