BY SOLOMON OKPO
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have instituted a lawsuit against the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), challenging what they describe as unconstitutional threats to sanction broadcast stations across the country.
The groups, in the suit filed before a Federal High Court, are seeking a judicial declaration that the NBC’s warning to penalise broadcasters over alleged breaches of regulatory guidelines violates the fundamental rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
SERAP and the NGE argued that the commission’s actions amount to censorship and pose a serious danger to media independence, particularly in a democratic society where the press is expected to operate without undue interference.
According to the plaintiffs, the NBC’s directives to television and radio stations, reportedly cautioning against the broadcast of certain political and security-related content, lack legal backing and fail to meet constitutional standards. They insisted that such threats could create a climate of fear, forcing media organisations into self-censorship.
The suit further urges the court to restrain the NBC, its agents, and representatives from imposing any sanctions on broadcast outlets based on the contested directives. The plaintiffs are also asking the court to affirm that only properly enacted laws, not regulatory threats, can limit the rights of the media.
Media stakeholders have continued to express concern over what they perceive as increasing pressure on journalists and broadcasters, warning that any attempt to stifle the press could undermine transparency and accountability in governance.
As of the time of filing this report, the NBC had yet to issue an official response to the lawsuit.
The case is expected to test the boundaries between regulation and press freedom in Nigeria’s evolving democratic landscape.
