NBC To Zamfara Govt: You Can’t Shut Down Media Organisations

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on Sunday descended heavily on the Zamfara State government over what it described as the ‘illegal closure’ of some media organisations operating in the state for allegedly “violating its order and journalism practice”.

NBC stressed that Governor Bello Matawalle by his illegal order has acted beyond his brief as the Governor of Zamfara State and therefore called on all industry stakeholders to resist any attempt to truncate the hard-earned democratic gains in Nigeria.

This was as it specifically warned that it would resist any attempt to cause a breach of law and order anywhere through the misuse of the broadcast media in Nigeria, before, during and after the 2023 national elections.

The Zamfara state government had ordered the closure of some media organisations operating in the state for covering the rally of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The affected media organisations include Gamji TV, Gamji FM, and Al Umma TV, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Gusau, and the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN)’s Pride FM. This was contained in an announcement by the Zamfara State Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, in Gusau on Saturday, saying that the state government through the State Security Council had sanctioned the media organisations for violating its order.

Dosara further said that the Commissioner of Police had been directed to arrest and prosecute personnel of the affected stations caught violating the order.

But in its reaction, the NBC in a statement signed by its Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, admonished security agencies in the state to ignore the call to restrict staff of the affected stations from conducting their legitimate and constitutionally assigned duties.

It pointedly said that the illegal closure of the broadcast stations by the Zamfara state government is totally unacceptable, adding that it has clearly notified the State government of the gravity of the illegality and urged it to expeditiously reverse the directive and apologize to the people of the State.

The NBC statement further read; “We also urge the Security Agencies to ignore the call to restrict Staff of the affected Stations from conducting their legitimate duties.

“Any aggrieved person or Institution with the genuine complaint(s) arising from unprofessional conduct or action by any licensed broadcaster in Nigeria is hereby requested to follow the laid down processes enshrined in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“The Commission will not relent to discharge its mandate according to the NBC Act, CAP. NII, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004. All broadcast license holders are urged to ensure strict compliance and avoid any action inimical to democratic governance and peaceful coexistence in Nigeria,” it said.