There are signals that the Federal Government may have succeeded in taking Radio Biafra off the airwaves in the South East after earlier claims turned out false.
A PREMIUM TIMES report says the pirate station was off the air in Nnewi, Anambra State as at 7:30 am on Saturday.
Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), Emeka Mba, Friday issued a statement which also announced the arrest of some operators of the station.
It reads: “The national Broadcasting Commission has effectively neutralised the illegal broadcasts from the seditious pirate radio station that has recently shattered the peace in parts of the south east of Nigeria with unsavoury hate messages.
“Working with security operatives, the Commission has also tracked down, neutralised and confiscated transmitter equipment from several locations in the region. Some suspects involved in the illicit broadcasts have also been arrested and taken to Abuja for questioning and prosecution.
“The Commission has also worked with other agencies to remove the transmission of the illegal station from the satellite and this has put paid to the divisive and disruptive transmissions. We are working on the internet transmissions.
“The National Broadcasting Commission wishes to appreciate the concerns expressed by Nigerians over the seditions activities of the illegal Biafra Radio transmitting hate message that are unfortunately designed to create disunity among Nigerians and mislead young people in a deliberate act of subversion. Nigerians do not need another round of heartache and bloodshed.
“The Commission reiterates its calls to the public to disregard the hate messages coming from the misguided station, and urges Nigerians to unite in joining hands with the government to build a stronger and more prosperous nation.”
UK-based creator of the channel, Nnamdi Kanu, however boasts that “Nothing can stop us and we are moving higher.”
Earlier claims by the government that it had jammed the station’s signal proved to be false.
Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Information, Shade Yemi-Esan, told journalists on Tuesday, July 14 that the NBC had jammed the station’s transmission.
Kanu later denied this and the station became more defiant in its hate messages assuring its listeners it would one day be bigger than the BBC.
Friday’s announcement by the NBC is the latest in the move to permanently block it from entering the Nigerian airwaves.
