Suspected political thugs on Friday, January 2, 2026, reportedly invaded a popular hotel located in the Orazi axis of Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, Rivers State, in southern Nigeria, disrupting a live television interview being conducted by Arise Television, a Nigerian privately owned news and current affairs broadcaster with a global audience.
Okay News reports that the Arise Television crew was in the hotel conducting a live interview with Dr Leloonu Nwibubasa, a former Commissioner for Employment Generation and Empowerment in Rivers State, when the attackers allegedly stormed the premises late in the evening.
Dr Nwibubasa was said to be speaking on the evolving political situation in Rivers State, one of Nigeria’s oil-producing states in the Niger Delta region, when the suspected thugs reportedly arrived at the hotel around 9:15 pm.
Eyewitnesses told reporters that the attackers, who were believed to be armed, forcefully entered several rooms within the hotel while chanting in their local language. According to one witness, the assailants allegedly seized mobile phones from occupants, forced doors open, and caused panic among hotel guests and staff.
“They were chanting in their local language, forcing doors open and seizing people’s phones. Workers in the hotel started running helter-skelter,” the eyewitness said.
It was further gathered that the suspected thugs eventually traced the location where the interview was ongoing and confronted both the former commissioner and the Arise Television crew. The attackers reportedly issued threats, forcing the immediate termination of the live broadcast.
One of the journalists attached to the Arise Television team disclosed that he received a distress call from a colleague and immediately proceeded to the hotel. He said he contacted the police control room and also alerted other colleagues about the unfolding situation.
“At that point, I called the police control room and also made calls across to some of my colleagues. The police responded and said they were on their way to the hotel,” he explained.
The reporter added that upon his arrival, the Divisional Police Officer responsible for the area, alongside other police personnel, was already on ground. Working with the hotel management, the officers ensured that Dr Nwibubasa and the journalist were safely escorted out of the hotel and taken to Kala Police Station, a police facility within Rivers State.
According to him, statements were taken from those involved as of the time the report was filed.
Speaking separately, an Arise Television cameraman identified as Promise recounted his ordeal, stating that some of his professional equipment was taken during the attack.
“The men seized my Sony Canada Z280, industrial tripod, wireless microphone and other accessories,” he said.
Promise expressed shock over the incident, noting that he had only just completed filing a report from an earlier assignment before commencing the live interview.
“I had just filed that report before starting with the former commissioner on a programme called News Night when two men stormed the place and disrupted the live interview,” he added.
He further stated that the attackers made several threats before fleeing the scene upon sighting the police, who had responded to distress calls.
When contacted later, Dr Nwibubasa confirmed that he was safe, attributing his escape to the swift intervention of the police. However, he strongly condemned the incident, describing it as dangerous for Nigeria’s democratic process.
“I was already rounding off the interview and speaking about the forthcoming 2027 general elections. They are already showing signs of what will happen. See how they were breaking down doors looking for me. Why? This is a free society,” he said.
Efforts to reach Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson of the Rivers State Police Command, were unsuccessful, as calls and text messages sent to her remained unanswered as of Saturday morning, January 3, 2026.
