Sunday, January 4, 2026 - Armed youths believed to be political thugs invaded a hotel in the Orazi axis of Obio Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State on Friday night, disrupting a live television interview being broadcast by Arise Television and carting away broadcast equipment.
The incident occurred while Arise TV crew were conducting a
live interview with former Commissioner for Employment Generation and
Empowerment, Leloonu Nwibubasa, during the programme News Night. According to
sources at the scene, the assailants forced the live broadcast to end abruptly
and seized cameras and other technical equipment belonging to the station.
It was alleged that Nwibubasa was discussing the political
situation in Rivers State and expressing views that did not align with those of
the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, when a man in the
hotel lounge reportedly alerted the attackers.
A source who spoke anonymously said the armed youths stormed
the hotel at about 9:15 pm and began searching for both the former commissioner
and members of the Arise TV crew. “They were chanting in Ikwerre that they
would not allow such an interview on their land. They were forcing doors open,
searching for the former commissioner and the Arise TV guys,” the source said,
adding that hotel staff and guests fled in panic.
The source further stated that Nwibubasa and the Arise
cameraman narrowly escaped, as the assailants broke into rooms claiming the
interview was “anti Wike” and should not have been conducted in the area. “They
later got to the spot where the interview was holding and started threatening
the former commissioner and the Arise crew to discontinue the interview and
forced them to stop,” the source added.
Arise TV reporter Andy Omano, who also escaped the scene,
said he contacted the police for help. “At that point I called the police
control room and also put a call across to some of my colleagues. The police
responded and said they were on their way to the hotel,” he said.
According to Omano, the Divisional Police Officer arrived
with officers and, together with the hotel manager, ensured that the former
commissioner and the journalist were safely escorted out of the hotel to Kala
Police Station, where statements were taken.
The Arise TV cameraman, Promise, recounted that the
attackers seized his Sony Canada Zed 280 camera, industrial tripod, wireless
microphone, and other accessories. “I had just filed a report before starting
the interview when two men stormed the place and disrupted the live programme,”
he said, noting that the assailants fled when police arrived.
Nwibubasa condemned the attack, describing it as dangerous
for democracy. “I was already rounding off the interview and speaking about the
forthcoming 2027 general elections. They are already showing us signs of what
will happen. See how they were breaking doors looking for me. Why? This is a
free society,” he said.
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