The Nations Correspondent in Calabar, Mr Nicholas Kalu, arrested over the foiled #RevolutionNow protest in Calabar has regained freedom.
Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Tuesday in Calabar, Kalu said he was arrested at about 9.00 am on Monday and held in police custody for over 12 hours at the Police Command Headquarters in Diamond Hill, Calabar.
“They just kept me in detention for no reason after I explained to them that I am a journalist and only went to do my work.
“They didn’t offer any explanation, they just kept me there for hours at the end they told me to write a statement.
“I was with others arrested yesterday and at about 10 p.m., they called me out. The other guys arrested with me were still in police custody when I left,” he said.
Similarly, Mr Victor Udu, Chairman of Nigerian Union of Journalists, Cross River Council, described the arrest as unnecessary.
Udu said even after he went with some members of the union to the police to identify Kalu, the police still held him back.
He expressed disappointment with the police because the union had a good working relationship with the force in the state.
“They should have trusted us that our members would not go to the streets to protest, but to cover the events that took place.
“I am disappointed in the poor handling of the matter and look forward to a better relationship with the police which should be symbiotic.
“Come to think of it, Nicholas is one of the reporters who had always covered police events.
“So, they should have treated him fairly because they know him very well; why go to the extent of holding him hostage for those long hours,” he said. (NAN)