The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC has suspended the license of Human Rights Radio for recurring unprofessional conduct.
NBC made the announcement in a statement issued on Thursday after the commission met with the founder/owner Ahmed Isah, in Abuja.
Isah, who is also the host of Berekete Family Show, a programme on the radio station, had been caught in a BBC documentary assaulting an interviewee.
Also, an old video which surfaced yesterday showed him assaulting another person for not heeding to his instruction.
The Ordinary President as he is fondly called, was at the meeting with NBC yesterday to explain the circumstances that led to the unfortunate incident at his radio station.
In a statement on Thursday, the regulatory body said it reviewed the events and noted the unreserved apologies and regrets expressed by the broadcaster.
The Commission states, however, that the action of the broadcaster is in clear violations of the Broadcasting Code and a betrayal of the confidence reposed on him by the people and Government of Nigeria on whose behalf he holds the radio license in trust.
“Section 0.1.1.2.1 of the Broadcasting Code provides in the Social Objectives of Broadcasting that Broadcasting shall – ‘promote generally accepted social values and norms, especially civic and social responsibilities; and encourage respect for the dignity of man’.
It also provides that broadcasting organisations shall recognize that they exercise freedom of expression as agents of society, not for any personal or sectional rights, privileges and needs of their own or of their proprietors, relatives, friends or supporters.
“It is important to state that the Commission has over the years, advised, cautioned, warned and fined the station over repeated cases of outright abuse, denigrating remarks, intimidation and flagrant abuse of ethics of fairness, balance and fair hearing on the station. It is also on record that the Commission had conducted several training and retraining programmes for the station and the host of the Brekete family programme especially.
The Commission has therefore in line with the sanction provisions in 15.5.2 of the Broadcasting Code, ordered the suspension of license of the broadcaster until the broadcaster commits to ethical and professional broadcasting. The suspension order is effective Monday the 31st of May 2021, at 12.00am.
“The order shall last 30 days during which it is expected that the broadcaster will put its house in order and attune itself to responsive, professional and responsible broadcasting. It shall also pay a recommencement fee as provided for in section 15.5.1 of the Broadcasting Code at the end of the suspension period.
The NBC appreciates the popularity of the station and the fact that it has in many cases tuned its programming to the yearnings of the people. The Commission however has a sacred duty to promote decency, professionalism and respect for the dignity of all citizens by all Broadcasters in Nigeria,” the statement read.
