Minister of Information and Culture in Nigeria, Lai Muhammed, is under fire from Nigerians over the ban on Nigerian Info 99.3 FM.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fined the radio station over a recent comment made by former Deputy Governor of Central Bank of Nigeria, Dr. Obadiah Mailaifa.
Mailaifa had disclosed that repentant Boko Haram members had pointed to a Northern governor in the country as their commander.
Reacting to his statement on Thursday, August 13, 2020, the NBC said:
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 Obadiah’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 the following sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code:
3.1.1. No broadcast shall encourage or incite to crime, lead to public disorder or hate, be repugnant to public feelings or contain offensive reference to any person or organization, alive or dead or generally be disrespectful to human dignity;
3.1.2. Broadcasting shall promote human dignity, therefore, hate speech is prohibited”
Now, Twitter users are bashing Lai Mohammed for the ban. See their reactions below:
Lai Mohammed through NBC asking Nigeria Info FM to ₦5m for a statement made by a guest who should be thanked for knowing more than what our security agencies ought to know?
Agents of this Government are just mad.
— Vicky Thompson #BBNaija (@Chinonu) August 13, 2020
Lai Mohammed and this administration are the worst thing that ever happened to this country pic.twitter.com/OrWycnK9F3
— Abbey (@WildCatOfLagos) August 13, 2020
They want citizens to respect them as elders but why would Lai Mohammed and NBC fine NigeriaInfo FM N5m because they granted Obadiah Mailaifa an interview.
See the consequence of giving power to wicked souls.
— AyeMojubar (@ayemojubar) August 13, 2020
At heart, the Abacha boys and Lai Mohammed are cowards, which is why they can only effect these gagging attempts incrementally. They've spent 5 years pushing the limits and only received pushback on the social media bill, hate speech bill and NCDC bill.
— David Hundeyin???? (@DavidHundeyin) August 13, 2020
Lai Mohammed and NBC move to gag Nigeria Info FM because he exposed the commander of Boko Haram in Nigeria?
Is that not a confirmation.
— AyeMojubar (@ayemojubar) August 13, 2020
The Nigerian media, CSOs and all concerned Nigerians should condemn this repressive attempt to silence the media.
Section 22 of the CFRN is clear on the role and responsibility of media in a democracy.
Shame on NBC, Lai Mohammed and the APC government.
— FOLARIN OPEYEMI JOSEPH FOJ. (@opeyemifolarin1) August 13, 2020
Lai Mohammed & the government he represents are jokers.They said the planes Buhari paid $496M for in 2018 will be available by 2020..then we heard 2021 & 2022 after that.Who buys planes they can't use till 2 years later at the very least while people are being slaughtered daily?.
— Umar Sa'ad Hassan???????? (@Alaye_100) August 13, 2020
I now understand why Lai Mohammed need that $500m loan to upgrade NTA. pic.twitter.com/3dlLjLhCoH
— The Realist (@IddyUdosen) August 13, 2020
“Instead of studying and following the law, relevant rules and regulations, and direct the appropriate authorities as stipulated by the law to act on, he erroneously embarked on the review alone."
Lai Mohammed is a terrible person https://t.co/PnRCWk4Jc3
— Gene Grey (@EuginhoCortez) August 13, 2020
