Vendors in Aba Friday morning embarked on a peaceful protest against police intimidation, harassment and arrest of their members.
The vendors, under the aegis of Newspapers and Magazines Distribution Association, Abia State, are in particular seeking the immediate release of a 77-year-old colleague, Anthony Acho.
The protesters who stormed the Abia Office of correspondent’s threatened to stop circulation.amd.sale.of.newspapers if their aged member is not set free.
Chairman of the group Ike C. Ike said; “We are not happy. The vendors in ABA are not happy. We are protesting against police intimidation. We are struggling to feed our families but the police is everywhere.
“Instead of doing their job they have faced the vendors. As we speak one of our members is being detained in.one.of the police stations. They are asking us to bring N100k and this is a sign of intimidation and this man is over.70 years.
“I learnt they slapped him mercilessly; a man of that age is crying in detention and they don’t care. They even boasted that nothing will happen if he dies in.their custody.. we are asking them to release the man immediately or we stop selling papers.”
They called for the intervention of journalists, Guild of Editors, Publishers Association of Nigeria NBA, and Human Right groups.
