Taye Edeni, a reporter with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), was on Thursday molested by security agents at the venue where President Muhammadu Buhari was to commission the first Nigerian Inland Dry Port at Kakuri, Kaduna.

The security agents prevented journalists from accessing the venue to the commissioning.

One of the security agents slapped and pushed the reporter who fell to the ground. Other crew members of the Minister of Transport, who tried to explain when they were blocked from accessing the venue ahead of the President’s arrival, were also pushed away, despite intervention by leaders of the crew and staff of the Ministry.

The NAN reporter was helped by her colleagues and the Red Cross to an ambulance for medical attention.

They boycotted the coverage and walked out of the venue of the event before the arrival of the President.

“The Police officer who slapped and pushed her to the ground is wearing a helmet and an ammunition jacket that prevented us from seeing his name tag.

“We can’t go back there again and get molested,” one of the journalists said.

“A Police sergeant slapped her and directed others to push the journalists away as crowd of praised singers watch with amazement.

“This has always been the case at important national assignments. Journalists are always being man handled by security agents for doing their job,” Abdulgafar Alabelewa, one of the journalists lamented:

In his remarks while commissioning the Dry Port, the President called on stakeholders to make optimal use of the facility and not to inflict unnecessary hardship to Nigerians.

He said the Dry Port will boost economy, create more job opportunities and provide shipping services without sea ports.

President Buhari commended Nigerian Shipping Council for successfully establishing the firs Inland Dry Port in the country.

•Photo by Garba Ahmed shows the scene where NAN reporter was slapped by security and while being treated from the injury sustained at venue of Dry Sea Port commissioned by President Buhari in Kaduna.

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