The South-South Youths Initiative has condemned the brutal attack on Allwell Ene, a respected journalist and public commentator, by suspected hoodlums at Garrison, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
In a statement signed by its National president, Comrade Imeabe Saviour Oscar, the group said, “Journalism is not a crime. The press is the watchdog of society and the voice of the voiceless. Any attack on a journalist is an attack on democracy, on truth, and on the right of citizens to be informed”.
It added: “Reports indicate that Amb. Allwell Ene was violently assaulted by hoodlums at Garrison in Port Harcourt. This brazen act of lawlessness is not only an assault on one individual but a direct threat to press freedom and the safety of all media practitioners in Rivers State.
“We condemn this cowardly attack in the strongest terms. No citizen, least of all a journalist carrying out lawful duty, should be subjected to violence and intimidation”, it stated.
The group called on the *Rivers State Police Command* and other relevant security agencies to launch an *immediate, thorough, and transparent investigation* into this incident, adding that the perpetrators and their sponsors must be identified, arrested, and prosecuted without delay.
It urged the Rivers State Government to ensure the safety of journalists and media workers across the state.
“The media must be able to operate without fear of harassment or attack.
“This attack must not be dismissed as a random act of violence”, it stated.
The statement demanded that the investigation goes beyond surface arrests to uncover the root cause, motive, and any individuals behind it.
It stated that the youths of Niger Delta and and the South-South stand firmly with Allwell Ene and the entire journalism community in Rivers State.
“We will not stand by while those who speak truth to power are silenced by thugs and !intimidation”, the group stated.
SSYI also called on media unions, NUJ Rivers Chapter, and civil society to monitor this case closely until justice is served.
“Silence in the face of this evil is complicity.
“A society that attacks its journalists is a society that fears the truth. Rivers State must not become a place where press freedom is sacrificed on the altar of violence.
“We wish Amb. Allwell Ene a speedy recovery and assure him that SSYI will stand with him until justice prevails”, the group stated.
