The National Broadcasting Commission says it has sanctioned 45 broadcast stations, including the Nigerian Television Authority, Channels Television, Africa Independent Television, and Television Continental News, for alleged ethical infractions in relation to the 2019 general elections.
The News Agency of Nigeria reported that the Director-General of the NBC, Mallam Modibbo Kawu, disclosed this at a news conference in Abuja on Friday.
He said the errant stations violated provisions of the NBC and were fined N500,000 each.
He said, “Despite our various interventions, at the end of the presidential election, 45 stations were found culpable of infractions on the provision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and have been sanctioned accordingly.
“We gave them the highest level of sanction under the NBC which is to make them to pay N500,000 each.
“The NBC also sanctioned stations that allowed politicians to utter abusive, inciting and provocative statements during rallies. And this happened on several radios and television stations, particularly and unfortunately on big national network stations such as NTA, AIT, Channels and TVC News. There are also several radio and TV stations involved in this various infractions.”
The DG therefore warned that any of the stations that continue to broadcast hate and inflammatory comments that threaten the security of the country would be shut down.
