…Quit notice served on AIT in March 2023 – Investigation
…Demands safety of Ikem Okuhu
From Oluseye Ojo, Ibadan
A civil society organisation, IPC’s Centre for Safety and Protection of Journalists(I-CSPJ), has tackled the Rivers State Government, under Governor Siminalayi Fubara, over shutting down of African Independent Television (AIT), and Raypower FM operations in Port Harcourt, saying the action is unacceptable and a violation of the rule of law.
The Executive Director of International Press Centre (IPC), Lagos, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, in a statement signed and made available to Daily Sun in Ibadan, the Oyo State capital on Monday by the Press Freedom Officer, IPC, Melody Akinjiyan, described the closure of the media outlet as another attempt to stifle press freedom in the country, warning that the state government should immediately stop actions towards that course.
“The Rivers State Government should come open with any grievance it may have against AIT/Raypower in the state and refrain from further arbitrary self-help like the demolition,” he said.
The IPC had on its official page on Sunday, September 3, 2023, announced that the State Government shut down its operations through contracted telecommunications engineers accompanied by armed security operatives.
“The contractors disconnected the wave guard from the antenna on the mast while riggers were seen dismantling the mast. Also, bulldozers were deployed to demolish the Transmitter Complex at DAAR Communications PLC Broadcast Centre,” the post revealed.
Arogundade, however, advised the Rivers State Government to allow AIT and Raypower FM to continue its operations and seek legal redress if it believes the media outfits have committed any offence.
Investigation by Daily Sun revealed that the Rivers State Government had in March, this year, served a 48-hour quit notice to the management of DAAR Communications, owners of Raypower and AIT to vacate the premises. The quit notice was contained in a letter, dated March 20, 2023, and signed by the Permanent Secretary, Rivers State Ministry of Works, Ebere Emenike. The letter said the state government would demolish the structure and commence construction of proposed Government Residential Area (GRA), Phase Five, in Ozuoba.
Meanwhile, the IPC Executive Director has also decried the reported threat on the life of veteran journalist, Ikem Okuhu, who was on Friday, August 25, 2023 accosted by two men who introduced themselves as officers of the Nigerian Police, Enugu State Command at the burial of the father-in-law of his younger brother at Umabor, Eha Alumona Nsukka.
Giving details of what happened during a press briefing in Lagos, Okuhu said: ‘I was at Umabor for the burial of the father-in-law of my younger brother and I had gone out to make a phone call when one of these people walked up to me and started a casual conversation, but soon said he had an order to bring me to Enugu. He said he was a police officer and that somebody had written a petition against me.
‘My inquiry as regards who wrote the petition and what the issue was about did not yield anything, as he was soon joined by another man who also claimed he was a policeman. When I asked them for identification, they refused and instead, tried to herd me to their vehicle.’
Arogundade stated further that the I-CSPJ “is deeply worried about the situation of veteran journalist Ikem Okuhu and hereby calls on the Nigerian government and the security agencies to ensure that he is not harmed in any way. I-CSPJ enjoins anyone who may be aggrieved over the reports by the journalist to seek redress through legal channels instead of attempting to resort to extra-judicial self-help.”