Claims by the federal government Tuesday that it successfully jammed signals from Radio Biafra, a controversial channel received in the Southeast and accused of propagating secessionist ideologies, have been debunked as false.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Information, Dr. Shade Yemi-Esan, had said the National Broadcasting Corporation, NBC, had successfully jammed the radio’s frequency, describing its existence as illegal in the first place.
She spoke at the presidential villa shortly after briefing President Muhammadu Buhari on the activities of her ministry. “Right now the signals from radio Biafra have been jammed successfully by the NBC”, Ms. Yemi-Esan told State House correspondents.
However, that claim has been discovered to be false as several hours after the government announcement, the station was still airing its programmes. It was learnt that residents in the Southeast confirmed receiving Radio Biafra signals as of Tuesday night and Wednesday morning.
The station on Tuesday had also denounced the claim by the government, tweeting that its terrestrial transmission remained alive as well as its online radio. “Radio Biafra is live in Biafra land: NBC woe to you and your lies: NBC lied to their master and gullib…http://bit.ly/1lfxsdj,” the radio tweeted.
Meanwhile, the permanent secretary in the Information Ministry disclosed that the NCC and security agencies are working “to get those that are behind that radio because it is an illegal radio, it is not licensed by anybody to be on the airwaves in Nigeria”.
What do you mean by it’s illegal for Radio Biafara to be on air? Why are you so biased? We have the Radio Hausa which you think is legalised. Please just let the Radio Biafara be. Afterall am not a Biafaran neither am i married to an Igbo but if Nigerians could permit Radio Hausa then why not Radio Biafara. Or is Nigerians AFRAID of the Ibos? Please let the station of Radio Biafara be.
I am an Ijaw person from the South-South and i am in support of the Legality of Radio Biafara. Just let them be.