In a dramatic turn of events, the Benue State Government on Thursday sealed off Joy FM 96.5 Otukpo, a radio station owned by former Senate President David Mark, in what has been described as a forceful and alarming raid.
The station, which has been in operation since 2006 and serves over seven states, was invaded around 1 PM by a team of heavily armed policemen in two trucks. The operation was led by the Chairman of Benue Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), Mr. Sunday Odagba, alongside Mr. Ikwue Ikwue from the State Ministry of Commerce & Industry, Otukpo Zone.
Eyewitnesses reported that staff on duty were manhandled, with the most shocking incident occurred in the studio, where news anchor Oloche Adeyi was allegedly forced at gunpoint to stop reading the 1 PM network news bulletin.
Confirming the incident, Amb. Christabel Iyanya, Managing Director of Joy FM and National Vice Chairman of Broadcasters Organization of Nigeria (BON), described the raid as an assault on press freedom and an extreme use of force.
“They stormed the station without prior notice, broke down doors, and forced my staff out at gunpoint. Even our receptionist and senior staff were rough-handled. I have never seen such aggression against a media house over what they claim is a N150,000 business premises fee,” Iyanya stated.
She questioned why the station was not formally notified before such a drastic action was taken. “This is beyond tax enforcement; there’s more to this, and we will challenge it.”
The raid has sparked widespread concern among journalists, legal experts, and political observers. Many are questioning whether the shutdown was politically motivated, given the station’s ownership by Senator David Mark, a major political figure in the state.
The Benue State Government has yet to issue an official statement on the matter, but media rights groups and stakeholders are expected to weigh in on what could be seen as an attack on press freedom.
Joy FM’s management has vowed to contest the action legally, and calls are mounting for the Benue State Government to explain the rationale behind such a forceful shutdown.
