Police Prevent Journalists From Kaduna APC Senatorial Primaries

Some security personnel on Saturday bared journalists from covering the APC senatorial primary election in Zaria, Kaduna State.

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that the team of journalists who converged on the venue of the primary election was completely denied access by the security personnel.

The journalists used all persuasive means to gain access including parading their identity cards and making phone calls to some senior police officers but to no avail.

The team of security personnel headed by one Fom D. Moses who was said to be the Divisional Police Officer, Samaru Division, said he had received instructions not to allow journalists access to the venue.

When asked whether the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria prevents journalists from covering such events, he said, “I should be very careful or else the politicians will indict me, I fear the politicians more than the journalists.

“If somebody said I shouldn’t allow you in, then I shouldn’t,” Moses said.

Efforts by the journalists to get the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, DSP Yakubu Sabo, to intervene did not yield any result, as the police officer refused to speak with him on the telephone.

Moses said: “I can’t pick his (PPRO) call because I am his senior by rank, I cannot receive a directive from him.”

However, the PPRO pleaded with journalists to be calm and pledged to get back to the journalists after making contacts with his superiors.

(NAN)