BON, IBAN condemn destruction of DAAR communications’ assets by Rivers government

The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON), Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN) and Society of Nigerian Broadcasters (SNB) have condemned the destruction of the DAAR Communications Plc mast and building by the Rivers government.

DAAR Communications Plc are the owners of the African Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower FM.

On Monday, the organisation said officials of the Rivers government accompanied by security personnel carried out the “operations” that resulted in the collapse of its assets in Port Harcourt, the state capital.

The broadcaster said it would not speak on the matter since the feud with the Rivers state government is in court.

Reacting to the incident in a statement on Monday, Yemisi Bamgbose, executive secretary of BON, described the destruction of the mast and building belonging to the media house as a “flagrant violation of the rule of law and ominous signal to democracy”.

Bamgbose called on the federal government to wade into the matter and urged the Rivers state government to “stop harassing DAAR communications”.

“The Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria has described the wanton destruction of multi-billion naira equipment of the DAAR communications plc, the owners of African Independent Television (AIT) situated in Port-Harcourt by the Rivers State Government as an executive lawlessness, flagrant violation of the rule of law and ominous signal to democracy,” the statement reads.

“We call on the federal government to wade into this matter of deliberate violation of the rule of law by branches of government using federal government apparatus to intimidate the media and their tendencies for disregarding the order of the court of the land.

“We call on the government of Rivers state to stop the harassment of the DAAR communications group and allow the court to determine the legality of the matter.”

Also, IBAN in a statement on Tuesday by Guy Murray-Bruce, its chairman, described the destruction as “illegal”.

“IBAN has described the Rivers State Government’s action as self-help, illegal, and an abuse of the legal order prejudicial to our nascent democracy, as the dispute on the land between Daar Communications PLC and Rivers State Government is still a subject of litigation before a court of competent jurisdiction,” the statement reads.

“IBAN views the action of the Rivers State Government as an attempt to intimidate and silence the media, which is the watchdog of the society. It calls on the Rivers State Government to stay action and allow the judicial process to prevail on the matter.”

Meanwhile, SBN in a statement on Tuesday by Festus Kehinde, its coordinating secretary, said the action of the Rivers government “is least expected from a democratically elected government”.

The organisation also called on the government and their agencies at all levels to refrain from actions that are capable of compromising the international image of Nigeria among the comity of nations.

“The unfortunate steps taken by the state government is a clear demonstration that the executive arm believes in jungle justice rather than the rule of law, which is very nauseating at this stage of the nation’s democracy,” SBN said.

“DAAR communications, the owners of AIT, deserves to be adequately compensated for this act of omission on the part of the government of Rivers state.”

In March, the Rivers government issued a demolition notice to AIT, saying that the land on which the station was built was part of the state housing project.

But the broadcasting outfit denied the claim, insisting that it had been using the land for over 20 years.