How Gov Almakura Of Nasarawa Demolished Radio Station He Commissioned Two Months Later
In what has left many baffled, Governor Tanko Almakura of Nasarawa state has demolished Breeze 99.9 Fm, a privately owned radio station, he commissioned barely two months ago.
On March 31, 2017, Almakura had commissioned the station with fanfare.
The Whistler learnt that things took a turn for the worst when the governor felt the station had become an outlet for opposition voice in the state as the government owned station has placed an embargo on opposition news.
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The final straw in the strained relationship between the governor and Breeze 99.9 FM was when the station aired a statement on the planned state-wide strike by labour over continued indebtedness of the government to the workers.
Reacting to the development, the Nigeria Union of Journalists, Nasarawa State Council, through its chairman, Comrade Dogo Shamah, accused the government of not following due process in carrying out the action.
According to him, the haste with which NUDB demolished the radio station, made it clear that the government took the action to gag journalists in the state from carrying out their legitimate duties.
“It is an unfortunate development that in a democratic setting, somebody will demolish a radio station serving the common people.
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“The government needed to accept that there must avenue for people to air their views.
“It was the same government that commissioned the station; for the government to come up with violation papers is mere excuse.
“This is an assault on journalists in the state; the government is trying to gag the press and stop people from getting balanced reportage.”
Also, theThe National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has described the demolition of the structures housing the Breeze 99.9 FM, Lafia as “shocking and unbelievable”.
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NBC Zonal Director for North-Central, Mrs. Franca Ayetan, who led a team on a verification visit to the destroyed station last Monday, said that the development was surprising because the station followed due process in obtaining its broadcast license.
“The owner of the private radio station, Dr. Nawani Aboki, followed due process in obtaining the broadcast license after all necessary inspections were carried out.
“On March 31, when we came to commission the station, the state government was fully represented.
“If government had raised any reservation then, as a regulatory body, we would have waited a little more before inaugurating the station. But none was raised,” she said.
