Armed thugs invade APC meeting, attack journalists in Bayelsa

Some journalists in Bayelsa State on Sunday sustained injuries as some hired thugs attacked the venue of a press briefing organised by the Sagbama Local Government Chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Yenagoa.

Chairman of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Bayelsa State Council, Mr Tife Owolabi, was among the journalists injured as the thugs destroyed chairs while hitting those present with rods.

Owolabi bled from the forehead and left hand while Jacobson Park of People’s FM 93.1 had swelling in his hand where he was hit with a flagstaff.

Everyone scampered for safety, and the press briefing was temporarily halted until security men, including Operation Doo Akpo, a state security outfit, and the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), arrived at the venue of the event.

The briefing was later held with the Chairman, Sagbama Local Government Chapter of the APC, Jonah Abeke, announcing the indefinite suspension of seven members for alleged anti-party activities as the gale of suspensions in the party continued.

Those suspended are Barr. Peres Peretu, Hon. Matthew Karimo, Major Oputa, Hon. Tangi Samuel, King Bolouyi Sufadoh, Hon. Goodluck Ebomu, and Hon. Youdio-gwei Benjamin.

Abeke said, “In the 2023 National Assembly, presidential and gubernatorial elections in Bayelsa State, they openly worked for Gov. Douye Diri and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the People’s Democratic Party. They made no pretences about their anti-party activities.

“It is on this note that we, the undersigned executives of the Sagbama Local Government Area APC, hereby suspend them indefinitely from the party.

“Their suspension is hereby transmitted to the State Executive Committee of our party for ratification.”

Abeke also condemned the attack on the journalists who were invited to cover the assignment.

ALSO READ THESE TOP STORIES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE 

• I’m ready to die now, but… — Serial killer who murdered over five persons

• PDP crisis deepens as more bigwigs back sacking of Damagum

• Sokoto: Bandits hire, fire village heads in my LG, says council chairman

• Senate summons Umahi over ‘abandoned’ old Oyo-Ogbomosho road

• Take decisive action to avert Rivers crisis, Senator Natasha urges Tinubu

• Aftermath of Supreme Court ruling: How Nigerian states raced to conduct LG polls