INDEPENDENT television company Daar Communications has received a threatening letter from a group which calls itself the Coalition of Northern Nigeria Muslim Youths (CNNMY) saying it will attack its facilities for opposing General Muhammadu Buhari.
With the political temperature rising in the run-up to Nigeria's general elections, supporters of both General Buhari and President Goodluck Jonathan are getting more agitated. Next month's elections are expected to be very close, with neither the ruling People's Democratic Party (PDP) or the opposition the All Progressives Congress (APC) certain of victory.
With such a tight race expected, supporters of both parties have become desperate and there have been several violent skirmishes at campaign rallies. Fearful of the fact that matters may be getting out of hand, President Jonathan and General Buhari recently signed a peace accord in Abuja committing them and their supporters to peaceful means of addressing any concerns.
Despite this pact, however, the CNNMY hand-delivered a letter to Daar Communications today threatening to attack its investments across northern Nigeria of General Buhari lost the elections. Daar, which owns Television station AIT and radio station RayPower Fm, is being accused of supporting President Jonathan.
Signed by one Abdulkadir Idris, who claims to be a spokesman for the CNNMY, the letter stated that Daar communications has crossed a deadly line in its operations. CNNMY added that the group will not sit by and watch the group facilitate a victory for President Jonathan.
It read: "Most Nigerians and foreigners are working hard to change Nigeria from incompetence and visionless leadership, yet the Africa Independent Television (AIT) has spent the last couple of months running media campaigns to undo the will of the Nigerian people. We will not sit down and watch AIT destroy the image that general Buhari has spent 50 years building with integrity and honour.
"We inform you that the only thing that can deliver you and your investments in northern Nigeria from a violent and drastic extinction is the victory of General Buhari at the forthcoming general elections. Otherwise we will strike and extinguish your very presence from northern Nigeria including Abuja."
Hand-delivered, the letter stated that Daar communications staff and investments will face the prospect of post-election violence if General Buhari loses. It is not yet clear if Daar has informed the security services yet.
