…Says Attempted Closure of Badeggi FM Is Illegal and Intolerable
By Nkechi Eze
The Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) has issued a strong warning to the Niger State Government over what it describes as deliberate efforts to stifle press freedom, threatening to boycott all government activities in the state if the harassment of local media stations continues.
In an official statement signed by the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa, Ajiyan Yauri, the group condemned what it called “the illegal attempt” by the Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, to shut down Badeggi FM, a private radio station based in Minna. The statement followed a high-level consultation between Alhaji Yelwa and the Chief Executive Officer of the station, Mohammed Shuaibu Badeggi.
“I spoke this morning with Mohammed Shuaibu Badeggi, the Chief Executive Officer of the station, who confirmed to me that Badeggi FM is fully operational despite the illegal closure orders issued by the Governor,” Alhaji Yelwa stated. “However, he also reported increased harassment by state agents determined to cripple the station’s constitutionally guaranteed freedom to operate.”
The ABMPF commended the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for maintaining its regulatory integrity and rejecting the Niger State Government’s directive to shut down Badeggi FM. It also lauded the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi, for his firm reminder to state authorities that only the NBC has the legal mandate to regulate licensed broadcast media in Nigeria.
Alhaji Yelwa did not mince words in his criticism of what he described as an alarming trend of media suppression at the state level. He warned that the Forum may have no choice but to instruct all its members operating in Niger State to withdraw coverage and participation from all future activities of the state government if the ongoing intimidation is not stopped.
“We call on the Niger State Governor to call his foot soldiers to order. If this harassment does not cease, we may be forced to direct our members to boycott all future engagements with the Niger State Government,” he declared.
He further called for greater tolerance from those in positions of authority, particularly in the face of Nigeria’s growing security and economic challenges.
“In this period of insecurity and multi-dimensional poverty, our leaders must learn to be more accommodating of dissenting views and remember that leadership is a service to the people not a license for oppression,” he said.
The Forum also decried the systemic neglect of Northern media organisations, lamenting what it described as the over-patronage of Southwest-based media at the expense of indigenous Northern outlets. According to Alhaji Yelwa, billions of Naira are spent annually by Northern governors on media engagements with Lagos-Ibadan-based platforms while local Northern stations are left to suffer financial neglect and political intimidation.
“The media is not the enemy, it is the mirror through which society sees itself. It is disheartening that thriving indigenous stations like Badeggi FM are constantly under threat, while patronage flows to outside media. This trend must stop,” he stated.
The ABMPF also urged all member stations currently facing harassment or intimidation from any authority to report such cases to the Forum’s Secretariat for collective legal and strategic action.
“This is not just about Badeggi FM. It is about the fundamental right of every journalist and media house in Nigeria to operate without fear or political interference,” Alhaji Yelwa concluded.
The Forum’s warning is seen as a bold stance in defense of press freedom in Northern Nigeria, and signals a growing resistance to attempts by public officials to muzzle the media through unconstitutional means.
