A storm of anger is sweeping through Niger State after Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago ordered the closure of Badeggi FM 90.1 in Minna, accusing the independent radio station of inciting violence and engaging in unethical practices.
The governor gave the directive during an APC caucus meeting, ordering security agencies to seal the station, profile its owner and the station’s broadcast license should be revoked.
This is coming few days after a purported acquitance of the Governor, Barrister Yusuf Lakpene asked security agencies to begin to identify critics of the Governor and arrest them.
Rights groups, journalists, and media watchers are calling the move an outright assault on press freedom.
Amnesty International blasted the order, describing it as misguided, unjustifiable, and a misuse of power, warning that the governor was bizarrely blaming a radio station for his government’s security failures.
“Targeting Badeggi FM is an attempt to create fear across newsrooms and make it harder for journalists to do their job,” Amnesty said.
WAMAC, a media advocacy group, joined the chorus of condemnation, accusing the governor of trying to gag the press urging Bago to use the right of reply instead of shutting down the station.
“A democratically elected government should not hide behind ‘public order’ to silence broadcasters,” it said in a statement signed by its Chairman, Board of Trustees, Zubair Idris.
“We stand in solidarity with Amnesty International, the Broadcasting Organizations of Nigeria (BON), and the Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN) in condemning, in the strongest terms, the order by the Niger State Governor to close BADDEGI RADIO.
“This order is an aberration of our constitution and recklessly undermines the statutory responsibility of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).”
The Niger state Chapter of the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has cautioned the State Governor to tread with caution and in accordance with democratic tenets in issuing orders.
The Union advised the Governor to understand the role of the media in holding public officers accountable and not see everything from media organization in the state as criticism of his government.
This was stated in a statement issued on behalf of the Union by the State Secretary of NUJ, Comrade Usman Chiji after an emergency State working Committee meeting.
“The Union calls on the Governor to approach NBC and formally lodge his complaint rather than outright directive to close down the station whose licencing is not within his executive power.
“The NUJ is of the belief that, the Governor would have made effective use of the NUJ as professional body to table issues relating professional misconducts.
“The NUJ reminds the Governor on the need to carry media practitioners and houses along through partnerships instead of ordering for their closure that is against democratic principles.”
Speaking to some of the Staff of Badeggi FM, they claimed they do not know what report or analysis of the station drew the Governor’s ire as the station has always tried its best to be objective in its reportage and analysis.
The staff said they had always been one of the media organizations in the state that always come under the brute of the government because they had programmes that take deep dives into government project and policies, several of the outcome of these programmes have not gone down well with the Governor and his government.
On the social media, reactions are boiling over. Several journalists, media analysts and organizations have taken to their pages to condemn the directive of the Governor.
Journalists in Niger say the action will likely lead to self-censorship, especially for stations airing programmes critical of government policies while Media experts warn that the closure could limit citizens’ access to independent news, making it harder to hold leaders accountable.
ASHENEWS further gathered that as of 12 noon on Saturday, officials of the Niger State Urban Development Board (NUDP) were seen at the premises of Badeggi FM marking it for demolition.
This is an indication that the Governor is determined to cripple the services of the station and is using the demolition plan as a back up just in case the revocation and closure directive is not followed through.
