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Operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) raided Urban FM, a popular radio station in Enugu State, on Monday and arrested a presenter during a live programme.
The incident happened around 6:35 p.m., PREMIUM TIMES gathered.
This newspaper identified the arrested presenter of the station as Favour Ekoh.
Ms Ekoh was said to have been forced out of the studio and then arrested during the live programme.
The management of the radio has confirmed the development in a statement on Monday evening.
“The Board and Management of Urban Radio 94.5 FM Enugu regrets the abrupt halting and disruption of our programme at about 6:45 p.m. this Monday evening.
“Armed men identified as EFCC (operatives) had barged into the studio and interrupted the live programme, Prime Times, forcefully abducted our presenters and took away our communications equipment for reasons they vehemently refused to disclose,” the statement read.
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The radio station described the EFCC action as “unethical” and vowed to “follow up” on the matter.
EFCC speaks
When contacted on Tuesday morning, the EFCC spokesperson, Dele Oyewale, confirmed the development to PREMIUM TIMES.
Mr Oyewale said the EFCC operatives were at the radio station to arrest Ms Ekoh over her alleged involvement in a Ponzi scheme through which over 103 Nigerians were defrauded.
The EFCC spokesperson said the journalist had rebuffed several invitations from the agency, which prompted the arrest after the operatives heard her voice on the radio.
“Immediately she was arrested, she was taken to our office. She was asked to make a statement and she was released immediately,” he said.
Mr Oyewale said that, contrary to the radio station’s claim, the EFCC operatives did not use any force and did not cart away any equipment during the operation.
“They are just trying to blackmail us and raise issues where there are no issues,” he said.
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