Editors Hail Court Ruling Nullifying NBC’s Power To Impose Fines

The Nigerian Guild of Editors has commended Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia of the Federal High Court, Abuja, for declaring null and void some provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code authorising the National Broadcasting Commission to impose fines on erring broadcast stations.

This was as the NGE condemned the reported invasion of ABN TV by a team of the Nigeria Police Force to arrest a guest during a live programme in Umuahia, Abia State, recently.

Delivering judgment in a suit instituted by a pro-media rights group, the Media Rights Agenda, against NBC, following NBC’s imposition of N5m fines each on three television stations in 2022 for allegedly undermining Nigeria’s national security by broadcasting documentaries on banditry in Nigeria, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia held that the NBC, not being a court of law, acted above its powers by imposing such fines.

The judge also commended the MRA for challenging NBC’s action and issuing an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission or anyone acting on its behalf from further imposing any fine on any media platform or broadcast station in Nigeria for any alleged offence committed under the NBC code.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia set aside the fines imposed by the NBC in August 2022 on Multichoice, TelCom Satellite Limited, Trust-TV, and NTA Startimes for broadcasting a documentary about the state of banditry and security in Zamfara State, saying the regulator’s action was wrong and unjustifiable in a democratic society.

A statement by the NEG’s President, Mr Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Dr Iyobosa Uwugiaren, on Sunday, said Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia’s ruling had vindicated its position over the years that the NBC cannot be the accuser, the investigator and the judge on matters relating to an alleged breach of the broadcast code.

“Our position has always been that an independent body, institution or competent court of law should be the one to examine any perceived infraction by the broadcast stations, which should be given the opportunity to defend themselves.

“The court is right in its ruling, by saying that the NBC had arrogated judiciary power to itself by imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law,” the NGE stated.
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