Ogun State correspondent of Nigerian Pilot newspapers, Sulaiman Fasasi was yesterday attacked by official of the state Bureau of Protocol and Ceremonials while his Toyota Camry car with registration number Lagos, FST 729 AT was impounded for close to an hour.
The offence of the journalist, according to the officials of the Bureau, was his audacity to pack his car at the parking space in the State Ministry of Information and Strategy, Oke-Mosan Abeokuta.
The parking space which is a stone throw from the Governor’s office is without indication banning public vehicles from packing except for few areas designed allotted to Commissioners, Permanent Secretary and Directors.
Fasasi, while giving the account of the incident explained that he was at the Information Ministry for official duty as a journalist covering the state for Nigerian Pilot newspapers.
“I drove into the parking space and was about finding a space, of course there were vacant spaces, when a lady approached me and knock at my car and told me to move my car outside.
The SA media to the Governor on communication, Yemisi Fadairo witnessed the scene and put a call across to the Director (whose name was not ascertained as at time of this report) and the car was ordered to be released.
It was gathered that the Permanent Secretary in the bureau, Alhaji A.A. Olanigan later overruled the Directors order and insisted that the Journalist be delayed the more.
Fasasi further said, “After about 30 minutes, the bus was moved away while officials of the bureau led by their Director invaded the scene in their numbers, including the Secretary and Drivers and again ordered the closure of the gate.
“They threaten to beat me up, one of them even invited a mobile police officer attached to the Governor’s crew but when he came, he identified me, greeted and left the scene.
They were ready to attack; even one of them promised to invite thugs within five minutes and was already making calls when Mr. Yemisi again appeared on the scene”.