On June 25, 2015, the newly elected speaker of the Benue State House of Assembly, Mr. Terkimbi Kyange, ordered the State correspondent of Channels Television, Pius Angbo, out of the Assembly Chambers.
The order is suspected to be in connection with the station’s report of the fracas in the House on June 23, 2015 titled “Benue Lawmakers Fight over House Leadership” which is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SOZom55PFVY.
When he reported for work on the day, Angbo was ordered by the Press Secretary and the Sergeant-at-Arms to vacate the Assembly Chambers, allegedly on the strength of the Speaker’s directive to accredit all journalists covering the Assembly.
All other journalists who reported to cover the plenary were allowed in unhindered except the Channels Television crew.
The Clerk of the State Assembly attempted to mediate so as to allow Channels Television crew to cover the day’s plenary but was resisted by the Press Secretary who insisted that the Speaker did not approve of Channels Television coverage of the Assembly.
