A Rivers state based public service group tagged THE RIVERS MOVEMENT FOR JUSTICE has made a strong appeal to Stream broadcasting limited owners of Wazobia Cool and Nigeria Info radio station to call KOFFI BARTELS, the on air Personality who anchors the morning belt on NIGERIA INFO 92.3 FM PHC to order for his personal vested interest in bringing down the force.
According to a statement signed by the group’s Secretary General, Gabriel Aluke and made available to our correspondent, it was alleged that the OAP may be rubbing the name of the station in the mud as he may have been paid to the tune of N5 million to smear the image of the Nigerian police and incite the people of Rivers against the police force.
This, according to them is connected to his unprofessional conduct on handling issues regarding the late IKOKU MECHANIC CHIMA IKUNADO and the IKOKU 4.
The group regretted the unfortunate incident that may have led to the death of Chima and are in total support of the move for thorough investigation into the matter.
However, KOFFI has consistently personally attacked the police force and drawn public sympathy via his radio show through biased, one sided and unprofessional means capable of throwing the state into anarchy.
They noted that other media houses have done balanced report on the matter but KOFFI has constantly gone against Broadcasting rules to achieving the media campaign of calumny and deceit for which he was alledgely hugely paid for.
The group is calling on the radio station to by this act restrain the Ghana born OAP from on air activities with immediate effect to allow for a more balanced report on issues as he has been alledgely paid by top criminals in the state whose aim it is to ridicule and weaken the force with which the Nigerian police is tackling violence in RIVERS STATE.
KOFFI had systematically called for the redeployment of the CP, resignation of the PPRO Rivers state and prosecution of the ex E- CRACK commander.
This for the group is biased and unprofessional media practice, personal attacks on the CP and his team.
The group stated categorically that the force should be allowed to do their job and get back to Nigerians after their investigation.
It is therefore calling on the Head of station of Wazobia Cool FM Nigeria Info PHC and national headquarters in Lagos, to investigate the alleged biased and unprofessional conduct of KOFFI in this matter to invite the public against the police and alledged bribe of N5 million to execute this job so as to weaken the force and allow criminals take over the state.
The group understands that KOFFI was paid one part of three installments, and the other two installments the group claims will follow in a bit after execution, an embarrassment to the media profession.
All efforts to get his side of the story proves abortive as all calls put through to his mobile lines and messages were not returned.