Power-drunk Edo official brutalised me for defending my cameraman – EBS journalist, Asein

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A journalist with the Edo Broadcasting Service, Mrs Juliet Asein, recounts to BIODUN BUSARI how she was physically assaulted by an official of the state government, Kelly Okungbowa

What happened on the day an official of the Edo State Government allegedly assaulted you?

I was assaulted because I intervened when my cameraman was harassed by one Mr Kelly Okungbowa. It was the same man who assaulted me. The Office of the Edo State First Lady had an empowerment programme for about 250 persons with disability on Wednesday.

Being the International Day of Persons with Disability, there were various groups of the PWDs. The Edo State Government had an agency that streamlined the affairs of these groups. So, these groups had a rally.

They (groups) wanted to enter a hall called Festival Hall in the Government House, where another group was, although they were not invited.

They wanted to enter but realised it was an empowerment programme. This resulted in commotion. These people were trying to force their way into the hall.

The place became rowdy, and a few of them who managed to enter started chanting, ‘We no go gree’. They were pushing to the front where my cameraman, Mr Bright Osifo, was charging his camera, microphone, and other devices.

How did Mr Okungbowa allegedly assault you?

The First Lady was already appealing to those chanting, and they seemed calm. But when the governor came into the hall, they resumed the chants. That was when the issue of assault began.

The security operatives were trying to control the crowd. They cordoned off the area. I was seated in one of the exits and watched everything. The security personnel were ordering out those who were chanting.

Suddenly, Mr Okungbowa took charge of the security. Some security personnel were dragging some of the PWDs out of the hall. My cameraman, who was charging his equipment, was five rows away from where I was.

He quickly went to where he was charging his devices to guard them. He had not even put on his camera when a security officer began to drag him with his jacket. Mr Osifo (cameraman) was trying to explain to him that he was only charging his equipment.

Mr Okungbowa was calling the Head of Protocol to hold my cameraman. At that point, I stood up to Mr Okungbowa and explained that my cameraman was not recording anything, but only charging his devices.

My colleague was trying to tell the Head of Protocol that they worked together during the administration of the former governor, Adams Oshiomhole, while I maintained that he was a journalist of the Edo Broadcasting Service.

That was the only thing I said, and Mr Okungbowa faced me with abusive words in Pidgin English. He was saying, ‘You dey craze?’ ‘You dey mad?’ I responded that I was not mad, that I was only trying to stop him from harassing my cameraman.

He started threatening that he would beat me. I told him that he couldn’t beat me because I was only trying to explain why my colleague should not be assaulted.

What happened thereafter?

While the security details were trying to hold him, he threw a punch at me, but I managed to dodge it. Yet, his fist landed on my chin and my shoulder. Before I could get myself together, about six of the security personnel clawed at me and started tossing me around.

They eventually pushed me out of the hall through a side door. I hit my waistline on the door. The walkway outside that door led to the Governor’s Office and the Deputy Governor’s Office.

What went through your mind while this happened?

I was distraught and frightened. They treated me like I was a criminal. I was crying and walked to the Deputy Governor’s Press Unit, which was between the two offices. It was while I was there that I called my Managing Director, Mr Sulaiman Aledeh, to inform him of the incident.

Was the First Lady’s Office aware of the incident?

I was sitting with the Public Relations Officer. While she was trying to intervene and explain to them why it was unjust for me to be treated that way, they also pushed her. She just walked away from them to sit down.

It was when I got outside that I saw that people had taken note of all that had happened. It was when I was calling my MD that another colleague attached to the Governor’s Office told a security operative who I was and what had happened.

Then the security operative came to meet me and apologised. At the point when he wanted to lead me inside again, those who assaulted me said I could not enter. They prevented me from entering.

The other one told them, ‘She is a journalist.’ That was when they realised the gravity of what they had done. I went in and continued my assignment.

Then, the First Lady sent me a message to inquire about what happened. I replied narrating to her about how I was insulted and assaulted. She pleaded with me that I should not be offended.

She promised to handle the case herself, and issued a statement to that effect. She asked me to go to a hospital. She called me this morning (Friday) to ask how I was doing.

Has Mr Okungbowa apologised to you?

The immediate past Chief Press Secretary, Mr Fred Itua, who was replaced on Friday morning, played a great role that day. He and the government’s PRO, Mr Jimoh Akande, approached me when I went in.

They asked me all that had transpired. I could see they were not happy with the situation. After one hour, I started receiving messages on social media platforms. People were reaching out to me.

I was about to leave when I saw that the former CPS and Mr Okungbowa came to me. Right there, he (Okungbowa) was asking me to explain what happened to the ex-CPS.

I questioned the reason I should do that, and he still raised his shoulders and said I was talking to him rudely. He was not remorseful. Mr Itua told him that if he knew the gravity of what he did, he would beg me.

He was claiming he didn’t slap me. But I asked him if he raised his hand at me, if he asked the security operatives to push me, if I was dragged out of the hall, but he couldn’t answer any of these.

He stretched his hand to rub my back, but I declined. When I got home, the ex-CPS and the Head of Protocol called me again to apologise on his behalf. Meanwhile, my MD told me that the Head of Protocol said he was not aware.

What is the position of your husband and the family at large over this matter?

On the day the incident happened, my husband said he would like to stay back and watch how my MD, and the professional body, the Nigerian Union of Journalists, would handle the matter.

But to my utmost surprise, the NUJ that had vowed to stand by me in the statement just had its officials ceremonial handshakes with Mr Okungbowa.

He came in the company of the former CPS and other officials who were witnesses. The NUJ issued another statement and called it a misunderstanding. The body said the misunderstanding had been resolved.

Were you present at the meeting?

No. I was not even invited to the meeting. Initially, I heard that the NUJ wanted to have a World Press Conference, they but ended up  having a meeting with them.

When did you join the Edo Broadcasting Service?

I joined EBS from my industrial training days in 2006.

Have you been assaulted before?

No, that was the first time I would be assaulted. I was posted to the Office of the First Lady last November. I’ve been working on general assignments before that time.

Have you met the man who assaulted you before?

The only time I met him was during an assignment. He was like the second-in-command of that particular assignment. He also had confrontations with one of my colleagues. The colleague involved has travelled out of the country.

What is his post?

I’m not sure of his position in the government. There was a time he was made the Chairman of the Committee on Recovery of Government Vehicles by the past administration.

Have you gone to the hospital?

Yes, I was in the hospital after the incident happened.

Who is responsible for your hospital bills?

I’m on the National Health Insurance Scheme of my husband. When I got to the hospital, I was asked to check my blood pressure. It was initially 110/90, but later, when I did the second day, it was 130/90. When I could not sit properly, I was asked to have a lumbar scan.

Also, I was asked to do the Packed Cell Volume. The last time I did PCV was about three years ago because I had my baby with a Caesarean section. Still with the NHIS, I had spent thousands of naira to buy drugs.

What kind of justice do you want?

I want the person who assaulted me to know the gravity of his offence and apologise publicly. He assaulted me as a journalist and a woman. That’s my pain.

So, I demand a public apology for my family and me. My five-year-old daughter knew what happened, despite my husband’s trying to hide it from her.

She was sad about how her mum was treated unjustly because she was monitoring it on her father’s phone. She is a very smart girl. Apart from the public apology, I want Mr Okungbowa to sign an undertaking for my safety because these people are street urchins. I’m not safe.

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