By Admin 
By Peter Onyekachukwu, Warri
ONITSHA: Tension has gripped Onitsha, Anambra State, following an alleged invasion of the Nigeria Television Authority (NTA) station by officials of the Anambra State Physical Planning Board, accompanied by security personnel.
The operation, which reportedly involved over 50 individuals, led to the demolition of parts of the station’s property, as well as the assault of staff members, including the General Manager, Violet Nnadi.
Speaking on the incident, Nnadi expressed shock over the sudden attack, which she described as an attempt to forcefully take over NTA’s land.
She said, “Because I tried to stop them from demolishing the property without prior notice, they beat me up, tore my clothes, and seized my phone,” she lamented.
She added that, “Even when the Divisional Police Officer (DPO) asked them to stop, they refused and continued with the destruction.”
Eyewitnesses reported that the invading team also attacked journalists attempting to document the demolition, smashing their cameras and confiscating phones. A staff member, recounted how he was beaten and stripped of his phone for trying to record the scene.
According to him, “Over 20 of them pounced on me just because I tried to take a video. They destroyed everything our equipment, containers, and offices without giving us a chance to salvage anything,” he said.
The affected individuals have called on relevant authorities to intervene, questioning why only NTA Onitsha was targeted while other structures in the area remained untouched.
The attack has sparked outrage among media professionals and civil society groups, who have condemned the act as a blatant assault on press freedom and the rule of law.
Efforts to reach the Anambra State government for clarification on the incident have been unsuccessful at the time of this report.