RIVERS POLICE CONFIRMS BRUTAL ATTACKS ON GUEST, CREW DURING LIVE TV SESSION

Rivers State Police Command has confirmed that it's personnel averted a near deadly attack by armed youths on Television guest and ARISE NEWS crew on Friday night. The incident occurred in Orazi axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area (LGA) of the state. At the time, there was an ongoing live interview of the television station when the suspected political thugs, fully armed, invaded the hotel. On set was a former Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment in the state, Dr. Leloonu Nwibubasa. When the thugs invaded the hotel premises, they disrupted the interview, attacked the ARISE NEWS crew and broadcast equipment. The reporter of ARISE NEWS crew, Mr. Andy Omano said he narrowly escaped the attack. “At that point, I called the police control room and also put a call across to some of my colleagues. The police responded and said they were on their way to the hotel. "The Divisional Police Officer (DPO) in charge of the area arrived with his men. Together with the hotel manager, they ensured that the commissioner and the cameraman came down and were taken out of the hotel to the Kala Police Station where they made statements on what transpired.” In an official statement, the Police Public Relations Officier, CSP Grace Iringe-Koko, confirmed the incident, and said “Police timely intervention averted the attack on the media crew. "Police have also recovered all the items collected from the journalists, including the camera and other items. They are safe now," she said.