Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago has ordered the immediate shutdown of Badeggi FM Radio Station in Minna, accusing the media outlet of airing unethical broadcasts and inciting public unrest.
The governor directed the State Commissioner of Police and Commissioner for Homeland Security to seal off the station and revoke its license.
According to the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, the decision was made during an expanded APC caucus meeting at the Government House, where Bago accused the station of inciting the public against the government.
The Director of Operations of Badeggi FM, Abubakar Shuaib, has implored the governor to channel his complaints through proper channels, suggesting that the governor should write to the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for investigation.
Shuaib emphasized that the station’s duty is to hold leaders accountable and that they are not against any individual or state government.
The directive has sparked widespread condemnation, with Amnesty International and various civil society organizations describing it as an attempt to suppress freedom of expression.
Amnesty International argued that the governor’s action is an abuse of power and an open attack on media freedom, pointing out that the governor lacks the authority to order the closure of a radio station under Nigerian law.
The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) and other media stakeholders have also criticized the governor’s decision, citing concerns about the clampdown on press freedom and the need for due process.
The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has supported this view, stating that only the NBC has the power to suspend a radio station’s license.
This is not the first time journalists and media outlets in Niger State have faced challenges under the current administration.
Previous incidents include the assault of a Voice of America reporter by the Commissioner for Homeland Security and the detention of a People’s Daily Newspaper correspondent.
