The decision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to impose fine on television stations that aired video footages related to the End SARS crises has gotten lots of backlash.
One of the lawmakers, that has spoken is the Senate Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, who accused the Commission of abridging the right of Nigerians to free speech.
Abaribe, in a statement by his Media Adviser, Uchenna Awom, was reacting to the sanctions imposed on three television stations over their alleged unprofessional coverage of the #EndSARS protests,.
Grassroots reported earlier how the NBC had on Monday, imposed N3m fine each on the African Independent Television, Channels TV and the Arise Television over their report of the Lekki tollgate shooting in Lagos last week Tuesday.
Abaribe said, “Section 39 specifically made it clear that ‘every person shall be entitled to freedom of expression, including freedom to hold opinions and to receive and impart ideas and information without interference.’
“Section 39 (2) also stated without equivocation that ‘Without prejudice to the generality of Subsection (1) of this Section, every person shall be entitled to own, establish and operate any medium for the dissemination of information, ideas and opinions.’”
Abaribe asked the NBC to rescind the decision to sanction the broadcast stations.
He said, “The sanction is illegal, provocative and clear case of willful abuse of power and a deliberate assault on the freedom of the press and of free speech,” he said.