At 3am this morning (Saturday 24th Oct 2020) our international channel, TVC News, returned to the airwaves of Nigeria and the world following an arson attack on our broadcast compound at Ikosi-Ketu, Lagos, on Wednesday morning October 21st at approximately 9am.
Several of our staff were injured in the attack by a large mob who stormed the grounds wielding machetes, knives and petrol bombs which were used to torch dozens of vehicles and the main broadcast building which housed the studios and production offices of TVC News and our entertainment channel TVC.
It is with God’s grace that the ensuing inferno did not result in the loss of life or serious injury, it did however utterly destroy our state-of-the-art television studios, control rooms, and production offices which house hundreds of our Nigerian staff, including journalists, producers, and technicians.
TVC Communications, which owns and operates our TV and radio stations, including Max FM and Adaba FM, condemns this senseless attack on a company which endeavors merely to disseminate unbiased and balanced news, information and entertainment programmes to Nigerian audiences at home and abroad, and which supports the livelihoods of 550 full-time employees and thousands more indirectly.
The devastation caused to our property could have destroyed all those jobs and left many of our dear employees destitute and penniless. Thankfully, however, as a successfully managed commercial enterprise which enjoys the support of advertisers and commercial sponsors, we are fortunate to have the resources to maintain full employment and to rebuild our business.
We trust the agencies of the Federal Republic of Nigeria will bring those responsible for the billions of naira of damage caused to our business to justice and that all necessary steps will be taken to protect our employees and property going forward.
TVC Communications and our broadcasting stations fully support the peaceful and democratic aims and objectives of the #EndSars movement and we will continue to provide balanced news coverage going forward.
Today marks the beginning of a new chapter in our history as one of Nigeria’s largest broadcasting and media companies. I wish to pay tribute to our staff who have suffered physically and emotionally from the terrifying events of the past days. You are strong, resilient, caring and loyal and we shall never forget your support and dedication to our great company.
I also wish to thank our advertisers and sponsors who have stood by us in our greatest hour of crisis and need. We shall never forget your loyalty to the business. And finally we thank our audience of 11 million viewers and listeners who are tuning back to us in their droves. Without you we have nothing.
We are humbled and will be eternally grateful for the love and support of all and we will emerge from this greater, stronger and better than ever.
God Bless Nigeria.
Signed:
Andrew Hanlon.
CEO, TVC Communications
For media contact:
Mabel Adeteye
Head, Corporate Communications & PR
TVC Communications
mabel.aladenusi@tvccommunications.tv
+ 234 818-813-5033
