The Rivers State Government has ordered the closure of the operations of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM in Port Harcourt, with immediate effect.
The media organisation which confirmed the development in a post on its website late Sunday, said the operations were shut down by telecommunications engineers who were contracted by the state government accompanied by heavily armed security operatives.
The statement signed by the General Manager of the outfit in the state, that the government team demolished the transmitter complex at the DAAR Communications PLC Broadcast Centre in Port Harcourt.
“Management of DAAR Communications has been taken by surprise following the sudden turn of events as efforts were in top gear to resolve issues with the State Government amicably but the no notice incident are a heavy source of concern,” the statement reads.
“Some officials of the telecommunications contractor told AIT that they were working on a directive from above to start demolition on Sunday despite the heavy rains as against a later date.
“Meanwhile, bulldozers were also deployed by the Rivers State Government to demolish the Transmitter Complex at the DAAR Communications PLC Broadcast Centre in Port Harcourt.”
The dispute between the media conglomerate and the Rivers state government got to a heated head last March when the government then under Nyesom Wike, threatened to demolish the structure on the premise that the land on which the AIT/RayPower Radio station built its transmission station has been a subject of dispute between the state government and the outfit.
