The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended a current affairs programme of Vision FM, Idon Mikiya, for six months and fine the station N5m.
A letter signed by the NBC Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, addressed to the Managing Director of Vision Media Service Limited, said the suspension took effect from January 28, 2022 and followed the broadcast of Idon Mikiya programme on January 5 on Vision FM/Farin Wata TV.
The letter reads in part: “Your discussion on issue, including appointments at the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), constitutes a breach of the provision of section 39(3)(b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which imposes restrictions on matters concerning government security services or agencies established by law.
“Transmitting the trade secrets or other issues regarding a national security agency amounts to an act prejudicial to national security contrary to the above section cited.
“Recall that the commission has invited the management of Vision FM severally bothering on issues of balance, fairness and presenter bearing opinion, which are violations of the following Sections of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.”
Responding, the Managing Director, Vision Media Services, Shuaibu Mungadi, said the company had complied with the suspension order but insisted that they didn’t break any law.
“It was actually the NBC that violated the law, not Vision Media Services. So, there was no infraction anywhere,” he said.
Mungadi added that the station would be unable to pay the N5m fine due to the suspension of the programme which, according to him attracts advertisements and sponsorships.
