Mr. Laolu Harold, a reporter with Nigerian Tribune was beaten up by some soldiers attached to the Oyo state government’s demolition task force team in Ibadan, while trying to take pictures of the demolition exercise at Akobo area in Ibadan.
Top officials of the Oyo State Government on Wednesday paid a sympathy visit to him on his hospital bed at the University College Hospital, Ibadan.
The leader of the team and the state Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Mr Taiwo Otegbeye, described the incident as unfortunate.
“This is not a government of brigandage. We did not send anyone to brutalise anybody. We believe in the maintenance of law and order in the urban renewal effort of government,” he said.
The commissioner prayed for the quick recovery of the journalist and stressed government’s commitment to the maintenance of law and order without infringing on the rights of the citizens.
He assured the victim that government would pay his medical bills as a demonstration of its commitment to good governance.
On the commissioner’s team were the Special Adviser on Media to the Governor, Dr Festus Adedayo, his counterpart on Information and Orientation, Mr Gbolagade Busari and the Special Assistant on Information and Orientation, Mr Ademola Solalu.
The permanent secretary in the ministry of information, Mr. Tunde Busari, was also in the delegation.