Following the crusade mounted recently by the press against the Law No 12 of 2012, popularly known as Imo Abortion Law, the state governor, Owelle Rochas Okorocha has begun to intimidate and clamp down on the media houses in the state.
The Okorocha-led government this week issued a one-week demolition notice to foremost private radio station in the state, Hot FM, saying it was built illegally and defective.
The media outfit is owned by the member representing Imo East Senatorial District, Senator Chris N. D. Anyanwu, whose relationship with Governor Okorocha festered badly following a clash of convoys of both on December 26, 2012 Azaraegbelu in Emekuku, Owerri.
This notice is less than two weeks the government revolked the landed property owned by the state chairman of the Association of Catholic Medical Practitioners(ACMP), Dr. Philip Njemanze, whose group blew the whistle and had been in the forefront against the abortion law in the state.
According to a statement dated September 17, 2013 and pasted on the wall of the radio station by the managing consultants to the Owerri Capital Development Authority(OCDA), Proper Investments Limited, the radio station had seven days to evacuate or risked demolition.
In fact, the statement signed by one Chief Amadi, directed the owners of the radio station to reinstate the piece of land to the state for its development.
Following the hot debates on the Imo abortion law, Hot FM was on hand to allow both pro- and anti- abortion crusaders to air their views about the issue through its ‘People’s Assembly’ morning phone in programme, a development the state government did not fancy as the majority of the people’s opinions insensitivity to the culture and religion of the people.
The planned demolition has been seen as a way by which Governor Okorocha wanted to gag the press in the state.
A human rights activist and lawyer, Barr. Uche Wisdom Durueke has described the demolition threat as not only serious threat to press freedom in Imo state but would become a bad precedent, if enforced.
The lawyer who made the observation on his Uche Wisdom Durueke,s Blog said, “an enforcement of the notice will deter private investments in the state, especially by opposition politicians and social critics”
He therefore called on the OCDA to restrain in the matter and invite the management of Hot FM Radio station to discuss the issue and resolve it amicably.
