FG declares fresh war on media

• Pulls down AIT structure

The federal government of Nigeria appears to be on the path to launching fresh war on the media in Nigeria.

National Daily gathered that a staff of the first private television station in the country, the African Independent Television (AIT), disclosed that the demolition of the AIR Gate House was being carried out by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA) in Tuesday in Abuja.

It was indicated that the Gate House, a building within the premises of DAAR Communications, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and RayPower FM, was being demolished in the later hours of Tuesday.

A staff of AIT was gathered to have spoken to Sahara Reporters on the phone that the demolition of the edifice was done by officials of the Federal Capital Territory Development Authority (FCDA). However, the demolished structure was said to be located at a distant space from the operational building of the television house. In any case, the action exposed the television station to security vulnerability.

“It is true that a demolition is going on but it is the Gate House for the security officials, and it is a little away from the main building,” the AIT staff had said on the condition of anonymity.

“Yes, it’s an AIT property but the good thing is, it’s not an operational building, so, its demolition will not affect the core of what AIT does,” he added.

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Raymond Dokpesi, founder of DAAR Communications, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is being prosecuted on allegation of diversion of N2.1 billion security funds collected from Sambo Dasuki, former National Security Adviser (NSA) to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

Dokpesi was arrested by the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) at Nnamdi Azikiwe Airport, Abuja, last month on his return from a medical vacation at the American Hospital, Dubai; an immigration officer was cited to have said that Dokpesi is on the Federal Government’s
security watch list, and that there were instructions from above toarrest him on arrival.