Update: The online station has also been offline for the past two days for the first time in recent years. We cannot confirm the reasons; but this as the group gets under greater security scrutiny and surprisingly ahead of a planned protest.
NewsRescue
This Saturday and the days that followed, the Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation took over and broadcast over Radio Biafra’s pirate Short wave frequency broadcasting around Nigeria. A lady who identified herself as Nkemdilim Chukwuemeka intermittently interrupted the various patriotic songs from across Nigerian ethnic groups to say, ‘this is Radio Biafra, closing down forever,” and read other related statements describing Biafra as dead, condemning MASSOB and declaring the patriotism and progressiveness
of Igbos.
BreakingNews 3/11/15 – Nigeria Takes Over Radio Biafra Shortwave Broadcast
[ Masterweb Reports ] – Nigeria National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) last Saturday took over Radio Biafra shortwave frequency and was running counter programme with announcements that the station was closing down forever. Radio Biafra which operated on 15560 kHz in the shortwave 19 meter band from 7-9pm Nigerian time was totally knocked-off that frequency on Saturday. Hausa/limited English music and war songs dominated the broadcast with intermittent announcements by an ‘Igbo’ woman who identifed herself as Nkemdilim Chukwuemeka. The announcements by Chukwuemeka spread out in the two hour broadcast, were delivered in English and “not perfectly spoken” Igbo in segments of different wordings as follows:
At the beginning and intermittently during the broadcast – “Anyi wu nde Igbo cholo ifunanya na oganiru. Anyi acholosi ndi Biafra, anyinine bu ndi Igbo. Anyi cholo udo, anyi acholisi MASSOB, anyinchanine bu nde Nigeria. Biafra anwugo, Biafra nwuru oge 45 years ubosi garaga. Anyi bu nde Igbo, anyi choro udo, anyi ga ebite aka. Nkea bu Radio Biafra na ekwu. This is Radio Biafra closing down forever.” The English translation of this is: “We the Igbos want love and progress. We do not want Biafra, we are all Igbos. We want peace, we do not want MASSOB, we are Nigerians. Biafra is dead, Biafra died 45 years ago. We are Igbos, we want peace, we will live long. This is Radio Biafra live. This is Radio Biafra closing down forever.”
Intermittently during the course of the broadcast – “This is Radio Biafra closing down forever.”
Intermittently during the broadcast after playing Hausa/limited English war songs – “We are Nigerians, we are pround Nigerians. We want peace and progress. There is no Biafra, all Igbos are for peace. Biafra is dead, we are Nigerians – no more MASSOB. We are Igbos, we are happy Nigerians, Biafra died 45 years ago. Long live Nigeria. This is Radio Biafra – this is Radio Biafra closing down forever. Whoever is talking Biafra does not like nde Igbo. Ndigbo are proud Nigerians. Long live Federal Republic of Nigeria. My name is Nkemdilim Chukwuemeka.”
Intermittently during the course of the broadcast – “We are Nigerians, we are pround Nigerians. We want peace and progress.”
Intermittently during the course of the broadcast – “There is no Biafra, all Igbos are for peace. Biafra is dead, we are Nigerians – no more MASSOB. We are Igbos, we are happy Nigerians. My name is Nkemdilim Chukwuemeka. This is Radio Biafra closing down forever.”
Intermittently during the course of the broadcast – “We are Nigerians, we are pround Nigerians. We want peace and progress. There is no Biafra, all Igbos are for peace. My name is Nkemdilim Chukwuemeka. This is Radio Biafra closing down forever.”
Some sources that understand Hausa language that were contacted by Masterweb News Desk said the war songs extoled the brave and heroic antecedents of the Nigerian army in wars they fought, from the second world war to peacekeeping engagements in Africa. The songs according to the sources also called for peaceful coexistence of all tribes in Nigeria and saluted President Buhari and Nigeria armed forces, calling an end to Boko Haram and death to Biafra resurgence.
A re-run of Saturday’s programme was broadcast Sunday through Tuesday.
Billie (Human Rights Initiative)/Council of Elders is the other faction of IPOB. Radio Biafra was part of this IPOB until Kanu broke away to register his own IPOB which is now organizing protests for his release from detention.
In July this year, Nigeria National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) announced they blocked Radio Biafra signal because it was operating illegally and broadcasting hate messages. Briefing Journalists after the NBC announcement and meeting between officials of Ministry of Information and President Buhari, Dr. Shade Yemi-Esan, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Information said: “Right now the signals from radio Biafra have been jammed successfully by NBC. The commission is also working with security agencies to get those that are behind that radio because it is an illegal radio. It is not licensed by anybody to be on the airwaves in Nigeria.”
Clandestine Radio Biafra contrary to claim by NBC of jamming it – with the exception of the recent successful takeover of their shortwave frequency, still broadcasts on satellite TV dubbed Biafra Television, Internet, FM and AM. Radio Biafra ‘weapon of mass destruction’ has been destroyed with NBC takeover of her shortwave as Nnamdi Kanu, Radio Biafra Director in a statement posted on their website described their shortwave radio as “Nuclear War Head”.
Will NBC render Radio Biafra lame by blocking their other channels? The answer will unfold in the next couple of weeks. Stay tuned here on Masterweb for latest updates in the case.