Several media rights groups have condemned the revocation of the licenses of African Independent Television (AIT) and 49 other broadcast stations across the country. Among these groups are International Press Centre(ICP) and Media Rights Agenda (MRA).
In a separate statement issued on Friday, the media groups decried the arbitrary approach NBC adopted in revoking the licenses of the alleged debtor broadcast stations.
ICP in a press statement signed by its Press Freedom Officer, Melody Lawal said: “IPC holds that the sweeping revocation confirms its concern that NBC exercises its powers arbitrarily without recourse to the public interest.” The center added that the regulatory body’s action ” confirms our worry that NBC continuously constitutes itself into the accuser, the prosecutor, and the judge in its case. In this particular instance, NBC has not only ordered the revocation of licenses of many TV and Radio stations, but it has also gone further to usurp the authority of the President and Commander-In-Chief and the National Assembly by directing security agents to move in and affect its order.”
The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation(NBC) on Friday suspended the operating license of several broadcasting stations across Nigeria over what it termed their inability to renew their operating license.
