The Police Lied, Arrested UNILAG Students Were Peaceful – TVC
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The management of the Television Continental station, TVC, has disputed claims by the Lagos State police command that the 13 students of the University of Lagos remanded in the Kirikiri prison unlawfully invaded the television facility at the Ikosi neighbourhood.
The television station in a statement by its legal manager, Abisola Agbaje, in Lagos on Sunday noted that the protesting UNILAG students were peaceful.
The statement reads: “The Management of Continental Broadcasting Service Limited (owners of TVC) refutes these stories and categorically states that TVC has no hand in the arrest of the students.
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“The Management of Continental Broadcasting Service Limited (owners of TVC) refutes these stories and categorically states that TVC has no hand in the arrest of the students.
“TVC did not at any point report or lodge any complaint at the police station,” remarked Abisola Agbaje, the legal manager of TVC in a press release in Lagos.
Ms. Agbaje said, “Truly, the Students came into our premises on Friday the 31st of March, 2017 on or about 3 p.m. to protest the “alleged rustication by UNILAG”.
“The protest was peaceful which we have on record and the students left our premises peacefully.”
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She explained that the story is yet to be aired because as at 2 p.m. on Sunday, April 2, Unilag authorities are yet to respond to the allegation, and that “as a responsible media organisation, reputed for fair and balance reportage we had to hold on until we get UNILAG authorities side of the story.”
Also speaking the Deputy Chief Executive of the station Lemi Olalemi, validated Ms. Agbaje’s comments, saying that the students were “really well behaved and did not do anything untoward to warrant arrest in my opinion.”
According to Olalemi, “call on the Nigerian Police to step forward and state when, and if TVC indeed lodged a formal complaint that led to the arrest of the students.”
A Special Offences Mobile Court in Oshodi, on Saturday remanded 13 students of the University of Lagos in Kirikiri Prisons pending their bail application.
The police arraigned the students on a two-count charge of unlawful invasion and disruption of activities at TVC Television in the state.
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They all pleaded not guilty to the two-count charge.
The Chief Magistrate P.E Nwaka, who ordered that the accused be remanded, adjourned the case till April 6, for a determination of their bail.
