… minister appeals for calm
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has called for calm over the suspension of the operations of Badeggi 90.1 FM, a radio station in Minna, Niger State by Governor
Umaru Bago.
Persecondnews recalls that Bago had during the expanded Niger State APC Caucus meeting held at the Government House in Minna on Thursday, July 31, ordered the closure of the radio station for allegedly inciting violence.
Reacting to the development in a statement by the Special Assistant on Media, Rabiu Ibrahim, on Saturday, August 2, in Abuja, the minister acknowledged the concerns raised and noted that the suspension of broadcasting licences falls within the purview of the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC), as stipulated by law.
“In the light of this, the minister welcomes the decision of the Niger government to formally report the perceived ‘unethical behaviour’ by Badegi FM to the NBC,” the statement said.
Idris appealed to all parties to remain calm, assuring them that the NBC has the necessary mechanisms to resolve the issue in a fair and impartial manner.
Meanwhile, Amnesty International, a leading human rights group, condemned the action, describing it as unlawful, an attack on media freedom, and an abuse of power.
In a statement through its Nigeria Director, Isa Sanusi, the organization said the order for the closure of the radio station is misguided and unjustifiable.
Sanusi criticised the state government’s focus on media clampdown amid worsening insecurity in the region, including killings and mass displacement by armed groups.
The statement reads: “Amnesty International strongly condemns the lawless and repressive order issued by Gov. Umar Bago of Niger State for the closure of Badeggi 90.1 FM Radio Minna – which is an independent sources of news for the people of Niger state.
“The governor’s allegation against the radio station of ‘inciting violence’ and his order that ‘the licence of the radio station be revoked’ clearly show abuse of power and unacceptable intolerance of critical voices. The order for the closure of the radio station is misguided and unjustifiable.”
It called on Bago to immediately withdraw the order, stating that under Nigerian law, state governors lack the authority to shut down broadcast stations.
The statement also reads: “While bandits and insurgents are ravaging the Niger state through killings and massive displacements of rural communities, with both the Federal Government and Niger State failing to protect lives, pointing accusing fingers at a radio station clearly shows a failure of leadership.
“Attacking Badeggi 90.1 FM is part of a wider pattern of attempts to create climate of fear across newsrooms in Nigeria and to make it harder for journalists to do their job.
“Governor Bago must immediately withdraw his unlawful order. Under Nigerian laws, the governor has no power to order the closure of a radio station. Choosing to bizarrely blame a radio station for the inexcusable security failures of the government is an open attack on media freedom.
“Targeting independent media is solely aimed at depriving the people of the opportunity to receive fair and objective reporting of issues affecting their lives.”
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