The Sabongari Divisional Police has arrested and detained Malam Mustapha Yauri, Zaria District Correspondent of News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).
Malam Yauri was arrested by Police while snapping a picture of trailer that blocked the Samaru- Zaria Fly-over road in a protest that rift between the KASTLEA and trailer drivers on Tuesday afternoon.
“ I had conducted my interviews with some eye witness on the crises between KASTLEA and drivers, I then proceeded to the main scene where the trailers blocked the road to snap pictures.
“ A police officer in Mufti attempted to seize my phone where I declined, I then went further to show him my Identity card where the ID card was immediately seized by the police.
“ Thereafter, the officer insisted that I must surrender my phone to him, I then said I don’t know you I can’t give you my phone,’’ he said.
The police officer then called some armed police men and told them to take me to police station, detain me and bring my phone back to him.
The three armed police officers acted swiftly where they jerked my trousers and pushed me into their waiting truck.
“On our way to the station in the police Hilux truck, the armed police men forcefully collected my mobile phone and dropped me at Sabongari Divisional Police Office.
“While at police detention I begged one of the police officers for a mobile to reach my Zonal Manager and other colleagues who make efforts to reach higher authorities for my release.
“I was detained at the police station for many hours before the DPO Mr Ibrahim Abdullahi came into the office and called me for a meeting in his office where he apologized for what happened to me,’’ Yauri said.
The reporter was subsequently released from detention, his mobile phone, NUJ and NAN staff Identity cards earlier seized were also returned to him.
NAN
