Witness narrates how Ex-HoS, allies diverted public funds to private companies in court
ATCIS slams Lai Muhammad for threatening to shut down radio, TV stations for granting live interviews
…says FG, NBC can’t gag the press
By Rasaq Adebayo
The Association of Telephone, Cable TV, and Internet Subscribers (ATCIS) has slammed the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Muhammad for threatening to shut down radio and television stations that grants live interview or any recorded interview without being censored by the Federal Government.
The leading telecom and masses advocacy body that promotes subscribers’ interests and defends their right in Nigeria with iver 190 million members said the move by the Federal Government, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and DSS is a plan to gag the media and deny them press freedom.
The Minister has on Wednesday threatened that Federal Government would show a red card to television and radio stations in Nigeria for alleged breach of broadcast ethics.
Lai Muhammad said this while speaking with News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Sai Island, Cape Verde, where he went to attend the 64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation Commission for Africa and the second edition of the UNWTO Global Tourism Investment Forum.
NAN quoted the Minister as saying the National Broadcasting Commission and other regulators would ensure that broadcast stations abide by statutory laws and ethics.
Lai Muhammad was reacting to the recent alleged anti-Buhari Channels Television’s interviews with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom and the former Deputy Director of Military Intelligence, Navy Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (rtd).
The Minister threatened that any station that violates the broadcast code and ethics would be “shown the red card”.
He said: “We agree that there are challenges but the government is doing its best in addressing insecurity, banditry, insurrection, and fixing the economy.
“What one expected from these leaders at this trying period is support and encouragement.
“It is, however, quite disturbing that they have thrown caution to the winds and it is no longer about leadership and maturity but about who can say something that can break this country.
“Certain words that we were afraid of using before such as genocide and ethnic cleansing, are now taking over the media waves.
“That is why it is important to call everybody to order to appeal to their sense of patriotism that they should understand that because there is a country called Nigeria, that is why they are leaders.
“If what they are praying for happens, they will no longer be leaders but servants in other countries.”
NAN also quoted the minister as saying: “In the last few weeks, the country has been awash, especially from the broadcast media, with very incendiary rhetoric which has creates a sort of panic in Nigeria.”
Reacting to Lai Muhammad’s threat, the ATCIS National President, Prince ‘Sina Bilesanmi OJUEKO, said the federal government is becoming too harsh on the media.
In a statement, Bilesanmi said the it is uncalled for for the government to censor interviews to be aired by the media, saying it is am act if killing press freedom and citizen’s freedom of speech.
“Why would the federal government deny media and people live interview? It means they don’t want people to say their views about the government and governance which is not good for any democracy. Without media, nothing can work well in the society. If not for the media, this country would have collapsed so, why will anyone threat the media and gag them?
“Has NUJ been caged? The body must rise up to the situation.”
