The International Press Centre, IPC, has expressed dismay over the imposition of a fine of N5 million on a radio station by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC.
The IPC has also demanded an immediate reversal of the decision stressing that it was the only path of honour left for the NBC to follow having embarrassed itself with the unreasonable fine against the radio station.
On Thursday, NBC had cited alleged unprofessional conduct by the said radio station in the handling of its Programme, “Morning Cross Fire”, aired on August 10, 2020, between 8.30am and 9.00am.
NBC’s statement further detailed that “The station provided its platform for the guest, Dr. Mailafia Obadiah, to promote unverified and inciting views that could encourage or incite crime and lead to public disorder”
The Executive Director of IPC, Lanre Arogundade, said in a statement, that the NBC gave the impression that it was the Radio Station that put words in the mouth of the guest and went on to impose a fine without any evidence whatsoever that the alleged statement had degraded any person or groups of persons, which would have amounted to hate speech.
“Even if a case of hate speech can be established, it is totally out of place in a democratic setting that NBC would be the one to accuse, prosecute and judge its case against the station”, Mr. Arogundade said.
Mr. Arogundade further said that the hefty fine on the station represented an assault on media independence, freedom of expression and the right of citizens to know about issues of public interest.
