The International Press Centre’s Safety and Protection of Journalists (IPC-SPJ Hub) , has condemned the shutdown of Badeggi 90.1FM by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago of Niger State and demanded the immediate reopening of the station.
According to the IPC-SPJ Hub, the closure was allegedly ordered by the governor during an expanded meeting of the All Progressives Congress (APC) held on Friday, August 1. Reports indicate that the move was triggered by the station’s broadcast of content deemed critical of the state government.
Describing the action as an abuse of executive power, Executive Director of IPC, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, said, “This is a pure abuse of executive powers and an abysmal display of lack of regard for the media institution.”
He emphasized that if there were any infractions by the station, the proper procedure would have been to file a complaint with the relevant regulatory bodies, not a unilateral shutdown. “Assuming without conceding that the station committed an infraction, the state governor should have taken his grievance to any of the relevant media regulatory bodies,” Arogundade added.
The IPC-SPJ Hub reaffirmed that no government official has the legal authority to shut down a media house, especially in a democratic setting. It warned that such actions mirror the tactics of military regimes and threaten freedom of expression and the press.
The Centre is therefore calling for the immediate and unconditional reopening of Badeggi 90.1FM and urged public officials to respect constitutional guarantees of press freedom in Nigeria.
