A sports journalists and presenter with an opposition radio station in Jos, Plateau State, JAy FM , Mbum Ferdinand was on Saturday evening assaulted and bundled to a police station by the management of Plateau United FC, the management declared.
Mbum was about rounding up his magazine sports show called "Sports Extra" from 4-6pm, when some thugs led by the Chairman of Plateau United Supporters Club Mallam Audu, under the orders of the General Manager of Plateau United Football Club Mr Pius Henwan, invaded the premises of Jay 101.9 FM Jos.
According to a press release by the management, they men came in a black Honda Accord, and a Peugeot 406 Wagon which was "branded with 4+4 and Lalong Boys, and assaulted, battered, and abducted" the presenter.
"The Station Manager Mr Mangna Wamyil along with some Management Staff and eyewitnesses reported the abduction at the Motor Traffic Division (MTD) Anglo Jos of the Nigeria Police around 8pm.
"Eventually, our lawyers were able to trace Mbum Ferdinand to the A Division of the Nigeria Police Force, where he was bundled to by the thugs, and a complain of defamation of character and other undetermined allegations were instituted against him by the General Manager of the Football Club", the statement added.
Among some of the issues raised by the presenter which might have attracted this action was the allegation that Mbum Ferdinand said on the programme that a source from the Accounts department of the club confirmed to him that the money the Governor of Plateau State promised the Players when they won the Nigeria Professional Football League (NPFL) last season in which each player was entitled to over a million naira had been redeemed since 18th February, 2018.
Also, he reported that it was alleged that the match allowances for the Confederation of African Football (CAF) Champions League victory against Etoile Du Sahel in Kano last week of between N75,000 and N150,000 was not given to the players because they failed to qualify to the next round of the competition after winning the match.
"Typical of the synopsis and style of the programme in view, other analysts took turns to analyse different scenarios that may have led to the allegation or actions.
"Sadly, about 25minutes after the programme, the thugs invaded the Station with Mallam Audu leading them, and the rest is history as it is commoly said.
"However, through the doggedness of our lawyers, we were able to secure his bail before midnight, on the condition that we would produce him on Monday 26th March, 2018 in the morning.
As a law abiding organization, we are shocked at the actions of the General Manager of Plateau United Football Club, who not being a law enforcement agent, ordered the assault, abduction, kidnap, and arrest of our staff who was merely doing his job as a journalist, by his thugs. Certainly, such crass impunity has no place in an enlightened society like ours.
Being a media outfit that has been in the forefront of supporting Plateau United FC and giving them publicity for free, it is very painful how they have chosen to repay our kindness. With the embarassment and psychological discomfort Pius Henwan has caused Mbum Ferdinand and our establishment, this daring misadventure offers a rare opportunity to all sensible minds to reassess the suitability of such a man to manage a Football Club like Plateau United who are currently the reigning champions of the NPF", the statement stated.
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