fire at the publicly-funded Akwa Ibom Broadcasting Corporation (AKBC) has been classified as suspicious but observers there have linked it to growing dissatisfaction among listeners of its pro government stance.

“Much as I do not know the group responsible, “ photographer Mfon Peters said to SaharaReporters, “it shows that people are unhappy that a public station funded from government should be engaged only in singing the praise of (Gov. Godswill) Akpabio.

“The stations – radio and TV – have lost focus and people now prefer to tune to cable television… I think the action is an indication of discontent… and should send the right signals to those in government.”

In a visit to the scene yesterday, Deputy Governor Mr Nsima Ekere pointed an accusing finger at the staff of the establishment and insisted it was an ‘insider’s job’.

This week, a U.S. travel advisory warned American citizens to avoid Akwa Ibom among other states in Nigeria, due to rising insecurity in the area.

Within the past three weeks, two captains were kidnapped at the Qua Iboe oil fields where ExxonMobil, a US oil firm runs a crude oil export terminal with crude output in excess of 900 barrels per day.