This is contained in a letter addressed to the Chief Executive Officer of the television station and dated March 27.

The News Agency of Nigeria exclusively obtained the letter on Friday in Abuja.

The letter, with the title: “Broadcast of an Inciting Interview, A Sanction”, was signed by Balarabe Ilelah, the commission’s Director-General.

It read in part, “The NBC monitored the broadcast of a live interview of the running mate of the Labour Party Vice presidential candidate, Dr Datti Baba-Ahmed, by the anchor of Politics Today, Seun Okibaloye, on Wednesday, March 22. “Dr Baba-Ahmed said it will be unconstitutional to swear in an elected president on May 29, 2023, because of election irregularities.”

He noted that the broadcast was volatile and capable of inciting public disorder, violating some sections of the broadcasting code.

“Consequently, on the following infractions, Channels Television is hereby sanctioned and shall pay a penalty of N5,000,000 (five million naira) only in the first instance,” he said.

He added that any further infraction by the television station would attract higher sanctions.

“You are advised to pay within two weeks from the day of receipt of this letter or the penalty will be graduated,” the NBC Director-General

NBC had on Friday stated that licenses of the debtor stations had been revoked and they had within 24 hours to shut down operations but that has now been extended till Wednesday.

But SERAP, in a letter dated 20 August 2022 and signed by the deputy director, Kolawole Oluwadare, called for the withdrawal of the revocation order.

The group urged Buhari to “urgently instruct Mr Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, and the National Broadcasting Commission to urgently withdraw the threat to revoke the licenses and shut down the operations of 53 broadcast stations in the country over alleged failure to renew their licenses.”

The organisation said, “The threat to shut down 53 broadcast stations is neither necessary nor proportionate. If carried out, it would offend the legal principles of equity and equality of access to mass communication.

Under the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and international human rights law, freedom and diversity must be guiding principles in the regulation and licensing of broadcasting. The threat to shut down 53 broadcast stations is entirely inconsistent and incompatible with these principles.

“Revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations and shutting down their operations because they have not renewed their licenses would undermine the rights of millions of Nigerians to express their thoughts.”

The letter read in part, “With just months to go before the general elections, scheduled for February 2023, your government ought to do more to create conditions for a free and fair vote. This includes demonstrated commitment to freedom of expression.

“Shutting down 53 broadcast stations on the pretext of non-renewal of their licenses is neither necessary in a democratic society nor proportionate to meet the constitutional and international guarantees of freedom of expression.”

NBC said the directive became imperative following debts incurred by the broadcasting organisations amounting to at least N2.6bn.

The Director-General of the NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, disclosed this to journalists at the commission’s headquarters in Abuja. He said all the television and radio stations affected must halt operations in the next 24 hours.

See full list:

1. Silverbird TV (Silverbird Communications Co. Ltd)
2. Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd) FM Abuja
3 Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd) FM Lagos
4. Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd) FM Yenagoa
5. Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd) FM Port-Harcourt
6. Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communications Ltd) FM Jos
7. Rhythm FM (Silverbird Communication Ltd) Benin
8. AIT/Ray Power FM (DAAR Communication Itd) Network
9. Greetings FM (Greetings Media Ltd) FM Network
10. Tao FM (Ovidi Communications Ltd) FM Okene
11. Zuma FM (Zuma FM Ltd) FM Suleja
12. Crowther FM (Crowther Communications Ltd) FM Abuja
13. We FM (Kings Broadcasting Ltd) FM Benin
14. Linksman International Itd Keffi
15. Bomay Broadcasting Services Itd Abuja
16. MTV (Murhi International Group Ltd) Ibadan
17. Classic FM (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd) Port-Harcourt
18. Classic FM (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd) Lagos
19. Classic TV (Pinkt Nigeria Ltd) Lagos
20. Beat FM (Megalectrics LTD) Lagos
21. Cooper Communications Itd Lagos
22. Splash FM (West Midlands Ltd) Ibadan
23. Rock City FM (Boot Communications Ita) Abeokuta
24. Family FM (Kalaks Investments Nig. Ltd) Ilugun
25.Space FM (Creazioni Nig. Ltd) Ibadan
26. Radio Jeremi (Radio Jeremi Itd) Effurun
27. Breeze FM (Bays Water Itd) Akure
28. Vibes FM (Vibes Communication Itd) Benin
29.Family Love FM (Multimesh Broadcasting Co. Ltd) Port-Harcourt
30. Wave FM (South Atlantic Media Itd) Port-Harcourt
31. Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation
32. State Broadcasting Corporation
33. Niger State Broadcasting Corporation
34. Gombe State Broadcasting Corporation
35. Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation
36. Lagos DSB
37. Osun State Broadcasting Corporation
38. Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation
39. Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation
40. Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation
41. Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation
42. Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation
43. Imo State Broadcasting Corporation
44. Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation
45. Born State Broadcasting Corporation
46. Yobe State Broadcasting Corporation
47. Sokoto State Broadcasting Corporation
48. Zamfara State Broadcasting Corporation
49. Kebbi State Broadcasting Corporation
50. Jigawa State Broadcasting Corporation
51. Kaduna State Broadcasting Corporation
52. Katsina State Broadcasting Corporation

This was contained in a statement titled, ‘Anambra Election: NBC warns against broadcasts that compromise the Unity of Nigeria’, signed by NBC Director-General, Balarabe Ilelah, on Thursday.

