Radio Nigeria’s Prime 101.5FM in Jimgbe, Kogi State, has been forced off air by a robbery incident in the early hours of Saturday.

The robbers reportedly stole broadcasting equipment worth millions of naira, crippling the station’s ability to transmit.

Witnesses account said the more than 10 armed men operated for over three hours before making off with vital components.

Momoh-Jimoh Adeiza, the general manager of the station, said the incident was a “major attack.”

He told journalists that staff members discovered the extensive damage and theft on Saturday morning.

“We are currently off air because our equipment has been stolen by armed criminals,” Mr. Adeiza stated.

He explained that the robbers tied up the only on-duty security guard. “Where do we go from here now?” he lamented.

Mr. Adeiza appealed to security agencies to step up their efforts to apprehend the robbers.

He also appealed for urgent assistance to help the station resume broadcasting.

Daniel Haruna, the security guard on duty, said the criminals, wielding guns and cutlasses, arrived at the station around 1 a.m.

“When they pointed a torchlight on me, they immediately gripped me and tied me to a tree and blindfolded my eyes,” Mr Haruna said.

“I could not scream because I was helpless. They operated for more than three hours before they left our station. I have never experienced this kind of thing in my life before.”

Among the critical items stolen were copper parts of feeder lines, 22 pieces of modules, armoured cables, and generator batteries – essential components for radio transmission.

The Kogi State Commissioner for Information and Communications, Kingsley Fanwo, condemned the “vandalism” of Radio Nigeria’s equipment.

In a statement released Saturday, Mr. Fanwo said the state government would collaborate with the security agencies to ensure the perpetrators are arrested and brought to justice.

“We will work with the management of the station to ascertain the degree of vandalism and also get clues on what led to the unfortunate incident,” he said.

Mr. Fanwo reiterated the state government’s commitment to protecting all federal agencies within Kogi and pledged efforts to prevent such incidents from becoming a “new normal.”

Consequently, he said the state was ready to offer any possible support to the station during this trying period, urging federal agencies to remain security conscious and inform the state government if they require assistance.