The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined a radio station, Nigeria Info, N5 million over a recent interview the station granted a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia.
This was contained in a statement signed by the NBC management, on Thursday, entitled, ‘The National Broadcasting Commission Fines Nigeria Info 99.3 For Unprofessional Broadcast’.
Mailafia was interviewed, on Monday, during one of the station’s programmes, Morning CrossFire on the killings in Southern Kaduna, one of the parts of the North-West region worst hit by banditry.
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During the interview, he made damning revelations about the banditry and its link with the Boko Haram insurgency.
His views bordered on national security and were unsubstantiated.
Mailafia was later invited by the Department of State Services and was grilled for six hours, in Jos, Plateau State capital, 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.
“The station provided its platform for the guest, Dr. Mailafia Obadiah, to promote unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage or incite to crime and lead to public disorder.
“Dr. Mailafia Obadia’s comments on the ‘Southern Kaduna Crisis’ were devoid of facts and by broadcasting same to the public, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, is in violation of the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code:
“In line with the amendment of the 6th edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, Nigeria Info 99.3FM Lagos, has been fined the sum of N5,000,000.00 (Five Million Naira), only.
“This is 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.
“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.”
