The National Broadcasting Commission [NBC] on Friday said it has arrested operators of Radio Biafra, blocked the station from Nigeria’s airwaves and seized its transmission equipment in many part of Nigeria’s South-East zone.
NBC’s Director General, Emeka Mba, made this known Friday in a statement made available to PREMIUM TIMES. Mr. Mba said his commission has effectively neutralised the illegal broadcast from the pirate radio station he said had shattered the peace of South-East Nigeria with unsavoury messages.
“Working with security operatives, the commission has also tracked down, neutralized and confiscated transmitter equipment from several locations in the region,” he said. “Some suspects involved in the illicit broadcasts have also been arrested and taken to Abuja for questioning and prosecution. “The commission has also worked with other agencies to remove the transmissions of the illegal station from the satellite, and this has put paid to the divisive and disruptive transmissions.”
He said the commission appreciated the concerns expressed by Nigerians over the seditious activities of the illegal radio station and urged the people of the region to disregard the messages purveyed by it. Radio Biafra was floated by some Nigerians in the South-East of the country, who appear nostalgic of the defunct Biafra Republic, which ceased to exist at the end of the Nigerian civil war in 1970.
While its backers say the radio caters for the needs of people from the region, the network is also known for propagating falsehood, dangerous propaganda and ideology of the former secessionist Republic.
This newspaper had on July 10 wrote an editorial drawing attention to the disturbing signals from the radio station and called for urgent steps to curtail its excesses. Four days later, the government said it had successfully jammed its signals.
The permanent secretary in the Ministry of Information, Shade Yemi-Esan, made this known Tuesday while briefing journalists at the presidential villa after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the activities of her ministry.
She claimed the NBC had successfully blocked the signals of the radio station.
However, on July 15, PREMIUM TIMES correspondents in the South-East of Nigeria, and other listeners confirmed that station remained on the airwaves as of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, long after Ms. Yemi-Esan, told journalists it had been blocked.
The station also denounced the claim by government, tweeting that its terrestrial transmission remained alive as well as its online radio. “Radio Biafra is live in Biafra land: NBC woe to you and your lies: NBC lied to their master and gullib…,” the radio tweeted. For more scintillating and juicy stories, follow the official Naijapals accounts On Twitter - @Naijapals and Facebook - www.facebook.com/naijapals
I have been reporting on latest news from Nigeria for almost 10 years now. I report on every possible news area I come across, but always ensure my reports are compiled with dignity and fact to uphold my personal values and duty as a journalist
Posted: at 17-07-2015 09:48 PM (9 years ago) | Addicted Hero
PoliticxGuru at 17-07-2015 09:59 PM (9 years ago) (m)
is this a news?
Posted: at 17-07-2015 09:59 PM (9 years ago) | Hero
Poster i am made to believe that you are paid to publish this lies?why dont you post pictures of the operations for we nigeria to believe you.atleast we will be able to know areas and people involved.be careful the radio station is working live for own intreast.
Posted: at 17-07-2015 10:10 PM (9 years ago) | Newbie
Instead of making attempts to capture Boko haram sponsors, APC government is chasing shadows. If radio Biafra is a problem in Nigeria, it means we don't have problem at all.
Posted: at 17-07-2015 11:36 PM (9 years ago) | Upcoming
Activated at 18-07-2015 12:23 AM (9 years ago) (m)
I tried their online radio and it's working. So how did you guys accomplish this “The commission has also worked with other agencies to remove the transmissions of the illegal station from the satellite"
Just to verify, this is the link to their online radio.
Truly as at yesterday I can't hear them again. I don't know may be it's actually blocked or it is a technical problem. But I want to ask the organizers and the supporters of this blunder called Radio Biafra,their missions of insulting other tribes in every of their broadcasting. Always chanting war slogans, attacking Islamic Religion and call where your brothers making millions daily,a zoo. Why can't you use this evil station to advice your brothers to stop deadly rubbery on the high way , to stop kidnapping innocents, to stop common baby factories in s/east and to stop ritual money called business.
Posted: at 18-07-2015 08:52 AM (9 years ago) | Upcoming