Friday 8 April 2016

MY EIGHT HOURS INSIDE BLACK MARIA

My ordeal as a #photojournalist and a journalist.

The truth of the matter.

Gbemile Oluwatosin

 “If your journalistic profession or duties hasn’t been tested by the enforcement team then all you do is basically Public Relation”

Do we really have right in our Country? or is the Chapter 4, subsection 39 of the Nigerian Constitution (Every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to uphold opinions and receive and import ideas and information without interference) had been tore off? I guess it’s time all the Taskforce team, and Police should go through the Constitution.


As far as I’m concerned I did nothing wrong to warrant my arrest by the Policemen and the taskforce, because I was actually busy with my duty as a pressman capturing newsworthy image and unconsciously the Policemen entered inside my frame, as at the time I was framing my subject, moreover, the Policemen were out of focus, immediately they ordered me to come over, in the process they maltreated me and docked me inside the black maria “mobile prison”.

I was released 7:15PM, since 10:15AM I was docked inside the black maria, despite the fact that my release had been ordered by the PRO of Police, Lagos State. “If your journalistic profession or duties hasn’t been tested by the enforcement team then all you do is basically Public Relation”.

As at 2pm I was still inside the black maria busy making some necessary call contact just to hasten my released, another group of guys were ducked inside, asking them their offence, they told me that they themselves don’t know, that all they knew is that they came to purchased fuel inside the keg, and the Taskforce team accused them that they’re black market seller. At a point I taught it’s time to head towards Alausia, looking through the small window we’re at Maryland………….hmmm!!! No fuel to power my generator neither is their light to power my phone. My ordeal continues……#Photojournalist. Gbemile Oluwatosin.

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