Radio station insists EFCC interrupted live programme to arrest presenter, releases ‘evidence’

The management of Urban Radio Enugu has insisted that the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) interrupted its live programme on Monday to arrest its presenter.

The management of Urban Radio disclosed in a post on the station’s official X handle on Wednesday.

PREMIUM TIMES earlier reported that some EFCC operatives arrested a presenter, Favour Ekoh, during a raid on the station on Monday.

The station’s management issued a statement shortly after the incident claiming the operatives arrested Ms Ekoh during a live programme.

It also alleged that the EFCC operatives carted away some broadcast equipment during the operation.

But in a statement on Tuesday, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, argued that Ms Ekoh was not arrested during a live programme and that the EFCC operatives did not disrupt activities at the station.

Mr Oyewale also stressed that the operatives did not cart away the station’s equipment during the operation.

The spokesperson explained that the arrest was because Ms Ekoh was being investigated by the Enugu Zonal Directorate of the EFCC over an alleged N700 million Ponzi scheme involving about 50 victims.

He claimed the station officials “obstructed” EFCC operatives from carrying out the arrest and asked the Nigerian Union of Journalists to investigate the officials’ alleged conduct.

‘We have evidence’

However, Urban Radio, in the post via its X handle on Wednesday, maintained that the EFCC operatives interrupted its live programme during the incident.

“Despite the denial by the EFCC of the unwarranted and forceful interruption of our live programming – Prime – Time, we have solid evidence of the invasion,” the station said.

It also uploaded on the microblogging platform a recording of the live programme during the incident.

In the one-minute and 12-second recording, a caller was heard contributing to the phone-in programme.

“What’s going on?” Ms Ekoh, the presenter, was heard asking some persons believed to be EFCC operatives, apparently entering the studio.

At the time, the caller was heard trying to get the attention of the presenter, who appeared distracted.

“What’s going on? I am on a programme, and you’re in the studio,” the presenter told the EFCC operatives, who informed her that she was wanted.

“Can I finish with my programme? I have to finish,” she requested.

“No, you can’t. We don’t have the time (to allow you to finish the programme),” one of the EFCC operatives responded.

“I am on air,” Ms Ekoh reminded them.

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“Accord us (EFCC operatives) that respect. You have a petition to answer to,” the operatives said.

Ms Ekoh emphasised that she was on air when the signal went off.

The General Manager of Urban Radio, Richard Onyeka, told PREMIUM TIMES on Thursday that the EFCC operatives turned off the switch where the console was plugged in, abruptly taking the station off the air.

Mr Onyeka explained that the EFCC operatives turned off the switch when they realised their voices were being aired during the live programme.

“We went off the air at that point. They put us off air when they yanked off the switch where our console was plugged in,” he said.