National Broadcasting Commission shuts down AIT and RayPower

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), yesterday, suspended broadcast licence of Daar Communications Plc, owners of African Independent Television (AIT) and Ray Power, over alleged breach of Broadcasting Code.

The director general of NBC, Ishaq Moddibo Kawu, made the announcement of the indefinite suspension at a press briefing yesterday in Abuja. According to Kawu ], the decision to suspend the licence was taken following willful or repeat violation of the Broadcasting Code by the station.

“The NBC, today 6th June 2019  took a decision to suspend the licence of Daar Communications Plc for failure to abide by the Commission’s directives, the provisions of the NBC Act Cap N11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria and the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

“This decision is based on the provisions of Section 10 of the Third Schedule of the NBC Act Cap N11 Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004,” he says.

He also explained the NBC took the action following complaints from concerned Nigerians about the broadcast content of Daar Communications Plc’s AIT/Raypower broadcast stations. He also said that NBC had in the last two years summoned management staff of Daar Communications over the way and manner hate speech, divisive and inciting comments are applied in the discussion of national issues in breach of the provisions of the NBC Act and Broadcast Code.

According to him, the regulator and a licencee have a relationship, defined by the code, it is a straight and narrow path that must be worked, noting that no licencee is bigger than, the regulator.