Nigeria’s broadcast regulatory agency, National Broadcasting Commission on Monday wielded its big stick on Channels Television by ordering an immediate stoppage of one of its programmes, ‘Politics Today’ with a fine N5 million for breaching the broadcast code.
The commission said it took the decision following the a live interview the station had with the spokesperson for the Indigenous People of Biafra, Emma Powerful.
In a letter to the Managing Director of Channels Television signed by the Acting Director-General of the Commission, NBC, Armstrong Idachaba, the Commission referred to Channels 7pm live broadcast programme of Sunday, April 25, 2021.
According to the NBC, the TV station erred by allowing a leader of the Indigenous people of Biafra, IPOB to make secessionist and inciting declarations on air without caution or reprimand.
Mr Amstrong added that such act contravenes broadcast code.
It also accused the station of allowing the guest speaker to make derogatory, false and misleading statements about the Nigerian army, despite being proscribed by a court of law.
