How I was brutalised during Osun governorship election – TV Reporter

For those on the winning side, the celebration continues with the wine still flowing as the incumbent Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is returned to power to run the affairs of the state for another four years in an election said to have witnessed a massive turn-out.However, for Ayodeji Abimbola Moradeyo, a journalist with TVC (Television […]

For those on the winning side, the celebration continues with the wine still flowing as the incumbent Governor Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola is returned to power to run the affairs of the state for another four years in an election said to have witnessed a massive turn-out.
However, for Ayodeji Abimbola Moradeyo, a journalist with TVC (Television Continental),  a private television station based in Lagos and owned by APC chieftain, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, it was one terrible experience that may not go away in a hurry. Ayo, as he is popularly called by colleagues was a correspondent in Ondo State, was sent alongside other crew members to monitor the election in Osun State. A Mass Communication graduate of Ibadan Polytechnic, Ayo narrated his encounter and ordeal in the hands of political thugs to Sunday Trust and how he was whisked away by policemen in handcuff and left on the floor for more than two hours for doing his legitimate work. Below is the interview with Mr Moradeyo:

What actually happened to you during the just concluded Osun State governorship election?
Two days to the election, which was Thursday, all the reporters arrived Osun and we were asked to cover different political parties, especially the three major parties which include, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Labour Party (LP)
I was assigned to cover PDP and a cameraman from our station was attached to me. The essence of it was to be sure we had a balanced report from all the political parties and also ensure that we projected the three major actors in the election.
That Thursday we moved to the PDP Secretariat as early as 10.00am. At the entrance we were not allowed by the security men to go inside. They asked us who invited us to cover the event.  I told them that as  journalists we were there to find out the party’s preparedness and the expectation of the members.
At that point, I was asked to identify myself, which I did producing my identification card. Immediately, some thugs shouted, ‘TVC, what are you doing here? Who sent you to come and cover anything here? Who invited you?’  When I saw the level of hostility, I had to turn back. As I was going, my cameraman wanted to establish the PDP Secretariat in shots.  As he was shooting they pounced on him and seized his camera.
I couldn’t leave him, so I had to intervene.  When they saw me, they (thugs) started beating the two of us and they now moved us into the Secretariat where we received the beating of our lives (we just saw hands landing us with slaps and knocks). At this point some policemen attached to the secretariat tried to rescue us from the thugs, but that did not deter the thugs from beating us.
We were later taken to the second floor of the building where we were interrogated by party stalwarts. For about 30 minutes, we were asked to seat on the floor. Some of the thugs,  here again, claimed that they saw me earlier in the day in the secretariat, armed with a gun saying we were only using camera as a detour to enter and cover-up. They said they had warned me that they would deal with me. My clothes were torn. But the PDP leaders now called three guys to come and identify whether I was the one that came in the morning, but they said I was not the one. They seized my I.D Card and that of my cameraman. From there we were moved to the State Investigative Bureau (SIB) in handcuff. For about two hours we were detained.

What happened at the station?
I was interrogated and asked to write a statement which I did. From there again, we were moved to the Police Headquarters in Oshogbo and to the office of the Commissioner of Police in the state, who was not around. They now took us to the State Police Public Relations Officer (SPPRO’s) office who now apologized and even offered to buy me a new shirt to change the torn one, but I declined. All our equipment earlier seized from us, including camera, phones, bags were returned except for our microphone.

So did you go back to continue your job?
No, we were taken to a private hospital where I was treated and discharged in the evening. We thought the drama was over but were soon to find out. The following day the scene two began.

What happened the following day?
I was assigned to cover part of Osun West Senatorial District comprising, Iwo, Olaoluwa and Ayedire. We set out at about 4.00pm and when we got to Iwo, we searched for a suitable hotel. We finally settled and lodged at Isolark Hotel, Agbogbo.  Shortly after settling down, we moved to the town to feel the pulse of the people concerning the election. I quickly rushed to package the story and it was used at 10.00pm that Friday.
Also in that 10.00pm was a live report from me and my colleague Bimbola Agbebiyi and some other crew members. We had set up our equipment and were test-running to be sure the equipment were in good condition. As we were rehearsing at a chosen location, close to the hotel, all we noticed was that some people started coming to the place one after the other, asking us what we were doing there. We produced our I.D Cards and showed them the logo on our vehicle (meant for live broadcast). They called one of their leaders who, on arrival said, ‘TVC, APC what are you doing here?’ They called us all sorts of names.
There, they seized our car and equipment again, saying the spot was a polling station and that we were there to rig election for a political party. The time was about 8.00pm and it was already dark so we didn’t know it was a polling booth. We were detained for about two hours; we were begging them. One of them, who incidentally knew one of our crew members, tried to beg on our behalf, but instead of listening to him, they gave him three dirty slaps. Even the hotel manager who came to plead on our behalf was molested. That was when we knew we were in real trouble.
One of us now managed to escape and went to inform some of our colleagues who in-turn informed some SSS officials lodging at the hotel. They responded promptly and saved us from the thugs who were already threatening to kill us.
From Iwo, I moved back to Osogbo where we were re-assigned to other areas. I was told to join our colleagues at INEC office, where I worked on the Election Day till the election result was announced.