The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction broadcasting organizations that violate the nation’s Broadcast Code. Mohammed said the serial violation of the code by many radio and television stations constitute a threat to national peace, security and unity.
The minister gave the directive while addressing participants at the DSO Stakeholders’ Retreat in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, on Friday. Mohammed said the Broadcast Code was clear when it said in Section 0.2.1: "Broadcasting shall influence society positively, setting the agenda for the social, cultural, economic, political and technological development of a nation, for the public good.”
He also quoted three other relevant Sections of the Code: Section 3.1.2 (Materials likely to incite or encourage to the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder shall not be broadcast); Section 3.9.1 (Language or scene likely to encourage or incite to crime, or lead to disorder, shall not be broadcast) and Section 0.2.3g (Broadcasting shall be mindful of the degree of harm and offence likely to be caused by the inclusion of any material in programming, in general or in specific terms).
The minister berated broadcasters for using inciting materials and language that can encourage or incite crime or lead to disorder, adding that the situation has become worse in recent times, in the wake of the Farmers/Herders clashes.
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