Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has hailed the verdict of the Federal High Court Court declaring null and void, the actions of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in imposing fines on broadcast stations in the country.
Recall that the Federal Court in Abuja had on Wednesday nullified the power of the NBC to impose a fine on broadcasters in Nigeria.
According to a statement by Idowu Adewale, Communications Officer of Media Rights Agenda, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia delivered the judgment in a suit filed by the agency against NBC over the N5 million fine each imposed on Trust Television and three other broadcasters for airing a documentary on banditry in Nigeria.
An Abuja-based human rights lawyer, Uche Amulu, had filed the suit on behalf of MRA.
NBC had imposed a fine of N5 million on some media outlets on account of a documentary that pictures the parlous state of insecurity in Nigeria in the year 2022.
Reacting in a statement by his Media Office on Thursday, Atiku said that the ruling of the court is an enhancement of the constitutionally guaranteed rights to free speech.
Atiku said that the ruling of the Federal High Court on the dictatorial practices by the NBC will ensure that the media in Nigeria is not gagged and that the citizens can enjoy their rights to freedom of expression.
“I have read reports about the judgment by a Federal High Court presided over by the Honourable Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia concerning the propriety of the NBC issuing fines to broadcast stations upon their editorial contents.
I am happy to announce my support for the judgement of the court. I am even happier that the said judgement will further boost the ethos of democratic norms in our body politics.
While I commend the court for this bold decision, it is adequate that we all recognize the courage of the Media Rights Agenda (MRA) for having tested our laws on this draconian practice by the regulatory body,” Atiku said.
