Three gunmen attacked an Ibadan-based radio station, Fresh FM, owned by popular gospel singer, Yinka Ayefele.
The thieves invaded the station around 6:20 am on Sunday while a live program was being broadcast.
A station staff member confirmed the incident to PREMIUM TIMES.
Valuable items like; phones, laptops, ATM cards and gold jewelry, among others, were stolen during the operation of less than 30 minutes.
This is the first time the station will experience a robbery attack in its six years of existence in Ibadan.
Since the beginning of its operations, Fresh FM has opened radio stations in Ogun, Ekiti, Lagos, Osun, Kwara and Ondo, while recently adding an urban sister station: Blast 98.3 FM in Ibadan.
In 2018, the Ayefele music house that housed the Fresh FM studio was partially demolished by the Oyo state government on the grounds that the jewelry violated the state’s physical planning law.
But the owner of the station insisted that he obtained all the necessary documents and approval before undertaking construction of the building.
He added that the attack on the studio by the then state government was an attack on the Nigerian press.
Later, the then Oyo state government, under the late Abiola Ajimobi and Ayefele, reached a truce.
PREMIUM TIMES concluded that the theft incident did not affect the station’s daily broadcast.
Ayefele’s spokesman, Samson Akindele, confirmed the incident, noting that all the thieves were captured by the company’s CCTV camera, adding that the video was turned over to the police and DSS.
“They took some of the stations and personal belongings like; recorders, telephones, laptops among others.
“We are sure that the security agencies will do their job and these culprits will be brought to justice.”
Contacted, Oyo State Police Command spokesman Adewale Osifeso, Superintendent of Police, said investigations had been launched and updates will be provided as it develops.