‘It’ll enhance free press’ — Atiku hails verdict stopping NBC from imposing fines

Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has applauded the court ruling that voided the power of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to impose fines on broadcast stations over alleged breach of its broadcasting code.

In a judgment delivered on Wednesday, Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, the presiding judge of the federal high court in Abuja, ruled that the NBC cannot exercise administrative, legislative and judicial powers at the same time.

Media Rights Agenda (MRA), a non-governmental organisation (NGO), had sued NBC for the imposition of N5 million fines on Trust Television, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, TelCom Satellite Limited, and StarTimes Limited for airing a documentary on banditry in 2020.

MRA in the suit filed by its counsel,  Uche Amulu, had asked the court to void the fine and nullify the powers of the NBC to impose sanctions.

The NGO told the court that such sanction would deter television stations from reporting the true state of affairs regarding the security situation in Nigeria.

The organisation added that the fine violated the rights of Nigerians to freedom of expression to receive ideas and information without interference.

In her judgment, Ofili-Ajumogobia ruled in favour of MRA and granted all the declarations and injunctions sought by the organisation. 

In a statement issued on Thursday by his media office, Abubakar said the ruling of the court was an enhancement of the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech.

The former vice-president said the court’s verdict will ensure that media in Nigeria is not gagged while the citizens can enjoy their rights to freedom of expression.

“I am happy to announce my support for the judgement of the court. I am even happier that the said judgement will further boost the ethos of democratic norms in our body politics,” Abubakar was quoted as saying.

Abubakar, who described the court judgement as a “bold decision”, commended the “courage” of MRA for testing “our laws on this draconian practice by the regulatory body”.