Terrorism Reporting: SERAP warns FG’s over threat to sanction BBC, Daily Trust
By Ibrahim Adeleke
President Muhammadu Buhari has been urged to, without any further delay, instruct the Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, to withdraw the threat to sanction the British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Daily Trust over their documentaries on terrorism in Nigeria, whether through the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) or any other agency of government.
The request came from a Lagos-based human rights group, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
It would be recalled that the Information and Culture Minister had last Thursday declared that the Federal Government (FG) would sanction the BBC and Trust TV for airing documentaries that allegedly “glorify”, “promote”, and “fuel” terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
But SERAP, through a letter dated July 30, 2022, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, insisted that the media must impart information and ideas on issues of public importance.
The threat, If carried out, would inhibit the media from reporting on issues of public interest, the group added.
