The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, (SERAP), has urged President Muhammadu Buhari to urgently withdraw the threat to revoke the licenses and shut down the operations of 53 broadcast stations in the country over the alleged failure to renew their licenses.
Recall that the National Broadcasting Commission, (NBC), had last week revoked the licenses of the 53 broadcast stations and threatened to shut down their operations within 24 hours over alleged N2.6 billion debt. The NBC subsequently asked the stations to pay all outstanding license fees on or before August 23, 2022, or shut down by 12 am on August 24.
However, in an issued letter by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, dated August 20, 2022, the organisation urged Buhari to urgently instruct the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, and the NBC to withdraw the threat or face prosecution.
It said, The threat to shut down 53 broadcast stations is neither necessary nor proportionate. If carried out, it would offend the legal principles of equity and equality of access to mass communication. According to SERAP, revoking the broadcast stations’ licenses and shutting down their operations because they have not renewed their licenses would undermine the rights of millions of Nigerians to express their thoughts.
The letter, further read in part: It would also violate Nigerians right to seek, receive, and impart information and ideas of all kinds, in any medium they choose. It is the mass media such as the 53 broadcast stations that make the exercise of freedom of expression a reality. This means that the conditions of its use must conform to the requirements of this freedom. Therefore, any regulation of the media, including licensing, must be evaluated according to the guidelines and directives imposed by the right to freedom of expression.
If carried out, the threat by NBC would impermissibly restrict the right to seek, receive and impart information and ideas to a greater extent and would therefore violate freedom of expression.
We would be grateful if the requested action is taken within 24 hours of the receipt and/or publication of this letter. If we have not heard from you by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel your government to comply with our request in the public interest, it stated.
