The Executive Director of the International Centre for Investigative Reporting (ICIR), Mr Dayo Aiyetan has narrated how he was attacked while covering the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Abuja.
In a Twitter thread on his handle @dayoaiyetan, he was attacked in Gwagwalada during a disturbance at a polling booth when someone was trying to upturn the canopy on top of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials.
“I was recording the scene when a guy told me to stop recording. I did. In seconds, I was surrounded by hordes of people.
“Miscreant, thugs etc. I was beaten, my clothes turn and my phone, car key, purse and a pouch containing my debit cards, Nigeria and US driver’s licenses and other items. They took everything on me. But I fought to keep my camera.
“A guy brought out a knife and tried to stab me. I kicked him with my steel-toed Skechers and … Fortunately, apart from a few scratches, I escaped unhurt. There was a policewoman at the PU and I was just praying that she wouldn’t try to intervene cos they would have beaten her too.
“Place was Agwan Fulani Town Hall. Kudos to CSP Hamza Sadiq, DPO Gwagwalada, a committed, passionate officer, who has recovered my phone for me. I also have my car key. But my voter’s card, driver’s licenses, debit cards etc and purse are still missing.
“It is obvious that the Nigerian police does not have the men to cover the elections. They will try their best but they don’t have the manpower, no matter what the police chiefs say,” Aiyetan stated.
