On October 31, 2023, Harmony 103.5 FM, a radio station under the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN) group of stations, located in Idofian, in Kwara State, was attacked by four suspected hoodlums who damaged the station’s facilities and looted equipment, leading to the temporary suspension of the station’s operations.
The four-man gang arrived on two motorbikes and launched the attack after physically assaulting the station’s guard and collecting the phones of staff members on duty.
Hajia Binta Abubakar Mora, the Assistant Director of Programme, expressed deep concern about the implications of the attack on the broadcasting sector in Nigeria, noting that similar incidents had occurred at Radio Nigeria stations in Lokoja, Kogi State, and Lafia, Nassarawa State.
Hajia Abubakar said: “This is a great threat to the broadcasting industry in Nigeria. This has earlier happened to our sister stations in Lokoja (Kogi State) and even in Lafia (Nassarawa State). As it is now, we are off-air. The damage has been done. The affected armored cables are very expensive. What it will take to fix this is something that has become a burden on the management.”
She pointed out that the station’s location, which is isolated and lacks visibility of nearby structures, poses security challenges and called upon the Nigerian government to provide assistance to enhance security measures and to create a safer working environment for workers.
Harmony 103.5 FM is owned by the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN).
