Lagos govt to probe alleged brutalisation of journalist by KAI operatives

The Lagos State government on Thursday promised to investigate the alleged brutalisation of a journalist with the Guild Press Limited, Mr. Benjamin Anaja, by some operatives of Kick Against Indiscipline (KAI).

The state’s Commissioner for Environment and Water Resources, Mr. Tunji Bello, who reacted to the incident in a statement, said the state government would not tolerate the brutalisation of members of the public by any of its staff or agents.

He said the incident would be thoroughly investigated and all the KAI operatives mentioned in the report would be questioned on their involvement in the incident and punitive measures taken against anybody found culpable.

Bello said the complainant would also be invited by the government to substantiate his claim and possibly identify the KAI operatives who attacked him despite identifying himself as a journalist.

The commissioner said: “The state apologises to the victim, the management of the Guild publishing company and the Nigerian Union of Journalists, promising that such an unfortunate incident will not repeat itself.”

In a video that had gone viral on social media, some KAI operatives dislodging street traders along the Lagos Abeokuta Expressway had on Wednesday accosted the journalist for recording the event.

Anaja, who produced his identity card, was dragged into one of the KAI vehicles by the operatives and detained for several hours.

They also destroyed the man’s identity card before he was released at the Ikeja Bus Stop.

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