Suspected political thugs on Friday night invaded a popular hotel in the Orazi area of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of Rivers State, disrupting a live television interview being aired by Arise TV on the political situation in the state.
The incident occurred at about 9:15 pm during a live broadcast of Arise TV’s News Night programme, while a former Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment, Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, was being interviewed by the station’s crew within the hotel premises.
Eyewitnesses said the attackers, believed to be politically motivated and allegedly armed, stormed the hotel chanting in a local dialect. They reportedly forced open several rooms, seized mobile phones from occupants and caused panic among guests and staff.
An eyewitness said hotel workers and guests ran for safety as the assailants moved through the premises, breaking doors and shouting. Sources said the attackers were specifically searching for Dr Nwibubasa and the Arise TV cameraman.
The assailants eventually located the venue of the ongoing interview, where they allegedly threatened the former commissioner and members of the television crew, forcing the live broadcast to end abruptly.
One of the Arise TV reporters involved said he received a distress call from his colleague during the invasion and immediately alerted the police while heading to the scene. He said officers from the area division, led by the Divisional Police Officer, arrived shortly afterwards.
With the support of hotel management and security personnel, Dr Nwibubasa and the affected journalists were safely escorted out of the hotel and taken to the Kala Police Station for protection, where statements were later taken from them as part of preliminary investigations.
An Arise TV cameraman, identified simply as Promise, said several broadcast equipment were stolen during the incident. He listed the items as a Sony Canada Z280 camera, an industrial tripod, wireless microphones and other accessories. He said the attackers fled upon noticing the arrival of the police.
Confirming the incident, Dr Nwibubasa said he was unharmed and praised the prompt intervention of the police, but condemned the attack as a threat to democratic engagement in the state.
He said the invasion occurred as he was speaking on political developments ahead of the 2027 general elections, describing the incident as an act of intimidation that had no place in a democratic society.
Efforts to obtain an official reaction from the Rivers State Police Command were unsuccessful, as the spokesperson, Grace Iringe-Koko, did not respond to calls or a text message sent to her as of Saturday morning.
