President Muhammadu Buhari’s regime has shut down ‘Idon Mikiya’, a famous programme on Abuja-based radio station Vision FM, for discussing the controversial extension of the appointment of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) director-general Rufai Abubakar and his incompetence.
In a letter addressed to Vision FM’s managing director and seen by Peoples Gazette on Wednesday, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) claimed it sanctioned the broadcasting outfit for airing content harmful to the country’s national security in one of its programmes, ‘Idon Mikiya’ on January 5, 2022.
NBC pointed out that the station breached section 39 (3) (b) of the 1999 constitution that imposed restrictions on issues relating to government security services or agencies.
“Your discussion of issues, including appointments of 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,” the Nigerian broadcasting regulator stated.
The commission fined the media outlet N5 million and suspended the programme for six months, starting from January 28, 2022.
It claimed that transmitting trade secrets and other issues regarding a national security agency was an act prejudicial to Nigeria’s national security.
