By Aja Musu Bah Daffeh
It has been confirmed that Taranga FM, a community radio located at Sinchu Alaji Village in West Coast Region (WCR), with the
frequency of 97.5 MHz, has been closed again for the third time, according to the station manager.
Mr. Biram Jobe, aka BB, told this medium the station was ordered close around 2.46 pm on Sunday 1st January, 2017 by four men who claimed to be operatives of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA). He explained that when the said operatives came to the station on that day, they asked his staff to cease transmission immediately as this was a directive but did not show them any official document ordering the closure. He said the staff immediately called to inform him about it as he was away at the time and upon his arrival, he asked them about their mission and was told to close the station. He said when they were asked why, he was told by one of the NIA operatives that “it is a directive and the order was from our boss.”
Mr. Jobe explained that he did argue with them but complied by asking his staff to close down the place. He added that the keys to the station were not taken from them. He said the NIA operatives further told him to expect a call anytime soon to give him some updates.
The Taranga FM manager noted that this is the third time that the radio is being shut down by the authorities and that the first, which lasted for 6 months, was in 2010, while the second was in 2012 and lasted for 1year 6 months when it was opened on the 1st of January 2014.
