Journalist Battered By DSS Officer Petitions Agency

A Correspondent of Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), who was allegedly brutalised by an official of Department of State Services (DSS) on February 17, has petitioned the agency.

News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Alambo Datonye, in a petition dated Feb. 20 addressed to the State Director of DSS in Bayelsa and copied to the Director-General of the Service, demanded apology for the assault.

Datonye, who is also the Chairman, Sports Writers’ Association of Nigeria (SWAN) in Bayelsa, stated in the petition that the unidentified DSS officer, had threatened to shoot him.

According to him, the officer punched him on the right eye and threatened to kill him. “I had gone to politely explain to one of the security personnel that the Journalists were duly accredited to cover the event and should be given access to perform their duties.

“But one of the two DSS personnel at the gate started pushing me after which he punched my right eye. “After assaulting me, he went further to cork his gun and threatened to kill me, screaming that he was a devil and could shoot me.

“Since that brutality was meted out to me, I have vomited a couple of times and currently having feverish feelings. “I am at the moment finding it difficult to see clearly with my right eye where the suspected Department of State Services personnel punched me.

“This is affecting my work on a daily basis and giving me a challenge in my day-to-day functions both at home and outside,” the petition read in part.

Datonye also demanded that the DSS official should be fished out and brought to book. He further demanded an unreserved apology from the DSS for the harassment of a law-abiding citizen of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the discharge of his lawful duties.

In a reaction, the state NUJ Chairman, Mr. John Angese, described the attack as “barbaric, cruel and unfortunate in a democratic setting.” He urged the relevant authorities to investigate, arrest and prosecute the security official involved, to serve as a deterrent to other overzealous DSS officials. (NAN)