AIT, RAYPOWER Gets Shut Down by NBC!
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended the licence of Daar Communications, operators of Africa Independent Television, AIT and Ray Power 100.5 FM for alleged failure to abide by Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
Director-General of NBC, Malam Is’haq Modibbo-Kawu made this known on Thursday evening in Abuja. Kawu alleged that the media organisation was guilty of non-payment statutory fees as at when due and a lack of balance in some of its programme especially Platform and Kakaaki
He said that the NBC has at some of its meetings with Daar Communications, complained about its ventilation of hate speech, divisive and inciting comments on some of its programmes in contravention of the NBC Act and Broadcast Code.
His words: “In their relationship with the NBC, Daar Ccommunications carry on as if it is beyond the regulatory direction of the commission. They don’t pay their licence fees as and when due and its broadcast is patently partisan and one sided and deliberately inciting and heating up the polity. The management of the Company has created the habit of using the channel to fight its personal battles contrary to the statutory requirements of the law.”
Founding Chairman of DAAR Communications, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, DAAR Communications, had earlier in the day prepared the minds of world for the closure when he raised the alarm during a march on the British High Commission in Abuja.
Dokpesi had said: “So we are here to appeal to the British High Commission, its officials and the British government to please assist and intervene to ensure that there is freedom of speech, that the Nigerian media is able to operate without any type of restraint,” he had said.
“I hear that already that the villa has already decided that this evening, AIT and Raypower will be shut down. They are most welcome.
“So we are here to really await the pressure, to await the state that will be taking for expressing our rights, we are here to say this should not happen in a democracy.”
