Irate Youths Attack Journalists in Ilesa, Destroy Gadgets, Govt Pays Hospital Bills

Four journalists were on Monday morning attacked by suspected hoodlums during a protest by some youths in Ilesa against the disconnection of power supply in Ijesa zone of Osun State community by the management of Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) over assault on its staff.

The aggrieved youths had last Sunday staged a protest in the ancient community.

At the protest yesterday morning, the aggrieved youths who had earlier stormed the major streets in the town, barricaded the roads and prevented vehicular movement.

The protesters, on sighting the journalists who were at the scene to cover the protest, lost anger and descended on them.

The irate youths, who were said to have armed with cudgels, cutlass and other dangerous weapons, attacked the journalists with their cameras damaged beyond repair.

Among the journalists attacked were Rafiu Muhammad of the TVC  and his cameraman, Taiwo Adu; Channels TV reporter, Shittu Abdulfatai and his cameraman.

It was further gathered that the protesting youths also damaged the vehicle of Uniq F. M. and Freedom Television in Ilesa.

It was reported that the protesting youths damaged the car of the General Manager of Uniq F. M. and Freedom Television and destroyed the station cameras.

The organisation therefore urged the Nigerian Police and other security operatives to intervene so as to bring normalcy to the current situation.

Meanwhile, the authorities of Uniq FM and Freedom TV in Ilesa had directed the station to shut down for three hours for the protest to subside.

As at the time of filling this report, the wounded journalists were receiving treatment at the Ladoke Akintola Teaching Hospital LAUTECH  in Osogbo.

However, the state government has concluded the arrangement to settle the hospital bills of those injured.

The Chief Press Secretary to the state governor,  Adeniyi Adesina, who visited the hospital to sympathise with the victims, decried the attack, promising that the state government would offset treatment bill.

Also, some youths in Olomilagbala and Bolorunduro communities of Obokun Local Government Area of the state were said to have attacked Ilesa business hub of IBEDC on March 14, and beat up the staff of the company.

Meanwhile, the state High Court in Ilesa, Osun State, has directed the Ibadan Electricity Distribution Company (IBEDC) to restore electricity to Ilesa and its environs.

In his ruling yesterday, Justice A. L. Adegoke directed the IBEDC to restore the electricity with immediate effect.

Justice Adegoke stated that the decision of the electricity distribution company to throw the entire Ijesaland into darkness was an illegality.