Breeze 99.9FM management heads to court over demolition by Nasarawa government

The management of Breeze FM 99.9 in Lafia, a privately-owned radio station, which was demolished by the Nasarawa State Government on May 20, is heading to court to challenge the clamp down.

Its Executive Director, Dr. Nawani Aboki, who stated this at a press briefing in front of the demolished station yesterday added that the decision to take legal action was because despite several overtures by well-meaning Nigerians, the state government remained adamant.

“We have obtained the service of a lawyer to prosecute the case. We are constrained to take this step because the government has not considered it necessary to apologise for its actions or attempt to resolve the matter.

“In addition, we are constrained to go to court, as it is the popular wish of the people of Nasarawa state to stem the rising cases of tyranny and dictatorship in the state,” he said.

He added that the management team has also petitioned several critical stakeholders in the country to seek their assistance and support in resolving the matter and getting the due justice the station deserves, including the minister of Information, Chairmen of Senate and House of Representatives Committees on Information and Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC).

He also revealed that the press briefing was to clear the air on a claim by Commissioner for Information, Alhaji Abdulhameed Kwara, that the demolition was carried out to avert radioactive radiation on people living around the station.

“I wonder how the state government arrived at this lame reason. However, what is government going to do with the numerous masts of various communication network providers that dot every space near residential areas, including the one standing in Government House?

“That we were operating in residential area on a plot of land, which approval is for residential purposes only, lets assume it is true, couldn’t they have asked us to relocate, rather than demolished the station and its equipment?

“We are left with no other option than to believe that the demolition stemmed from morbid fear, which is unfounded, as the station has thorough-bred journalists who adhere to strict ethics of the journalism profession.

“For the avoidance of doubt, the station is not any political party station, but a commercial broadcast which is first and foremost aimed to providing the people a voice and making some money for itself, as every station will do, since we are not financed by anybody.”