Nigerian Guild of Editors hails ruling on NBC Code

The Nigerian Guild of Editors has hailed Court ruling on NBC Code

The Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has hailed the ruling of the Federal High Court, Abuja, which  declared null and void some provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

The code allows the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to impose fines on broadcast stations for alleged breaches.

Speaking in a statement by its President Eze Anaba and General Secretary Iyobosa Uwugiaren, the NGE also faulted the reported invasion of ABN TV by a team of the Nigeria Police Force to arrest a guest during a Live-Programme in Umuahia, Abia State.

Ruling in a suit instituted by a pro-media rights group, the Media Rights Agenda (MRA), against the NBC – following the commission’s imposition of fines of N5 million each on three television stations in 2022 for allegedly undermining Nigeria’s national security by broadcasting documentaries on banditry in Nigeria, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia held that the NBC not being a court of law, acted above its powers by imposing such fines.

The judge also commended the MRA for its legal challenge of the NBC’s action and issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the commission or anyone acting on its behalf from further imposing any fine on any media platform or broadcast station in Nigeria for any alleged offence committed under the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia set aside the fines imposed by the NBC on August 3, 2022 on Multichoice Nigeria Limited, owners of DSTV; TelCom Satellite Limited (TSTV); Trust-TV Network Limited; and NTA Startimes Limited for broadcasting a documentary about the state of banditry and security in Zamfara State, saying the regulator’s action was wrong and unjustifiable in a democratic society.

The NGE statement said Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia’s ruling vindicated its consistent position over the years that the NBC cannot be the accuser, the investigator and the judge on matters relating to alleged breaches of the Broadcast Code.

It reads: “Our position has always been that an independent body, institution or competent court of law should be the one to examine any perceived infraction by the broadcast stations, which should be given the opportunity to defend themselves.

“The court is right in its ruling – by saying that NBC had arrogated judiciary power to itself by imposing fine arbitrarily without recourse to the law.”

The editors reiterated their earlier resolution to engage President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, the National Assembly and other stakeholders over the NBC Act and the Broadcast Code of Conduct – with the aim to amend and reform them to conform to the global best practices.

Criticising the reported invasion of the Abia television station, the Guild said that the action was unnecessary and uncalled for.

The Guild added that despite repeated plead by the staff to the police officers to allow the programme to come to an end before the guest could be arrested, the police still whisked him away while the live programme was on.

“This action of the police is uncivilized, barbaric and confrontational. No matter the enormity of the alleged offence, the police officers could have without difficulty waited for the live programme to come to an end before swinging into action”, the NGE stated.

Credit: thenationonlineng.net