Soldiers brutalize journalist in Ekiti

Soldiers detailed to provide secu­rity in Ado Ekiti yesterday brutalized the Daily Sun cor­respondent in Ekiti State, Mr. Wole Balogun.

According to the victim, the incident occurred at about 10:05am at the Okeyinmi roundabout opposite the First Bank office in Ado Local Government Area of the state capital.

Balogun said he was try­ing to ask a motorist, who had blocked his way and caused a gridlock to reverse his ve­hicle when the yet to be iden­tified soldiers, two of them, swooped on him and began beating him with their belts.

The reporter further said all attempts to explain the situation to the soldiers fell on deaf ears as they whipped him continuously on his head and body till he rushed into his car and drove off to avert further tragedy.

Said he: “This morning I was driving from my place on Ajibade lane to the Ekiti State University (EKSU) campus for an event of the Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC). As I approached the Oke Yinmi roundabout directly opposite the First Bank office in the area, I noticed a small hold up on the way to Adebayo and then tried to negoti­ate the bend so I could pass through the Okeyinmi Road and link Ifaki Road, suddenly a motorist, obviously a mem­ber of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), who was driv­ing down from the same road blocked my way. I hooted severally for him to reverse so the road could be free but he was adamant. Thinking he was not hearing the horn, I came out of my car to meet him and tell him to reverse the vehicle that it was already causing a hold up.

“It was at this point that two young soldiers appeared from my back and started beating me with their belts and boots. They whipped and kicked me severally and even hit me with their belts and or­dered me to enter my car and drive to any where. All efforts to explain to them what really happened fell on deaf ears and even in­furiated them the more as they continuously beat me on the head and all over the body.

“ I had to run back into my car and drove just to any where.

In a couple of minutes my head was covered with my own blood and I had to seek help at a near-by hos­pital.

I must have lost a lot of blood from the cut on my head which was caused by the metal on the belt of the soldiers. Right now I’m feeling very weak and fe­verish,” he said.