By Linus Aleke, Abuja
Security operatives deployed to provide security at the National Stadium, the venue of the Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) Special National Convention, viciously targeted and manhandled accredited journalists who were struggling to gain access to the venue.
The Police personnel who tear-gassed journalists at close range despite the accreditation tags that hung conspicuously on their necks said they were acting on instructions.
A Journalist who spoke to ThisNigeria after gaining access to the venue said the chaos created by the security operatives was exploited by criminals to steal the phones, and wallets of delegates and journalists who struggled to gain access to the venue.
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“I lost my phone in the process. These security people have just created avenues for street urchins and criminals who have no business being here to pick peoples’ pockets and steal phones. They stole one of my phones. Regrettably, the phone cannot be tracked. and within four months, I had lost two of my phones in similar circumstances and could not recover any of them. I reported it to the police and they promised to track or recover it but as we speak, no progress had been made”.
Another reporter who was gasping for breath as a result of the tear gas said that he lost his money while struggling to cover his nose and eyes from the tear gas.
