The Bauchi state police commissioner, Abiodun Alabi, has condemned last Thursday’s assault on a Bauchi journalist by police officers, which led to a planned boycott of its activities by the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) in the state.

The NUJ Bauchi council had planned to boycott all activities of the police following the assault they meted on an AIT cameraman covering a students’ protest over public encroachment of land belonging to the State College of Agriculture.

Mr Alabi stated that the assault of the journalist by police officers was both regrettable and unacceptable at any police formation.

He said the command would not tolerate such acts because the police and journalists were partners in progress as well as serving the citizens.

“I don’t see why we would become enemies.

We are not enemies. Police are your friends, not enemies, we would continue to work together,” he said.

He said the command would investigate the conduct of the officers who assaulted the journalist, as well as offset the journalist’s medical bills and pay compensation for his personal belongings that were lost during the protest.

The commissioner assured journalists that the command would not hesitate to deal decisively with any police officer found engaging in brutality.

The secretary of the council, Isa Gadau, said the council and the CP had arrived at an amicable decision and that the command regretted the action of its officers.

Therefore, he urged all journalists in the state to shelve the idea of their planned protest against the police.