The Rivers State Government has ordered the demolition of an analogue mast utilized by the African Independent Television (AIT) in its operations within Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
The demolition order resulted in the collapse of the mast onto the media house’s transmission building, effectively disrupting AIT’s terrestrial broadcasting in the state, as well as in the South-South and South-East regions, Vanguard reports.
The state government has been working to reclaim parts of its alleged property occupied by the AIT, an area it had already marked Government Reserved Area, GRA, 5. The operation started around 8a.m. till 1p.m. as AIT staff were seen lurking around the facility stranded.
Sources told the publication that the government had urged AIT to relocate their mast and transmitter to their premises, but they were allegedly adamant nine months after the notice.
The government took action on Sunday, September 3, and yesterday, September 4, following the refusal of the private media organisation to act according to the government’s order.
It was also gathered that some insiders berated the state government over the action taken while the ownership of the landed property in dispute was pending before a court of competent jurisdiction.
