A robbery gang on Saturday raided the Radio Nigeria’s Prime 101.5FM in Jimgbe, Kogi State, and stole broadcasting equipment worth millions of naira, crippling the station’s ability to transmit.
Penpushing reports that the General Manager of the station, Momoh-Jimoh Adeiza said the incident was a major attack, as eyewitness said the armed men numbering about ten 10 operated for over three hours before making off with vital components.
The General Manager told journalists that staff members discovered the extensive damage and theft on Saturday morning, adding that as at the time of filing this report the station was off air following carting away of the equipment
Penpushing further reports that Adeiza explained that the armed robbers tied up the only on-duty security guard., lamenting over the incident, however, appealed to security agencies to step up their efforts to apprehend the robbers.
The station boss said among the critical items stolen were copper parts of feeder lines, 22 pieces of modules, armoured cables, and generator batteries – essential components for radio transmission, and also appealed for urgent assistance to help the station resume broadcasting.
“We are currently off air because our equipment has been stolen by armed criminals,” “Where do we go from here now?’, Adeiza stated.
Penpushing also reports that, the security guard on duty, Daniel Haruna said the criminals, wielding guns and cutlasses, arrived at the station around 1 a.m, stressing that on arrival they pointed torchlight on him
“When they pointed a torchlight on me, they immediately gripped me and tied me to a tree and blindfolded my eyes. I could not scream because I was helpless. They operated for more than three hours before they left our station. I have never experienced this kind of thing in my life before’, Haruna stated
Penpushing reports that the Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, reacting in a statement condemned the vandalism of Radio Nigeria’s equipment.
The Commissioner added in the statement that the state government would collaborate with the security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.
“We will work with the management of the station to ascertain the degree of vandalism and also get clues on what led to the unfortunate incident,” he emphasised.
Penpushing further reports that Fanwo reiterated the state government’s commitment to protecting all federal agencies within Kogi and pledged efforts to prevent such incidents from becoming a new normal.
The Commissioner added that the state was ready to offer any possible support to the station during this trying period, urging federal agencies to remain security conscious and inform the state government if they require assistance.
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