Operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) conducted a raid at Urban Radio 94.5FM in Enugu, leading to the arrest of a presenter during a live broadcast. The incident occurred while the ‘Prime Time’ programme was in progress, causing significant disruption.
In a statement released on Tuesday, Urban Radio expressed regret to its listeners regarding the interruption of their programme. The station clarified that the raid took place at approximately 6:45 PM on Monday evening.
According to the station, the EFCC operatives forcibly abducted presenters and confiscated communication equipment without providing any reasons for their actions. This unexpected invasion raised concerns about the legality and ethics of the operation.
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Urban Radio’s Board and Management expressed their discontent, stating, “The abrupt halting and disruption of our programme on Monday evening is regrettable.” They emphasized the impact of the raid on their broadcasting activities and their commitment to keeping listeners informed.
The station further condemned the actions of the armed men, who identified themselves as EFCC agents. They described the situation as an unethical break-in that disrupted their live programming and affected their audience.
In contrast, Dele Oyewale, the EFCC spokesperson, defended the agency’s actions. He clarified that the raid was specifically aimed at arresting Favour Ekoh, the presenter, due to her alleged involvement in a ponzi scheme that defrauded 103 Nigerians.
Oyewale stated that only Ekoh was taken into custody and denied that any communication equipment was seized during the operation. He explained that the agency had been tracking Ekoh after she ignored multiple invitations to come in for questioning.
The situation has sparked discussions about the balance between law enforcement actions and the rights of media organizations. Urban Radio has vowed to follow up on the matter and keep its listeners updated as the situation unfolds.
