On October 13, 2025, Mr Uchechukwu Olebara, a senior editorial staff member of Radio Maria 106.7 FM, in Owerri, Imo State, was assaulted by operatives of the State Environmental Monitoring and Compliance Unit of the administration for allegedly recording them while they were demolishing alleged illegal structures and shanties in the New Owerri Roundabout.
The windscreens of his Toyota Corolla, side mirrors and the car headlamps were smashed while the body of the car was badly damaged by members of the group.
The operatives of the Environmental Corps attacked Mr Olebara with machetes, as well as hauled stones and big sticks with which they smashed his car. Mr Olebara, popularly known as Cool DJ Blaze, had to run for his life and was able to barely escape death.
Meanwhile, the Journalist lamented that when he reported the incident at the New Owerri police station, rather than investigate the assault, he was simply asked to “call the SA and settle with him.”
