Armed men brandishing various weapons, including guns, clubs and machetes, on May 24, 2014, attacked a crew of African Independent Television (AIT) in Ikere Ekiti, Ekiti State. The armed men smashed and destroyed the vehicles, cameras, recording equipment, including transmission gadgets belonging to the station and also made away with personal belongings of the crew members
The AIT crew has been stationed in Ekiti State to report on political developments ahead of the State’s governorship elections fixed for June 21.
The crew was in Ikere Ekiti to cover the campaign of Labour Party’s (LP) governorship candidate, Michael Opeyemi Bamidele, when it was attacked.
It is however not clear if the armed men deliberately targeted the AIT crew members or if they fell victim in the line of attack while carrying out their work.
The armed men are suspected to be linked to the All Progressives Congress (APC) one of the major political parties contesting the elections.