The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has strongly condemned the directive by Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, to revoke the licence of Badeggi FM Radio and shut it down. This CJID said the action represents a grave assault on press freedom and a direct contravention of the Nigerian Constitution.

This was contained in a statement Signed by Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director, Journalism Program, Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) and made available to journalist s in Abuja The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Bologi Ibrahim, in a statement issued on Friday, August 1, had indicated that Bago gave the directive to close the privately owned radio station, revoke its license, and profile its owner.

Following the governor’s illegal directive, the state government has also marked the building housing the radio station and its management for demolition. However, in its statement, CJID said it “viewed this rather worrisome directive of the governor as an act of executive overreach and an outright abuse of state powers.

As noted by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, the responsibility to regulate and revoke the license of a broadcast station rests exclusively with the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and not on a state governor.