August 4, 2022.
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) has reacted to the federal government proposed sanction over claims that they aired documentaries glorifying and fueling terrorism, banditry in Nigeria.
Naija News recalls that the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) slammed a N5million fine on the multimedia wing of Media Trust Limited for its “Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story”.
Also fined are Multichoice Nigeria Limited (DSTV owners), NTA-Startimes Limited, and Telcom Satellite Limited (TSTV) – N5million each.
The NBC said that the fine was imposed because the media entities aired documentaries on banditry and terrorism.
Reacting the development, BBC insiders said the Nigerian government wanted to hush the media, while also adding that they were trying to trivialize the magnitude of the security crisis that plagued the nation.
They averred that the Nigerian government was trying to force the media to underreport the extent of damage done by non-state actors (NSAs).
“We published another one (documentary), and will do more because it’s about the people suffering”, Daily Post quoted one of the sources as saying.
“They (government) did not impose a fine on us because they knew they could not do so.
“What they can do is write to the agency that regulates us, the Office of Communications (Ofcom).
“They definitely would ask Ofcom to take disciplinary actions; they cannot do anything other than that.
“After Trust TV spoke with the victims, we interviewed the NSAs – Ado Aleru, the one turbaned, and Abu Sanni who led the Jangebe school attack,” the source added.
It’s really disheartening that such magnitude of insecurity is perpetrated, yet, under reported and public misinformed.
It’s appalling that wanted terrorists held celebration in broad daylight without any attempt to arrest or challenge them.
Instead of sanctioning culpable security agencies for failure to perform their statutory function to arrest and curtail the terrorists, federal government is pontificating bout imposing fine on the media for exposing the lie, complicity, duplicity and failure of those in authority.
The security situation has gone from bad to worse. Unfortunately, those in the corridors of power live in another world. They are the only set of people who believe that the security situation in the country has improved. Citizens of fool’s paradise.
