By our Correspondent, Kaduna
Human Rights Radio, popularly known as Berekete Family Radio, has suspended operations at its Kaduna station, leaving dozens of complainants stranded for nearly a week.
The abrupt halt in service has triggered complaints and protests from visitors who traveled from Kano, Kebbi, Yobe, Bauchi, Plateau, and Sokoto seeking redress for various grievances.
Many of the visitors said they arrived in Kaduna expecting their cases to be heard, but found the station’s staff unwilling to engage and appearing frustrated.
Those who traveled long distances expressed disappointment and confusion, saying their efforts to get justice through the station had been wasted.
A staff member of KEDCO Kano, who came on behalf of colleagues, said they had hoped to resolve a lingering dispute over sackings and unpaid benefits at the station. We are thinking of returning back and Abuja is far, he lamented.
He said the group left more frustrated after their complaints were not addressed and no benefits were released to affected members.
As of press time, no official explanation had been given by the management of the radio station on the reason for the closure.
Our correspondent who visited the facility observed skeleton activity in the studio, while the complaints unit attended only to a handful of cases.
Staff on duty appeared unhappy and responded to visitors with limited service, refusing to provide details on when normal operations would resume.
Attempts to speak with the founder, Ordinary President Ahmed Isa, and presenter Dan Hajiya were unsuccessful, as staff said they were unavailable.
Reports from the facility indicated that some staff had redirected their activities to Abuja, further reducing the presence of personnel in Kaduna.
Despite the closure, large crowds continued to gather outside the office, hoping to meet with the Ordinary President or present their cases.
The crowd included people from neighbouring states who said they had relied on the station to address issues of cheating, blackmail, and workplace disputes.
The Ordinary President is said to have sealed the office, even as people kept arriving with complaints from across northern Nigeria.
The Northern Star online newspaper said efforts to reach Ahmed Isa by phone were unsuccessful, as his line remained busy during multiple attempts.
The suspension has left many complainants uncertain about the next step, with calls growing for the station to clarify its position and reopen services to the public.
Editor -in-Chief MAHMOUD MUHAMMAD
About The Author
