By Isa Isawade
Niger State Governor Umar Bago and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) have been taken to court over alleged intimidation of Badeggi FM Radio, Minna.
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) jointly filed the lawsuit against Bago and NBC over what they term: “the ongoing intimidation of Badeggi FM Radio, Minna, and the threat to shut down the station and weaponize the NBC and law enforcement agents to further crackdown on the station and its owner Shuaibu Badeggi.”
SERAP noted that Bago recently threatened to strip Badeggi FM radio of its licence, seal the media outfit, demolish its premises, and profile the station’s owner.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1587/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE are asking the court to determine “whether by section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.”
SERAP and NGE are asking the court for “a declaration that by the combined provisions of section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from any threat, intimidation and harassment.”
The appellants are also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Niger state governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence and profile the station’s owner.”
“Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the governor will continue to threaten, intimidate and harass the radio station and its owner and may weaponize the NBC against the station.
“Failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of Badeggi FM radio against arbitrary executive interference and ongoing intimidation constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.
“The ongoing intimidation, and threat by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and profile its owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.
“The allegations of inciting violence against Badeggi FM and its owner are vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated and apparently made to silence the radio station,” the appellants maintained.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP and NGE by their lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo is seeking the following reliefs:
A DECLARATION that by the combined provisions of section 22 Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the National Broadcasting Act, the NBC is obligated by law to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from undue interference from unauthorized persons or entity.
A DECLARATION that the failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of the radio station against arbitrary executive interference constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.
A DECLARATION that the ongoing intimidation and threat issued by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its operational licence and further threat to demolish the station’s premises is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.
A DECLARATION that the threat issued by the Bago to strip Badeggi FM radio station of its operational licence encroaches upon the statutory powers of the NBC as provided for under section 2 of the National Broadcasting Commission Act.
AN ORDER of perpetual injunction restraining the governor and NBC, its agents and privies from harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to revoke the operating licence of Badeggi FM station or any other broadcasting outlet in Niger State.
No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit.
Source: PM News
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