On January 17, 2024, policemen attached to the Umuahia Area Command, invaded a television station, ABN TV in Umuahia, Abia State, and arrested the guest, Mr. Udensi Donald, at a live programme that was being broadcast. They also destroyed equipment and other property worth millions of naira at the station.
The incident took place during the Youth Rendezvous programme, hosted by Ms. Grace Onyekachi.
The Director of the Radio and TV station, Mr. Ifeanyi Okali, who disclosed this in a statement said the management was “worried by the invasion of our broadcast station” by the police operatives.
The invading policemen claimed that an elder brother of the guest named Mr. Uche Onwuka Udensi, had written a petition against him, over a family matter. The policemen rejected pleas by staff to allow the programme to end before they arrest the guest. They invaded the studio and arrested him, while the programme was ongoing and being aired.
Mr. Okali said that during the operation, many of the station broadcast equipment including laptops, cameras, microphones, and midgets were damaged beyond repair.
ABN TV/Radio demanded an open apology from the Police in Abia over the unprovoked attack on the station saying it left the station with huge financial losses due to the damage to its equipment which it called on the police authorities to replace.
