Radio station demolition: Court orders Nasarawa government to pay N67.3m compensation

Two years after the demolition of a private radio station, 99.9Breeze FM, by the Tanko Almakura- led government, the state High Court has ruled that N67m should be paid as compensation to the owner.

Justice Rose Soji, who delivered the judgment on Friday, said evidence presented by the state government for carrying out the demolition on May 20, 2017, were illegal, vindictive, malicious and unconstitutional.“I, therefore, award N17,34,500 for special damages and N50m for the general damages incurred over the demolition,” Soji ruled.He also ordered the state government to make a public apology to Breeze FM.

The counsel to the government, Ishaku Usman commended Justice Soji and said his client would take appropriate steps after due consultation.Also, counsel to Breeze 99.9FM, Ucha Olegede, said he was happy that justice was dispensed against government for maliciously destroying a private citizen’s investment.

The Chief Executive of 99.9 Breeze FM, Dr. Nawani Aboki said: “the legal battle is victory for the freedom of the press. Today, we have seen light prevailing over darkness, good triumphing over evil. ”

It could be recalled that the state government under the immediate former Governor, Tanko Almakura, demolished Breeze 99.9FM, claiming that the structure was illegal and that radio active wave was dangerous to people even though the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had earlier given approval and the station was commissioned by Almakura himself.