Pandemonium broke out on Saturday morning as suspected vandals invaded the transmitter site of Royal FM 95.5, Agudama-Epie, Yenagoa, Bayelsa State, carting away broadcast equipment worth millions of naira.
NAIJA NEWS SPANK gathered that the hoodlums broke into the facility through the transmitter back room after cutting the burglary protectors.
A security guard on duty, identified simply as Haruna, said the vandals removed armoured cables, air conditioners and other transmission accessories, forcing the station off air.
Haruna said the invasion threw the station into operational crisis.
Reacting, the management of Royal FM urged the community chief and youth president of Agudama-Epie to warn their children and wards to desist from the criminal act.
The General Manager of the station, Ebizimo Jumbo, popularly known as Dr. Fish, lamented that Agudama-Epie community was becoming notorious for incessant attacks on its facilities.
He said, “We will take major and decisive actions against anyone caught in the act, including handing them over to security agencies for prosecution and seeking full community accountability.”
Jumbo called on security agencies, particularly the Bayelsa State Police Command and the Bayelsa State Community Safety Corps, to intensify surveillance around critical communication infrastructure in the area.
A senior management staff, Alex Fiabema, described the act as barbaric and unfortunate.
Fiabema said, “The station is putting in all its efforts to stay on air to serve Bayelsans, yet criminal elements are busy destroying the investment.”
Our correspondent learnt that transmission has been restored, while a formal report has been lodged with the police for investigation.
