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Programme On Air X-post: DANDALIN SIYASA <dandalin_siyasa@yahoogroups.com> Police Invade FRCN, Force Programme On Air Written by Ali Alkali, Kaduna Sunday, 18 October 2009 23:36 A drama played out in Kaduna yesterday when the Hausa service studio of the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria was invaded by armed police men who forced the continuity announcer to air a programme. The station's Acting Deputy Director, Programmes, Alhaji Sani Gwarzo, told our correspondent how it all happened, saying the station's boss was behind the event. He said, "The Zonal Director, FRCN, Kaduna, Alhaji Ladan Salihu, came with armed police men in what you may call a coup- d'etat manner and led them to our Hausa service studio to counter a directive given by the Director-General, FRCN, to stop running a programme being sponsored by Katsina State Government called Gaba Dai, Gaba Dai Jihar Katsina." LEADERSHIP gathered that the incident had to do with the zonal director's determination to ensure that a sponsored programme was aired even though it had been suspended by the DG of FRCN, Barrister Yusuf Nuhu, via a written directive. Salihu reportedly had certain issues to clarify because he alleged issued a fake receipt to the state government after collecting the sum of N5.2 million from it for the programme. "Certainly, the zonal director must have some answers to provide," said Gwarzo. "The directive to stop the programme was because there is an ongoing investigation on fraud concerning the payment of the programme. The Katsina State government claimed to have paid N5.2 million for running the programme, but the money was not paid here and the receipt issued was fake. An investigation panel was set up, and they came here and interviewed some people, including the zonal director, before writing to us on the 15th of this month to stop the programme. But on 17th, the zonal director wrote to my office, directing that we should continue running the programme. So, you can see I had two contradicting directives - one from the DG and the other from my immediate boss." Gwarzo said further, "Today, around 9:30 am, the zonal director came in with armed policemen and headed directly to the studios. When I was told, I went there, (but) I was denied entry by the police; then I saw the announcer, Shehu Aliyu, come out, crying. I asked him what was wrong and he told me that the police asked him to leave the studio and nobody should enter. "I explained to the police who I was, and I asked the announcer to go back in and told him (Salihu) not to play the programme that the director-general directed us not to play in a written and signed letter. "The zonal director, Ladan Salihu, was there standing guard with armed police men. But they refused me access to the studio. Later, after I came back to my office, I heard the programme being played." What amazed workers at the station was how the invaders came ready with their own tapes to run. According to Gwarzo, "The tapes of the programme were not even in the studio; they were in our library, because they were not scheduled. So, they must have come with their own tapes." Views from members of staff at the station were mixed. Most were, however, surprised that a chief executive would come with armed police men to invade his own station while there was no any crisis or breakdown of law and order. Gwarzo said, "We have never seen anything like this. Even governors, when they come with their security details, we don't allow armed police men into our studios because studios are places where nobody should be there unless one is scheduled to participate in a programme. "Even our staff, unless you are a continuity announcer or an engineer, studios are a no-go area. What happened today was just like a coup d'etat situation. It is unheard of." When contacted, Alhaji Ladan Salihu told our correspondent, "This is just a propaganda against me that they are circulating. Right now I am in Abuja as I speak with you. And as zonal director, I don't have to use any police to stop any programme." When told about LEADERSHIP's interview with Gwarzo, Salihu said, "Well, maybe they have their own agenda; but I am telling you there is more to this than meets the eye." When LEADERSHIP first contacted the Kaduna State police spokesman, Aminu Lawal, he said the police command was not aware of the case; and they didn't know from where the FRCN zonal director got the armed police men that went to the station. He, however, assured that they would investigate the matter. About 20 minutes later, however, Lawal confirmed that the state Commissioner of Police had summoned a meeting between Salihu and Gwarzo in the CP's house and both men were in attendance. Gwarzo also confirmed his presence at the meeting to our correspondent, saying both he and Salihu were there. He said Salihu insisted to hold the meeting with the commissioner separately instead of in a group. However, Gwarzo told LEADERSHIP that the commissioner told him afterwards that Salihu had said he collected the policemen from the streets and went to the station with them. This showed that what he said about his being in Abuja earlier was not true at all. SOURCE:Leadership Newspaper,today online edition AHMAD, Abubakar Dr http://ahmadabubakar.blogspot.com "it does not matter how slowly you go,so long as you do not stop"-Confucious __._,_.___ __,_._,___ -- Wannan wasik'ar i-mel ce daga H-Hausa, inda za'a cigaba da hira game da harshe da al'adu da tarihi da sauran lamura na Hausawa da mak'wabtansu.
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