By Atoyebi Nike
The International Press Centre (IPC) has strongly condemned the reported shutdown of Badegi 90.1FM in Niger State, allegedly ordered by Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago.
The closure reportedly followed an expanded All Progressives Congress (APC) meeting held on Friday, August 1, where the governor was said to have directed the station’s closure over its broadcasts deemed critical of the state administration.
In a weekend statement, IPC’s Executive Director, Mr. Lanre Arogundade, criticized the move as a gross misuse of power and a disregard for democratic principles.
“This is a clear abuse of executive authority and a disturbing disregard for media freedom,” Arogundade said. “Even if there was a violation, the legal and appropriate step would have been to file a complaint with the relevant regulatory agencies.”
He added that silencing the media through intimidation harks back to the era of military rule and has no place in a democracy.
The IPC emphasized that only a competent court has the legal mandate to determine whether any media outlet has breached professional conduct.
The centre called for the swift and unconditional reopening of the radio station, cautioning government officials against undermining press freedom.
“We must remind all authorities that Nigeria remains a democracy where freedom of expression and thought is a constitutional right,” the statement concluded.
