Following
reports that Nigerian security operatives had sealed up a private
television station in Abuja, a new report has explained what really
happened.
Reports went round yesterday on several online news portals,
insinuating that operatives of the Department of State Security on
Friday sealed a private Nigerian TV station, CORE TV, in an attempt to silence the media.
However a new report by Daily Post has shown that the presence of
the heavily armed policemen seen moving out the station’s equipment had
nothing to do with media clampdown.
The security operatives stormed the station premises early hours of
Friday to enforce an order emanating from the FCT High Court concerning
the ownership of the station’s premises.
Daily Post reports that about 35 heavily-armed policemen and patrol
vehicles were on guard around the premises of the broadcast house as
hired labourers were busy moving the station’s property out of the
building located at 34, Sokode Crescent, Wuse Zone 5, Abuja, fueling
suspicion of a clampdown.
A staff of the station who pleaded not to be mentioned, told Daily
Post that the order may have to do with the tussle for the ownership
rights to the premises and not with the professional conduct of the
station.
He said that there had been a lingering court case regarding the
property since 2004, and that may have predicated the clampdown.
Running with that lead, Daily Post sought to obtain a copy of the court order.
One of the security operative, who showed Daily Post the court
order, said they had no business with the operations of the station but
were merely carrying out instructions to recover the station premises.
According to the court order titled: “Warrant for Recovery of Premise” with
number. FCT/HC/W/219/96, Gazi Constructions Ltd, who leased the
property to the Core TV station was asked to, within 24 hours, cede the
property to Bill Construction (Nig) Ltd.
Meanwhile, the managing director of the station, Mr. Olajide
Adeniran, said the operatives shut down the station and barricaded the
area around 4:00 a.m without prior notice of wrongdoing.
He also questioned the legality of carrying out an order of the court at night.
“This takes us entirely by surprise. They never formally
notified us of any wrongdoing, But even if there’s a court order
restraining our operations on premises, why should it be in the middle
of the night that they will enforce it and why should they carry our
systems and files?” he said.
He, however, exonerated the station from any form of illegality, saying that the media house had no axe to grind with the law.
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