Rivers State Government has demolished an analogue mast used by the African Independent Television, AIT, in its operations in Port Harcourt, Rivers State.
Vanguard reported that when the mast was pulled down, it fell on the transmission building where the media house transmits its news and programmes.
AIT has now gone off air on its terrestrial station within the state and the South-South and South-East states as a result of the demolition.
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.
