BON wants EFCC to apologise over invasion of Enugu radio

Executive Secretary Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), Yemisi Bamgbose, has insisted that officials of Economic and Financial Crime Commission (EFCC) must apologise for invading the studio of Urban Radio 94.5 Enugu during a live programme.

Recall on October 14, 2024, the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC, invaded the station to arrest Favour Ekoh, a presenter for questioning regarding her involvement in an alleged N700 million Ponzi scheme fraud.

A statement issued by the EFCC’s Head of Media and Publicity, Dele Oyewale, however, denied invading the station. The EFCC statement reads: “When our operatives arrived at the radio station, holding a warrant for Ekoh’s arrest, they identified themselves to the station’s Managing Director, Bamikole Owoyomi, and explained their mission. However, a staff member called the Chairman of the station, who ordered that the building’s gates be locked, effectively holding our officers hostage.”

The EFCC officials added, “in response to the unlawful detention of our officers, a rescue team was deployed, leading to the arrest of Owoyomi, Ekoh, and two security guards involved in the obstruction. The operatives acted within the law, and no equipment at the radio station was tampered with.”

Oyewale added the presenter was not arrested while on air, noting “the nature of the fraudulent dealings required a sting operation to ensure her apprehension.”

But a statement by the board and management of Urban Radio 94.5FM Enugu condemned the EFCC’s raid on their office, describing it as a “halt and disruption of our programme.”

To the management, “once again, we apologise for the unethical break-in of our live studio and the disruption of your favourite programmes. We hope the matter will be resolved as soon as possible, for whatever reasons it occurred.”

Similarly, officials of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) issued a statement tendering apologies over the development. The letter, signed by Director Public Affairs, Suzan Obi, reads in part: “The approach for which the arrest was carried out is regrettable, considering the impact of the broadcast media on the society.”

Obi said, “while NBC appreciates the EFCC’s efforts in sanitising the country of financial crimes, NBC differs with the manner of approach deployed by the anti-graft agency which could have led to public disorder, disturbance, aggravate mass panic and hysteria. The NBC, hereby, expresses heartfelt apologies to the listening public, the people of Enugu State, and the entire broadcast industry for the incident. The NBC implores the general public at this point to be law abiding, while the law takes its course. Media professionals are also enjoined to continue upholding ethical standards, while discharging their responsibility.”

In an interview with The Guardian in Lagos, Bamgbose queried, “why should NBC apologise when it was not the agency that invaded the station? I wouldn’t know if EFCC got in touch with NBC to tender the apology. The right agency to apologise is the EFCC. NBC, after investigation and confirmation of the invasion of the studios of its licensee, should protest to the EFCC on the deliberate violation of the law of the law by its officers.”

In a separate letter written to the EFCC by BON, Bamgbose noted, “for invading the premises of the radio station, forcefully disrupting a live programme and removing the stations equipment by gun-wielding operatives of the EFCC is totally condemned by BON.

It is well known that broadcast environment is a sensitive and a security zone with restricted access to non- operators of the facility.

Invading such a facility sends a very wrong signal to the entire world and to all and sundry that anyone including ordinary members of the public can also invade it.”