Red Alert Over Media Attack: Tao FM In Okene, Kogi State Bombed!

Red-alert Around Media Houses

Five people have been confirmed dead at the Tao FM radio station in Kuroko, Adavi Local Government Area of Kogi State, Nigeria.

Perceived to be the first  gruesome media attack recorded after Nigeria general election it was reported that the community radio station was blowned off by some unknown gunmen at about 8pm on Monday according to a Nigerian media, Channels Television.

Eyewitness accounts sourced by Channels TV pointed out that the bombers entered the premises of the radio station pretending to come for commercial purpose and were allowed access by the security guard.

He said after gaining access to the building they headed straight to the operation room were they threw the explosive inside the building, killing five people – the security men and the Chief Engineer.

The Kogi State Commissioner of Police, Mr Ogunjemilusi, who confirmed the incident, however said that he could not confirm the number of casualties at the time.

He stated that there was dynamite explosion on the part of the building housing the station.

It was reported that added that security had been beefed up in the area while investigation was on going.

 I-G Orders Security Red-alert Around Media Houses

The Street journal Magazine full report.

Aftermath of Monday’s bombing of TAO FM radio station in Okene, Kogi State, by unknown assailants, the Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, has ordered tight security around media houses in the country.

Mr Emmanuel Ojukwu, Force Spokesman, in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday, said the Acting I-G issued the order because he was worried over the recent attacks on journalists and media houses.

According to him, it was the mandate of the force to protect the lives and property of the citizenry under the law and so the directive was intended at safeguarding journalists and media houses generally.

Arase who acknowledged the valuable roles of the media in the enthronement of democracy in the country, advised citizens to be more vigilant and proactive and report any suspicious movement or persons to the police promptly for appropriate action.

It would be recalled that the blast from suspected improvised explosives which occurred at about 7pm killing at least four people and wounded many others, was preceded by sporadic gunshots that lasted for about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, the Minister of Information, Sen. Patricia Akwashiki, on Tuesday strongly condemned the bombing, describing the attack as a criminal act of arson and assault on democracy and freedom of expression.

Akwashiki in a statement issued by the ministry’s Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Joseph Mutah, also urged security agencies to immediately launch an investigation into the attack with a view to bringing the perpetrators to justice.

In France early this year, twelve people were killed in a terror attack at the offices of Charlie Hebdo, a French satirical magazine over alleged publishing of controversial cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed.

French authorities had similarly raised its terror threat level and stepped up security for media organizations across the country.

The Chairman of the Board of Directors of the station, Dr. Tom Adaba and the Kogi State Commissioner of Information, Zainab Suleiman, have also confirmed the bombing.

Credit : Channels Television, Nigeria.
The Street journal Magazine