The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has given a directive to the National Broadcasting Commission to stop the transmission of the BBNaija TV reality show.
The minister while giving the reason for the need to stop the fifth season of the show on July 20, said it is imperative in view of the current coronavirus pandemic.
On Wednesday, Acting Director-General of the NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, told senior management members at a meeting about the direction he had received from the minister to shut the show down, The Cable
Mohammed reportedly wanted the letter shutting down the show to come from the NBC because of the general opinion that he is bent on sending MultiChoice Ltd, producers of the show, out of Nigeria.
A director had told the meeting that the NBC had on July 1 sought explanation from Multichoice on a possible violation of COVID-19 protocol with the airing of the show.
MultiChoice had replied with measures taken in collaboration to forestall such, adding that the Lagos State Safety Commission gave approval for the show.
The organisers also said housemates went through mandatory two-week isolation before the show and that the BBN House had been disinfected and rearranged to ensure physical distancing, in addition to the elimination of live audience.
Idachaba, was, however, yet to convey the minister’s directive to the organisers of the show.