Pregnant Journalist, five others injured as armed robbers chase Bank customer into Bayelsa Television premises, cart away N1.5m

A pregnant journalist, Comr. Blessing Agadaga-Oti, attached to the Bayelsa owned Television, the Niger Delta Television (NDTV), was yesterday injured and five others wounded following the invasion of station”s premises by armed robbers who chased a bank customer and dispossess him of the sum of N1.5million.

NAIJALIVETV.COM reliably gathered yesterday that the incident, which occurred last thursday, threw the staff of the television into panic and pandemonium, raised concern over the security of the staff of the television located along the Gbarantoru area of Yenagoa local Government area of the State.

It was Learnt that the armed robbers, numbering four inside a black cammery car, chased an Access Bank customer into the premises and brandishing sophisticated weapons identified as A.K 47 and dispossessed the man of the sum of N1.5million.

 The State Chairman of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Comrade Samuel Numonengi, who paid an On-the-Spots assessment to the State Owned Television, the Niger Delta Television (NDTV), sympathized with staff of the station noted that the  visit was aimed at getting first-hand information of the security situation of the station.

Comrade Samuel Numonengi, in a statement issued by the Secretary of the NUJ,Comrade Comr.Ogio Ipigansi, who expressed shock over the incessant attacks by gun men to the Station, called on the Inspection General of Police (IGP) and the Bayelsa State Commissioner of Police to investigate the recent Armed robbery attack on the station by yet to be identified gun men brandishing AK 47 riffles and other dangerous weapons and carted away over one million naira from a client that was traced from a bank to the station and bring the culprits to book including their collaborators.

He confirmed that the incident which resulted to panic made staff to run for their safety leading to the hospitalization of one member and others with injuries still recovering from the shock and psychological trauma.

Comr. Numonengi noted that it is on record that the robbery attack is the fifth by gun men to the station and called on the State Government and Management of the Station to as a matter of Urgency take proactive measures to address the insecurity situation in the State owned Television (NDTv).

The NUJ Leader noted that security must be taken as a top priority as no amount of investment will be too much to secure the lives of Staff and Property of the station,” I commend the NDTV management on its attempt to build a security post at the entrance of the station to mitigate theft as he  restates the Councils willingness to collaborate with NDTV Management to achieve the Station’s vision of securing Staff and its equipment”

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Comrade Numonengi promised to reschedule a visit of the State Working Committee of the Union and other stakeholders on the station to brainstorm and chat a way forward with management.

Earlier, the General Manager of NDTV, Comr.Tamarakuro Oweifie alongside his management staff,  lauded the NUJ leadership for the prompt  visit especially finding time to sympathise with the station during its trying moments.

The General Manager stated that the station is set to take its rightful place as the best watched television in the urban and rural areas in the state and assured the Council Chairman that with the current  twenty four hours power supply in the station NDTV is poised towards better service delivery.

Comr. Oweifie who was also a victim of the last robbery attack to the station revealed that already Management has intensified its security apparatus by taking proactive measures to engage a private security firm to guarantee twenty four hours security of staff and Property.

The General Manager also noted that as part of efforts to tackle the security situation, management has commenced the construction of a security post in its premises among other measures.

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