KEY POINTS
- A journalist was detained at UNN while reporting on poor hostel conditions.
- He was released after intervention from the Enugu State Government and his media company.
- Afia TV condemned the arrest and called for better living conditions for students.
A media company, Afia TV Limited, has accused the University of Nigeria, UNN, Nsukka of arresting one of its reporters, Elijah Akuma.
The journalist was said to have been picked up by UNN security officials on May 1 while reporting on the poor state of hostels on campus. He was held for about two and a half hours in UNN before he was later released.
According to the media house, Akuma only regained his freedom after its management in UNN and the Enugu State Government intervened.
Afia TV said the reporter was on campus legally, doing follow-up work on complaints about bad hostel conditions.
Reports Sparked by Viral Hostel Videos in UNN
The station said its investigation started after videos showing dirty and poor hostel conditions in UNN, including at Eni Njoku Hostel, went viral.
It added that it carried out balanced reporting and even gave UNN officials a chance to speak. The university’s spokesperson, Agha Inya, and an education activist, Alex Onyia, were interviewed during the programme.
Afia TV also interviewed a visually impaired student, Daniel Nnamdi, who spoke about poor hygiene and lack of proper facilities for students with disabilities.
The station said the student was later removed from his hostel after the interview aired. Akuma was reportedly detained while trying to follow up on that claim.
Afia TV described the arrest as незакон and a threat to press freedom. It said no clear reason was given for detaining the journalist.
The organisation also denied claims that it was trying to damage the university’s image, calling such accusations false.