Suspected armed robbers have attacked Radio Nigeria, Prime 101.5FM, located in Jimgbe, Kogi State, making away with transmission equipment valued in the millions of naira and leaving the station completely off-air.
Naijaonpoint reports that the brazen attack reportedly occurred in the early hours of Saturday and lasted over three hours, with no response from security operatives in the area during the operation.
Confirming the incident on Sunday, the General Manager of the station, Momoh-Jimoh Adeiza, expressed shock over the attack and the extent of the damage inflicted.
“This is a major blow to our operations. We are currently off air because our vital broadcast equipment has been stolen. The criminals tied up our security guard before proceeding with their operations. Where do we go from here?” he lamented.
Adeiza called on security agencies to act swiftly in tracking down the criminals and recovering the stolen items. He also disclosed that the Zonal Director of Radio Nigeria had been informed of the development.
“I’m appealing to the relevant authorities and stakeholders to come to our aid so that we can resume operations and continue serving the public,” he added.
Narrating his harrowing experience, the security guard on duty, Daniel Haruna, said the robbers were heavily armed and stormed the premises around 1:00 a.m.
He said, “They were more than ten of them. They came around 1:00 a.m., and when they spotted me with a flashlight, they immediately tied me to a tree and blindfolded me.
“I couldn’t cry out for help because I was completely helpless. They ransacked the premises for over three hours. It was a terrifying experience I never imagined I would go through.”
The robbers reportedly carted away 22 pieces of transmission modules, copper components of the feeder lines, generator batteries, armoured cables, and other essential broadcast infrastructure.
Aside from the theft, the extent of destruction to the station’s facilities has raised serious concern among staff and industry stakeholders, who fear it may take months to restore full operations.