Newspaper distributors in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Monday, commenced an indefinite strike over alleged harassment and extortion by the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State Brigade, otherwise known as ‘Obiano police’.
Speaking with our correspondent, a leader of the distributors in Awka said his members would discontinue the distribution of newspapers and magazines in the area until the state government assured them of their safety.
He claimed their tables and umbrellas had been confiscated by the OCHA Brigade while their members were being molested by the agency’s officials.
They said they had complained to various government offices in the state, including the office of the Secretary to the State Government, to no avail.
Their petition to SSG, sighted by our correspondent, read in part, “We are constrained to write this petition to solicit your intervention in the nightmare we have been passing through in the hands of the officials of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra State Brigade for a long time.
“ The officials of the agency have been clamping down on our members, intimidating and harassing us at our various newspapers’ sales spots, stands and even seizing the items we use in displaying our newspapers, and, at times trying to extort money from us.
“Our various newspapers’ sales spots and stands were designated and approved by an agency of the state government, Anambra State Environmental Sanitation Agency.”
It added, “Following the incessant clampdown on our members and seizure of our sales items, especially tables and umbrellas by the OCHA Brigade officials, we decided to visit the management of the agency at its office where we met the Director, Mr Douglas Okafor.
“After listening to our complaints, the director told us it was wrong for the task force officials to seize our materials, saying the agency did not normally disturb newspaper vendors.”
The group expressed surprise that the same OCHA Brigade boss turned round to become their major antagonist.
Efforts to reach the OCHA Brigade boss did not yield any result as his telephone indicated that it was switched off.
The state Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, C-Don Adinuba, said he would take up the matter with the OCHA Brigade boss with a view to resolving it immediately.