The Kogi State Government has pointed fingers at opposition parties in the state, accusing them of being responsible for the recent vandalization of the booster station of the State Broadcasting Corporation in Ochaja.
Although the government did not explicitly name the political parties behind the attack, it expressed its disappointment at the senseless act and described it as politics taken too far.
Last June, suspected hoodlums invaded the state-owned radio station in Ochaja, Kogi East, where they not only carted away items but also destroyed broadcasting equipment.
The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communication, Kingsley Fanwo, made these remarks during a sensitization program organized by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). The program aimed to educate broadcast stations in the state about their roles in ensuring free, fair, and credible elections.
While calling on the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to identify and apprehend the culprits responsible for this audacious act, Commissioner Fanwo expressed the government’s commitment to collaborating with media organizations for good governance.
He also emphasized that the Kogi State Government fully supports the NBC in its efforts to ensure that broadcast stations adhere to regulations aimed at guaranteeing a credible poll in the state.
Earlier, the Director-General of the NBC, Balarabe Shehu Ilela, represented by the Director of Broadcast Monitoring at NBC, Mrs. Francesca Aiyetan, affirmed the commission’s unwavering commitment to ensuring that broadcast stations operate in accordance with the rules to uphold the unity and national interests of Nigeria.
Expressing concern over ethnic and religious profiling, Ilela reiterated that the NBC will consistently stand up for the ethics of the broadcast profession.
As investigations continue into the attack on the booster station, the Kogi State Government, along with the NBC, remains resolute in its pursuit of justice and in safeguarding the integrity of the media and the democratic process.
