Senator berates NBC over sanction of television stations

THE Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, has accused the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission of deliberately trying to muzzle the press and deny Nigerians their right to free speech.

Abaribe, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, was reacting to the sanctions imposed on three television stations over their alleged unprofessional coverage of the #EndSARS protests,.

The NBC on Monday imposed N3m fine each on the African Independent Television, Channels TV and the Arise Television over their coverage of the Lekki tollgate shooting in Lagos last Tuesday.

Reacting to the development, Abaribe described it as “illegal, provocative.”

Abaribe said, “Section 39 specifically made it clear that ‘every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.’

“Section 39 (2) also stated without equivocation that ‘Without prejudice to the generality of Subsection (1) of this Section, every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions.’”

The lawmaker asked the NBC to rescind the decision to sanction the broadcast stations.

“The sanction is illegal, provocative and clear case of willful abuse of power and a deliberate assault on the freedom of the press and of free speech,” said Senator Abaribe.

He advised the three broadcast stations to approach the court for the enforcement of their fundamental rights.