Biafra warlords failed in bid to take over Enugu TV/Radio

Members of the Pro-Biafra group, Biafra Zionists Federation, BZF, led by Benjamin Onwuka, who allegedly attacked the Government House, Enugu on March 8 allegedly struck again in the early hours of yesterday at the Enugu State Broadcasting Service, ESBS in an attempt to seize the radio and television station for a broadcast.

The move was however foiled by a team of policemen alerted by some staff of the station who arrived for the morning duty and met their premises under siege.

A police sergeant and a member of BZF were killed in a shootout while a police inspector who led the team was seriously wounded.

The BZF leader, Benjamin Onwuka and 12 members of his group were arrested as they tried to escape from the station after the clash with the policemen and were said to be undergoing interrogation at the Criminal Investigations Department of the State Police Command.

Eyewitness accounts said the BZM members, in an operation similar to the March 8 invasion of the Enugu Government House, stormed the premises of ESBS through the fence at about 5 am and held the securitymen and staff on night shift hostage.
They forcefully gained entry into the offices including the studio and attempted to put on the equipment for a live broadcast.

But unknown to them, the television had been off air since the past two days while they were unable to access the radio station which was broadcasting at the time.