By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Benue State Government, on Thursday, sealed off the radio station, belonging to former President of the Senate, Dr. David Mark, in Otukpo.

Joy FM, 96.5 Otukpo, established in 2006, was the first private radio station in North Central Nigeria.

The station which covers over 7 states in Nigeria, due to its high frequency modulator, was invaded around 1pm on Thursday, with two trucks laden with armed Policemen.

The team was led by the Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mr. Sunday Odagba and Mr. Ikwue Ikwue of the State Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Otukpo Zone.

Staff on duty were said to have been rough handled in the process, while Mr. Oloche Adeyi, who was in the studio casting 1pm network news was forced at gunpoint to abruptly terminate the news in the bulletin, a culture that is antithetical to broadcast and media practice.

Managing Director of Joy FM, Amb. Christabel Iyanya, confirmed the unfortunate incident to our Correspondent.

“They came and took siege on the station and caused pandemonium, as nobody was aware of their coming or the reason they have to invade a running station with 2 trucks of armed Policemen.

“They rough handled my staff on duty, right from the receptionist, Juliana Ameh, one of our old staff, Mallam Jibrin, my head of news, Cletus Ogbaje; and even went to the studio with heavily armed Policemen and forced Oloche Adeyi who was reading the 1pm news to stop the bulletin, at gun point.

“They entered all the offices and drove everybody out at gun point. Unfortunately, I was away in Igumale, Ado Local Government Headquarters, to attend to a business. All our entrance doors were destroyed.

“This is the height of it. I only watch this in movies. I have never heard nor seen a media house being invaded with such number of armed men, over what they call business premises. They said the station was owing N150,000 for business premises. This, we were not aware of.

“The people who led this operation, especially, Ikwue Ikwue, is from the same locality with me, he sees me all the time, if my station was owing any bill, he should have told me and I would pay immediately. We have been operating for almost 2 decades and we have never defaulted in payment of any bills or taxes, whatsoever.

“This is beyond tax. This is something they will have to explain to us. This stands condemned. We are definitely going to test this”, Iyanya, who is also the National Vice Chairman of Broadcasters Organization of Nigerian (BON), added.

By Kayode Sanni-Arewa

The Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) on Thursday said its tower T195 along the Ugwuaji–Makurdi 330 kV transmission line was vandalised on Saturday.

TCN’s General Manager, Public Affairs, Mrs Ndidi Mbah, in a statement in Abuja, said that the vandalism took place at Watuolo village, Utonkon, in Ado Local Government Area of Benue.

Mbah, however, said that the vandalism was thwarted by the vigilance of the community members, who at about 3 a.m. noticed suspicious activity around the tower.

She said that the community members promptly apprehended one of the suspected vandals while the others escaped and handed him over to the police.

”TCN commends the people of Watuolo village for their swift action and vigilance.

”We equally appeal to communities hosting critical infrastructure to emulate this example and take ownership of protecting transmission installations in their vicinity.

As we continue to work with security operatives and host communities against vandalism, we appeal for more vigilance by the residents in the communities, who we believe are very critical in this fight,” she said.

(NAN)