A political storm has erupted in Niger State following Governor Umar Bago’s directive to shut down Badeggi FM Radio in Minna, an independent media outlet
The governor reportedly instructed the state Commissioner of Police and the Commissioner for Homeland Security to seal off the station over dissatisfaction with its broadcasts. He also ordered the revocation of its license and called for the profiling of its owner.
According to a statement released Friday by Bologi Ibrahim, the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, the order was issued during an expanded All Progressives Congress (APC) caucus meeting held at the Government House in Minna.
“Governor Bago also accused the owner of the station of inciting the public against the government and directed that the license of the radio station be revoked,” the statement said.
“The governor directed the Commissioner for Homeland Security and the Commissioner of Police to seal the radio station, and emphasised the need for the security operatives to profile the owner of the radio station as his station promotes violence.”
Radio Station Reacts
In response, Badeggi FM’s Director of Operations, Abubakar Shuaib, called on the governor to follow due process rather than using security operatives to intimidate the station’s owner and staff.
“The right thing to do is to write to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for investigation. NBC has a schedule of our programmes and we are being monitored every day,” he said.
Follow Us on Facebook – @LadunLiadi; Instagram – @LadunLiadi; Twitter – @LadunLiadi; Youtube – @LadunLiadiTV for updates
There should be freedom of speech