Commotion broke out after police went after protesters, arresting a journalist during the #RevolutionNow protest in Calabar.
File photo: Protesters
The police in Cross River State on Monday arrested the correspondent of The Nation newspaper in the state, Nicholas Kalu, Punch Metro reports.
He was picked up in Calabar while covering the nationwide ‘RevolutionNow’ protest.
Two other protesters were also allegedly whisked away along with Nicholas from the Cultural Centre muster point opposite the Etim Edem Motor Park to the state Police Command Headquarters at Diamond Hill in Calabar.
There was heavy security presence in Calabar, the state capital ahead of the planned protest. Armoured Personnel Carriers were stationed at strategic locations to foil the protest.
As of the time of this report, it was gathered that efforts were being made by lawyers to bail Kalu as efforts to reach him through several phone calls proved futile.
The Chairman of the State Council of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Mr Victor Udu, condemned Kalu’s arrest.
“I condemn the act totally. The journalist was just doing his job. He did not go there with any weapon. He went there with his jotter and pen. We call for his immediate, unconditional release,” Udu said.
When contacted, the state Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Irene Ugbo, told our correspondent, “I’m not on the ground. I have been receiving calls that Nicholas was arrested. I’m not around. I will get back to you.”