Society Gists

For the second time in one month, the Kogi State Government House security men on Wednesday allegedly brutalised a journalist. The second victim is Mr. Wale Odunsi of the Daily Post.
Odunsi, an editor with the online publication, was reportedly in Lokoja on the invitation of the online media team of the state Governor, Alhaji Yahaya Bello, which is headed by the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor, James Minister.
Odunsi told journalists that he was invited by Minister for an online summit held in Lokoja on Tuesday.
He said that at the gate to the Government House, security operatives prevented him from entering even after telling them about his mission.
He said, “I called Minister who came to intervene but this infuriated them the more and one of them, Ilya Ali, slapped me and threatened me with a gun if I did not leave the area.”
Only three weeks ago, Mr Segun Salami of Channels Television was reportedly beaten up, dragged on the floor and locked up in the Government House cell.
When contacted for his comment on the development, the Senior Special Assistant to the governor, Joel Minister said it was not true that Odunsi was brutalised in his presence.
Minister said it was true that Odunsi was stopped at the gate for a routine check and that he came to the gate to identify him and pleaded with the security men to allow him but that Odunsi was abusive.
He said, “I came down to the gate immediately he called me and I witnessed the whole drama; at no time was he threatened, and he was not locked up anywhere, he did not even entered let alone of being locked up. What annoyed me was the way he was abusing the security men even when I was trying to intervene.”