NBC’s Threat on Channels TV Unacceptable, Says IPC

• Station apologises for breach of code

The International Press Centre (IPC) has rejected the decision of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction Channels Television for interviewing the spokesman of the proscribed Indigenous Peoples of Biafra (IPOB), during the broadcast of its ‘Politics Today’ programme on Sunday April 25, 2021.

In a statement issued by its Communications Officer, Olutoyin Ayoade, IPC argued that Channels Television was actually acting in the public and national interest by seeking to question the spokesperson of an organisation whose existence, despite proscription, the government especially through the Nigerian Army had continuously recognised and which in the past couple of weeks had been accused of being responsible for reprehensible acts of serial killing of policemen and arson in Imo State and other parts of the South-east.

This is coming as the NBC yesterday said Channels Television had apologised over its infraction of the broadcasting code.

IPC noted that in the course of the said interview, the anchor, Mr. Seun Okinbaloye, did refer to IPOB as a proscribed organisation, just like many other media outlets that had previously reported the tactical assault on its operational headquarters.

IPC disclosed that the decision of the Nigerian media to report the alleged activities of IPOB was in full cognisance of the fact that there is no law of the Nigerian Federation that forbids the media from reporting the activities or alleged activities of a proscribed organisation.

“In the circumstance therefore, we find the NBC’s letter of April 26, 2021, addressed to the Managing Director of Channels Television, and titled ‘INCITING COMMENTS BY PROSCRIBED GROUP: POLITICS TODAY’ as unwarranted and highly intimidatory.

“By threatening that the station “remains liable to sanctions provided in section 15 of the code which prescribes among others – suspension of broadcast license and the fine of 5million’ and ordering the suspension of the politics today Programme, the NBC has embarked on another round of violation of press freedom in Nigeria.

It accused the NBC of violently violating the rules of natural justice and fair hearing by constituting itself into the accuser, the prosecutor and the judge in the case between it and Channels Television over the interview in contention.

Meanwhile, NBC yesterday said Channels Television has apologised over its infraction of the broadcasting code.

NBC’s Director of Public Affairs, Mrs. Franca Aiyetan, said this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) yesterday in Abuja.

Aiyetan explained that the commission’s letter to the TV station was a regulatory instrument to check the excesses of the station called “the bridge letter “.

She said that the intent of the letter was neither to close down nor sanction the station, stressing that it was meant to draw the station’s attention to its breach of the broadcasting code, adding that “the station has accordingly apologised’’.

According to her, the letter asked Channels TV to explain why it gave credence to an organisation that was already proscribed by the federal government.

“It was actually not for public consumption, it was not a press release. It was a regulatory instrument to check the excesses of the station.

“It is a station that won an award but we say in this particular situation, you did not handle it professionally.

“It is possible to bridge the public peace and that was what the letter conveyed to Channels TV, to which the TV station has responded, saying we apologise, we did wrong.

“When the media started asking me about Channels TV, I had to go and find out what letter we had issued out because if it is a press release or something that is for public consumption it will come to the Public Affairs Department of NBC.