By Halimah Olamide
The leader of the crew of the Arise TV that was attacked near the palace of Elegushi on Saturday Oba Adeoye, has explained that his team was attacked because they flew a drone to capture some happenings around the place.
Adeoye while giving details of what transpired before the hoodlums descended on them, said they observed that there were about six polling units all clustered around the same vicinity and wanted to tell the story of what activities were going on at the polling stations.
He said the drone was never targeted at the palace or whatever was happening inside.
NPO Reports that the team was attacked on Saturday during the governorship and House of Assembly elections.
The drone was confiscated but later released while the team members were slapped severally and the cameraman who flew the drone, simply named Ope, was brutalised.
Adeoye said though one of the six polling stations was stationed directly opposite the entrance of the palace, there was nothing untoward happening there.
“We went out as usual for election coverage having been accredited by INEC. It was going smoothly until we got to the palace of Elegushi. There were six polling units around the area so we felt we needed the drone views to capture it.
“We went out as usual for election coverage having been accredited by INEC. It was going smoothly until we got to the palace of Elegushi. There were six polling units around the area so we felt we needed the drone views to capture it.
“The moment the drone was seen up there, one man first came and started “Why are you flyign a drone? They descened on us and slaps came from everywhere.”
Adeoye said a Commissioner in Lagos State intervened and prevailed on those attacking the team to stop it.
Adeoye said some soldiers sighted not far from the scene of the attack were asked to save the situation but said they were ignored.
He said told the soldiers should help us stop the hoodlums from the attacks and allow the operator of the drone to bring down it down peacefully.
“The attacks came as a result of the suspicion that the media was against a particular political party. It was a needless panic and we did not even have confrontation with anyone. But the moment they saw the drone, the panic mode just emerged. It was a carnibal of slaps on us,” he said
Adeoye added that at the Ilasan Police station, they were asked to make a statement on what happened.