Why DSS, police should withdraw from AIT premises immediately – Falana

Human rights lawyer, Mr. Femi Falana (SAN), has said it is expected that the police and the Department of State Services will withdraw their ‘armed goons’ from the premises of the Africa Independent Television and Raypower 100.5FM immediately.

Falana said this in a statement on Saturday while congratulating Daar Communications for gaining its TV and radio licences back.
He said the shutdown of the stations was reminiscent of the dark era of military dictatorship.

He said, “The closure of media houses was a common phenomenon under the defunct military dictatorship in Nigeria. Since the restoration of civil rule 20 years ago, the dangerous trend has continued under successive regimes either through military invasion of media houses or seizure of copies of newspapers.

“The NBC has just lifted the suspension of the licences of the AIT and Raypower FM Radio stations in compliance with the ex parte order granted by the federal high court. It is hoped that the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and State Security Service will withdraw the armed goons mounting siege to the compound of the AIT/Raypower FM stations without any delay.”

The senior advocate said as far as democratic forces in the country were concerned, the battle for press freedom had been won, once again.
He, however, described the victory as temporary and should be celebrated with caution.

Falana added, “Even under the most vicious military junta in Nigeria the courts ordered the reopening of the premises of the National Concord and Punch newspapers which were illegally closed down and occupied for months by armed troops. And the court orders were complied with by the military dictators.”