Ilelah tasked all broadcasters covering the governorship election to follow the electoral guidelines provided in the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

The statement went further to outline some of the laws which broadcasters are to follow, adding that election results should not be illegally projected on their platforms.

The provision of the Code read, “5.3.3(j) ensure that the broadcast of a partisan political campaign, jingle, announcement and any form of partisan political party identification or symbol ends not later than twenty-four hours before polling day; not use any vote obtained at a polling station or from an exit poll to project or speculate on the chances of a candidate;5.3.3(k) relay election results or declaration of the winner only as announced by the authorized electoral officer for the election.”

The Commission mentioned that broadcasters who go against the provisions would undergo ‘severe penalties’.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) reportedly suspended Channels TV over an interview the station held with the spokesperson of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).

Reacting, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) threatened to sue NBC if it fails to reverse the “illegal” decision within the next 48 hours.

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, said in a statement on Monday, April 26, “This action by the government and NBC is yet another example of Nigerian authorities’ push to silence independent media and voices. The government and NBC lift the suspension and uphold the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and international obligations to respect and protect freedom of expression and media freedom. This is a new low in Nigeria’s protection of freedom of expression, and the ability of independent media to function in the country. The suspension of Channels Television is detrimental to media freedom, and access to information, and the Federal Government and NBC must immediately reverse the decision. President Muhammadu Buhari should caution NBC to stop intimidating and harassing independent media houses and to respect the Nigerian Constitution, and the country’s international human rights obligations, including under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights”.

NBC management in a statement titled, ‘The National Broadcasting Commission Fines Nigeria Info 99.3 For Unprofessional Broadcast’ disclosed this on Thursday, August 13.

Recall that the Commission recently unveiled its Reviewed Broadcasting Code in Lagos and raised the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to 5 million naira.

Mailaifa was interviewed on Monday during one of the station’s programmes, Morning CrossFire. He had talked on the killings in Southern Kaduna, one of the parts of the North-West region worst hit by banditry.

The interviewer had asked Mailaifa if the government was unwilling to protect the people of Southern Kaduna, to which he replied that some residents believed the government was sponsoring the killers.

The former Presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress said, “Some of us also have our intelligence networks. I have met with some of the bandits; we have met with some of their high commanders – one or two who have repented – they have sat down with us not once, not twice.

“They told us that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram and the bandits are one and the same. They have a sophisticated network. During this lockdown their planes were moving up and down as if there was no lockdown.

“They were moving ammunition, moving money, and distributing them across different parts of the country.”

He was later invited by the Department of State Services after the interview and was grilled for six hours in Jos on Wednesday.

Reacting on Thursday, the NBC said, “The National Broadcasting Commission has noted with grave concern, the unprofessional conduct of Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos, in the handling of the Programme, “Morning Cross Fire”, aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am.

NBC’s Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Armstrong Idachaba confirmed the development. t was further gathered that the most senior Director in the Commission has been directed to take over from the suspended DG.

Kawu is currently being prosecuted on 12-count charges bordering on abuse of office, money laundering and misleading a public officer with the intent to defraud the federal government, in contravention of Section 26 (1) (c) of the Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Act, 2000 and punishable under Section 19 of the same law.

Lai Mohammed in a statement signed and forwarded to DAILY POST by the Special Assistant to the President on Media, Mr Segun Adeyemi, said the directive becomes necessary following the submission of the report of a committee set up to work out the modalities for implementing the recommendations approved by President Muhammadu Buhari to re-position the broadcast industry.

The statement reads: “Following my satisfaction with the report which was very professional and detailed, I wish to direct the Commission to take the necessary measures to effect the implementation of the various provisions therein.

“This directive covers the provision for the regulation of the web and online TV/radio; regulation of international broadcasters beaming signals into Nigeria; hate speech; human resource and staff welfare; funding for the reforms implementation; monitoring; Independence of the Regulator and ease of issuing Licenses as well as competition and monopoly issues,” he said.

Lai Mohammed also expressed confidence that the new regulations, which are due to come into effect this January, will re-energize the broadcast industry, deliver real value in the sector and grow the creative industry for the benefit of practitioners.

”This regulation prevents the misuse of monopoly or market power or anti-competitive and unfair practices by a foreign or local broadcaster to suppress other local broadcasters in the television and radio markets, having removed exclusivity from all content in Nigeria and mandated the sharing of all content upon the payment of commercially viable fee.”

Speaking at a press conference on Wednesday September 25, NBC Director General Mallam Ishaq Kawu also revealed that 45 broadcasting stations were fined in the second quarter of 2019 for breaching its rule on abusive, hate and inflammatory broadcast.

According to Kawu, most of the TV stations were fined between April to June 2019 over their political programme

The two media houses which belongs to Daar Communications was shut down on Thursday but resumed transmission Friday evening following an order by a Federal High Court in Abuja on Friday.

The court ordered the NBC and other parties to a suit filed by Daar Communications Plc , operator of African Independent Television and RayPower 100.5 FM to maintain status quo.
Ruling on an ex parte application by Daar Communications Plc , Justice Inyang Ekwo directed all the parties to maintain status quo as of May 30, 2019 , pending the determination of the plaintiff’s application for an interlocutory injunction against the NBC and the two other defendants – the Federal Ministry of Culture and Information and the Attorney- General of the Federation.