Mr. Nawani Aboki, the Chief Executive of Breeze FM, Lafia, a new radio station in Nasarawa State, has disclosed that the organisation is on its way to court over the demolition of its station.
In a statement he issued, Aboki said following the wrongful demolition of its property with equipment worth N6 million, the state government had refused to pay compensation.
Rather, he said, the government said it would fine the organisation for violating building laws.
“We are on our way to the court,” he warned.
Insinuating political undertone in the demolition of his radio station, Aboki said he contested the last governorship election of the state under the umbrella of Labour Party against the incumbent, Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura.
The media chief said no notice was given before the demolition of the station.
He said worried by the development, he had petitioned the Minister of Information, Senate President, Speaker House Of Representatives, Executive Secretary, National Human Rights Commission, the NBC Abuja and the United Nations Office in Abuja over the matter.
He explained the situation surrounding the destruction in a statement which reads in part: “The demolition was carried out by the Nasarawa State Government through its agent, the Nasarawa State Urban Development Board on the 20th May, 2017.
“The station has the licence and approval to carry out commercial broadcasting on two (2) Kilowatts Transmission. It began Test Transmission on the 6th of February 2017, while full commercial broadcast began on 24th March, 2017.
“Breeze 99.9 FM, Lafia, it may interest you to know was officially commissioned by His Excellency Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura on the 31st March 2017.
“Ever since then, the station had been broadcasting its programmes without any challenge and in the finest tradition of broadcasting ensuring public participation either by coming to the studio for live discussion or contributing through phone calls.
“Before the station was demolished on Saturday 20th May in the morning, a number of top government functionaries had appeared on our programmes especially during the Morning “Breeze Talk” or our political programme “Politics Around”.
“Those that once appeared in some of the programmes included but not limited to the following personalities: the APC chairman in the State, Mr. Philip Shekwo; the State Publicity Secretary of the party, Mr. Wuduyamba Agidi; Commissioner for Education; Commissioner for Justice and the Senior Special Adviser to the Governor on Public Affairs, among several others all in attempt to build a rapport with government.
“To the best of our knowledge there was never a time the state government or any of its agencies complained about our news reports or programmes.”
Aboki said the organisation was however surprised that on the 12th March 2017 at about 4: 00 p.m. an unidentified staff from NUDB led by the Commandant of NAYES came and defaced the building with “Show Approval”, which it promptly responded to.
“Seven days later, on the 19th May, 2017, another staff from NUDB with police escort came and wrote on the wall of the station, the word ‘Demolition’ which was subsequently carried out.
“Prior to the demolition the office was served with two letters from two agents of the State Government namely: Nasarawa State Urban Development Board and Ministry of Lands and Urban Planning. To all the letters, we made cautious effort to ensure that we responded to it.
“No notice of demolition was issued to the station before the demolition. Total of 61million naira worth of equipment were destroyed. Till date the government remains recalcitrant and has proclaimed that it will not pay compensation rather the station will be fined for violation of building laws. We’re on our way to the court.”
