Seventeen broadcasters were accused of airing partisan content
Nigeria has sanctioned about 25 broadcast stations for failing to adhere to broadcasting laws while covering last month’s general elections.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has also issued a final warning to 16 others for various poll-related offences, local media said.
- Seventeen stations were accused of airing partisan content 24 hours prior to election
- Three were sanctioned for inciting comments
- Four were said to have aired divisive ethnic or religious content
- One was sanctioned for announcing results ahead of an official announcement by the electoral commission.
“Subversive discussions and reckless comments, capable of tearing us apart as a people were broadcast freely without proper gatekeeping. Ethics and professionalism were thrown overboard,” the director-general of NBC, Balarabe Ilelah, said.
Mr Ilelah urged all broadcast stations to adhere to the provisions of laws on broadcasting ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial and state assembly polls.