A popular Port Harcourt On-Air-Personality, Kofi Bartels was nearly beaten to death on Tuesday by men of the Federal State Anti-Robbery Squad, F-SARS who accused him of taking photographs of where they were allegedly beating up a boy who was resisting attempt to arrest him.

The brutality of the F-SARS officials left Bartels with life-threatening injuries which have confined him to a hospital bed where he can only stand up with the aid of clutches as at the time of writing this story.

In a heartrending story he shared early Wednesday morning on his Facebook page, Bartels, who works with the Nigeria Info 92.3FM, Port Harcourt, a privately-owned radio station, narrated how the armed policemen attacked him.

“I was given the beating of my life right on the road. They began by smashing my knees repeatedly with wooden bars”, the OAP recounted, amidst pains.

Mr. Bartels’ tale of woes continued as he was later bundled to the outfit’s camp where more torture was inflicted on him.

According to him,

“I was handcuffed like a common criminal and shots were fired to disperse a small crowd that had gathered. After a second round of beating, I was taken to SARS HQ in Port Harcourt where I was beaten more mercilessly by the SARS officers who took me there. About three others also joined in. They took turns to slap, punch, kick me all over my body in a detention room, while I was struggling with a swollen knee. At least 6 officers, one at a time. One swore he would have “wasted” me if his team were the one who picked me up. I was told to get ready to be thrown into their cell where I would receive the worst torture, including sexual abuse by male inmates.”

As the torture continued, Bartels added, the policemen told him his end in Rivers State had come which was to have been their way of paying him back for the human rights abuses committed by the F-SARS and the police in general against which he (Bartels) had been leading discussions on air.

“A couple of them told me to watch my back, saying this is my end in Rivers State, due to the human rights issues we treat on radio involving SARS and the police generally.”

Mr. Bartels survived what possibly would have been his end when, according to him, words got across to the F-SARS Commander (leader) whose identity he did not mention who then ordered that he should be released without conditions.

“My phones were seized and I had no way of communicating with anyone. I was saved at the last minute when word got to their former boss and they were ordered to release me unconditionally.”

Mr. Bartels has not been able to pick his calls to ascertain his situation and possibly speak more on his unfortunate travails. Though calls placed on his telephone line all rang out, he did not pick or return any.

Condemnations have trailed attack on the radio reporters by men of F-SARS with some calling for a thorough investigation.

There have been several reports of men of F-SARS engaging in human rights violations against citizens.

Only last Monday, President Muhammadu Buhari received the report by the Presidential Panel on SARS Reform which recommended several reforms and penalties for offending F-SARS rank and file.

The President promised to implement the recommendations but after the Inspector-General of Police and the Solicitor General of the Federation/Permanent Secretary, Federal Ministry of Justice would have worked out modalities.

At the time of this report, neither the Rivers State Police Command nor the F-SARS has reacted to Kofi Bartel’s alleged beating and torture incident.

As shared by Kofi on Facebook: