Reporters of Sahara TV were assaulted by security officials while covering a students’ protest at the Yaba College of Technology (YabaTech) campus over the death of a final-year colleague. Students were enraged by the death of their colleagues and came out in massive number to protest against the dilapidated state of the college’s health centre. Reports have it that the final year student, Miss Comfort Dazan, a victim of Sickle Cell Anemia, died due to negligence of the school’s medical centre.
The security men were particularly alerted when they saw “SaharaTV” flyer on the reporters’ gadget and began to assault them for reporting happenings in the college. The Journalists were not only assaulted but their crew were also dispossessed of their recording gadgets and were all detained by the Head of Security of the school. The Security men prevented media coverage of protests on the campus; thereby hindering the freedom of the press.
After students heard that the Journalists had been detained, they came to occupy the security post. It was later discovered that one of the phones seized from the reporters went missing.
As the reporter asked for his phone in confusion; the students protested and chanted “Bring out the phone! Give him his phone…!”
The reporters were later released after four hours of detention and were guarded out of the school by the protesting students.
To see the video footage, click here
