The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has slammed a fine of N5 million on the radio station – Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos – which aired the interview of Dr. Mailafia Obadiah.
The former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) had alleged that a serving northern State Governor is the commander of Boko Haram terrorist group in Nigeria.
His allegations came as he spoke on the raging Southern Kaduna crisis which has left many citizens killed in their farms and farms by bandits, who he said are the same as Boko Haram terrorists.
Obadiah was quizzed for about seven hours yesterday by security agents over the comments which were aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am.
In a statement issued today, the NBC expressed “grave concern” over the “unprofessional conduct” of Nigeria Info 99.3FM, and accused it of providing its platform for Obadiah, to promote “unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage or incite to crime and lead to public disorder”.
The broadcast regulator further argued that Obadiah’s comments were devoid of facts and in violation of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The Commission noted that broadcasters held licenses in trust for the people, and warned that no station should be used, to promote personal or sectional interests at the expense of the people.
Besides, NBC pointed out that the fine, in line with the amendment of the 6thedition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, was “expected to serve as a deterrent to all other broadcast stations in Nigeria who are quick to provide platform for subversive rhetoric and the expositions of spurious and unverifiable claims, to desist from such”.
It added that “the Commission wishes to put it on record that it will not hesitate to suspend the Broadcast Licence of broadcast stations that continue to breach the Code.
“Stations are, by this statement, admonished to desist forthwith, from airing unwholesome content, or be ready to face appropriate sanctions.”
