The Lagos State Government on Thursday , condemned the brutalisation of a journalist with Guild Press Limited, Benjamin Anaja, by Environmental Sanitation Corps (LAGESC) operatives.
The incident occurred on Wednesday at Meiran bus stop along the Lagos Abeokuta expressway.
A statement by Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, Tunji Bello, said the administration had zero tolerance for brutalization of members of the public.
He assured that the incident would be investigated and all indicted LAGESC operatives interrogated.
Bello said Ajana would be invited to identify the culprits who attacked him despite identifying himself as a journalist.
The official apologized him, the management of the Guild publishing company and the Nigerian Union of Journalists (NUJ).
Sanitation agents dislodging street traders at Meiran accosted the journalist as he recorded the event.
Despite producing his identity card, Anaja was dragged into the Green Maria, brutalized and detained for hours before he was eventually released at Ikeja Along bus stop.
The International Press Centre (IPC) has rebuked the government agency for the attack.
“It is particularly worrisome that he was so treated despite identifying himself as a journalist”, the organisation said.
Video:
One of our correspondents was mercilessly beaten by KAI officials [@LAGESCOfficial] for covering their operation.
He was detained and kept in a Black Maria for a very long period of time.
The country cannot continue like this. Employing hoodlums as law enforcement officers. pic.twitter.com/S97Ba9IWDq
— The Guild Nigeria (@TheGuildng) February 4, 2021
Lagos govt probes LAGESC operatives’ attack on journalist, Benjamin Anaja
