By Augustine Akhilomen
Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, former Ekiti State Governor, Ayodele Fayose, former Kaduna Senator, Shehu Sani and Human Rights activist, Femi Falana haves condemned the decision of the Federal Government to impose a fine of N5 million on Lagos-based radio state – 99.3 FM Nigeria Info as penalty over the recent claim by a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailafia.
Mailafia, in an interview in one of the radio station’s programmes, claimed that some of the repentant Boko Haram militants confessed that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria.
However, NBC expressed its displeasure at the radio station for providing its platform to be used to promote unverifiable and inciting views that can lead to crime and public disorder.
Reacting to this development, the former vice president disagreed with the nation’s broadcasting regulatory agency with its argument that the interview that the station had with a former Deputy Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr Obadiah Mailafia, constituted any infringement and exposed the media outfit to trading in hate speech.
He insisted that it was wrong to make a scapegoat of the media platform which provides opportunities for citizens to ventilate their views.
“We are compelled to react to the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission code concerning infringement on hate speech and the operational style that media houses should employ to conform with the new regulation.
“While there is no disputation over the fact that hate speech portends an existential threat to the enterprise of journalistic reporting and, in fact, inhibits the workings for a free society, it is absolutely repugnant that powers that be would instrumentalise the prevention of hate speech as a means of constricting free speech.
“If for any reason the authorities are not satisfied with his explanations, they are at liberty to prosecute him in court, but not to make a scapegoat of the media platform that provides opportunities for citizens to ventilate their views. The claim by the management of NBC that “this (the penalty) is expected to serve as a deterrent to all other broadcast stations in Nigeria who are quick to provide platform for subversive rhetorics and expositions of spurious and unverifiable claims, to desist from such”, is a naked attempt to gag the media in Nigeria.
We, therefore, call on the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to cause a review of the hate speech prohibition code because the very interpretation of same is offensive to the notion of free speech which is an essential ingredient of participatory democracy that Nigeria operates. We also demand of the NBC to drop the penalty against the operators of 99.3 Nigeria Info FM on account of the fact that the penalty is at best ill-thought out.
In the same vein, Fayose said that it has become crystal clear that some of the freedoms Nigerians enjoyed under the Military era have now eluded them.
He stated this via his twitter handle on Thursday.
“Unfortunately, when some of us who saw all these coming were warning Nigerians, the selfish ones whose only interest was to grab power turned deaf ears. Now, the consequences are on all Nigerians and it will definitely get worse. May God return Nigeria to the path of greatness.
“Now, it is becoming clear that the freedom we enjoyed under military governments, we can’t enjoy in a democracy. “Sad that those who used the media to spread all kinds of lies while seeking power are afraid of a free press now that they are in power. You don’t want Nigerians to speak against President, Governors, Lawmakers and others who are like their servants?
Also, Falana, a leading legal luminary, has condemned the N5 million fine imposed on a Lagos-based radio station by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the alleged promotion of hate speech.
He said: “The chairman of the NBC board disclosed that the amendment of the code authorising the payment of the fine of N5 million was not approved by the board. That means that the amendment of the code has not come into force,” Falana said.
“In view of the fact that the imposition of the N5 million fine was anchored on a purported amendment of the code and since the NBC lacks the legal competence to impose a fine on any broadcasting station without a finding of guilt by a properly constituted criminal court the NBC should suo mutu quash the illegal fine.”
In addition, former Kaduna lawmaker, Shehu sani also condemned the decision of the federal Government to fine Nigerian Info over hate speech comment.
Sani via his official twitter handle, said: “NBC shouldn’t be a tool for undermining the right to freedom of speech and the right of the people to criticize their elected leaders and hold them to account. Its too early to forget that those in power today were once the beneficiaries of that respect for such rights.”
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