NBC sanctions 45 Radio/TV Stations for hate speech, others in 2019 polls

National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has sanctioned 45 broadcast stations for violations bordering on abusive, inciting and provocative statements during the 2019 presidential and National Assembly campaign rallies.

Ishaq Modibbo Kawu, director-general of the NBC, warned that stations that continue to use hate and inflammatory comments that threatens the security of the country will be shut down. He decried that despite training, workshop and meeting with heads of stations, the four major national networks in the nation violated the NBC Act.

Kawu said the stations were found culpable of infractions of the provisions of the code and have been sanctioned accordingly. He said they violated Sections 5.2.12, 7.6.6 and 7.6.7 of the NBC code.

According to him, ‘’the commission also sanctioned stations who allowed politicians to make abusive, inciting and provocative statements during rallies.’’ The NBC helmsman said this happened on several radio and television stations particularly. ‘

’The Commission also sanctioned stations who allowed politicians to make abusive, inciting and provocative statements during rallies. This happened on several radio and television stations particularly, on the four national networks such as, NTA, AIT, Channels TV and TVC News.

‘’There are also several state radio and television stations involved in this infraction. Only recently Jay FM Jos was sanctioned for allowing its platform to be used to preach hate. We want to warn that stations that continue to use hate and inflammatory comments that threaten the security of the country will be shut down.’’

He added that a total of 45 broadcast stations across Nigeria that have been sanctioned and would pay the highest sum that the Nigeria Broadcasting code allows are advised to remit at the due date to avoid graduated sanctions provided for in Section 14.3.2.6 of the code.