Some hired thugs yesterday reportedly invaded and disrupted a press briefing organised by the All Progressives Congress, APC, in Sagbama Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

The development according to reports led to pandemonium while some journalists and party chieftains were attacked and injured.

Among the injured were Mr. Tife Owolabi, Chairman of the Federated Correspondents’ Chapel of the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Bayelsa State Council and Jacobson Park of People’s FM 93.1, who also sustained injuries.

The attackers destroyed chairs and assaulted those present with rods, leaving Owolabi bleeding from his forehead and left hand.

Attendees fled the venue, and the briefing was temporarily suspended until security forces, including Operation Doo Akpo, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and the Nigeria Police, arrived at Da Crib Hotel venue of the briefing

The briefing eventually resumed, with the Chairman of the APC Sagbama, Jonah Abeke, announcing the indefinite suspension of seven members for alleged anti-party activities, in line with ongoing suspensions within the party.

Those suspended include Peres Peretu, Matthew Karimo, Major Oputa, Tangi Samuel, King Bolouyi Sufadoh, Goodluck Ebomu, and Youdio-gwei Benjamin.

Abeke said: “In the 2023 National Assembly, Presidential and gubernatorial election in Bayelsa State they openly worked for Governor Douye Diri and Alhaji Atiku Abubakar of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP. They made no pretences about their anti-party activities.

“It is on this note that we, the undersigned executives of the Sagbama APC hereby suspend them indefinitely from the party.

“Their suspension is hereby transmitted to the State Executive Committee of our party for ratification.”
Abeke also condemned the attack on the journalists, who were invited to cover the assignment.