NBC Fines Nigeria Info 99.3FM N5M For Calling A Governor Boko Haram Commander.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has fined Nigeria Info radio station N5million for calling a Northern Governor a Boko Haram commander.

The station has now become the first broadcast platform to be sanction under the new controversial NBC code that was unveiled last Tuesday.

The commission in a statement on Thursday, August 13, 2020, accused the radio station of providing a platform for the promotion of unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage or incite to crime, and lead to public disorder.

A former presidential candidate, Obadiah Mailafia, had made some claims that attracted public curiosity when he appeared as a guest on the station’s ‘Morning Cross Fire’ programme on Monday, August 10.

Mailafia claimed he had an intelligence report that a northern state governor is a commander of Boko Haram.

He had talked about the killings in Southern Kaduna, one of the parts of the North-West region worst hit by banditry.

He said;

Some of us also have our intelligence networks. I have met with some of the bandits; we have met with some of their high commanders – one or two who have repented – they have sat down with us not once, not twice.

They told us that one of the northern governors is the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria. Boko Haram and the bandits are one and the same. They have a sophisticated network. During this lockdown their planes were moving up and down as if there was no lockdown.

Mailafia was later invited by the Department of State Services in Jos on Wednesday and was grilled for six hours.

NBC said on Thursday Mailafia’s comments were devoid of facts and that broadcasting the comments was in violation of certain sections of the controversial sixth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

NBC in its reaction to the development stated;

The National Broadcasting Commission has noted with grave concern, the unprofessional conduct of Nigeria Info 99.3FM, Lagos, in the handling of the Programme, “Morning Cross Fire”, aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am.

The station provided its platform for the guest, Dr. Mailafia Obadiah, to promote unverifiable and inciting views that could encourage or incite to crime and lead to public disorder.

Dr. Mailafia Obadia’s comments on the “Southern Kaduna Crisis”, were devoid of facts and by broadcasting same to the public, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, is in violation of sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.