SERAP, NGE ask court to stop Niger Gov, NBC from intimidating Badeggi FM
CHIGOZIE AMADI
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have filed a lawsuit against Umar Bago, Niger state governor and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over the threat to shut down Badeggi FM Radio, Minna, saying the State government is weaponizing the NBC and law enforcement agents to further crackdown on the station and its owner Shuaibu Badeggi.
Governor Bago had threatened to strip Badeggi FM radio of its licence, seal the media outfit, demolish its premises, and profile the station’s owner, having been unhappy with the station’s broadcasts. The privately‑owned station and its owner face ongoing threat, intimidation and harassment.
In the suit number FHC/L/CS/1587/2025 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE are asking the court to determine “whether by section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.”
SERAP and NGE are asking the court for “a declaration that by the combined provisions of section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from any threat, intimidation and harassment.”
SERAP and NGE are also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Niger state governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence and profile the station’s owner.”
In the suit, SERAP and NGE are arguing that: “Unless the reliefs sought are granted, the governor will continue to threaten, intimidate and harass the radio station and its owner and may weaponize the NBC against the station.”
They further argued hat, “the failure and/or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of Badeggi FM radio against arbitrary executive interference and ongoing intimidation constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.”
LSERAP and NGE are also arguing that, “the ongoing intimidation, and threat by Mr Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and profile its owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.”
“The allegations of inciting violence against Badeggi FM and its owner are vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated and apparently made to silence the radio station.”
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP and NGE by their lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.
“Intimidating, harassing and silencing critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns is a fundamental breach of the Nigerian Constitution and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
“Intimidating, harassing and silencing Badeggi FM and its owner would have a chilling effect on the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom across several states.
“The ongoing intimidation, harassment and threat to arbitrarily revoke the station’s licence, unlawfully demolish its premises and profile its owner are all clearly antithetical to the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution and the country’s international human rights obligations.
“The ongoing intimidation and harassment of Badeggi FM and its owner is capable of discouraging participation of the press in debates over matters of legitimate public concern ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The ongoing intimidation and harassment of Badeggi FM, its owner and other staff members of the station constitute a serious restriction on the development of democracy in the country, since it impedes free debate over ideas and opinions.
“Media outlets in Niger state should be free to enable debate on issues of public interest without fear of reprisals.
“Both Mr Bago and the NBC have the duty to respect and uphold their constitutional and statutory obligations to ensure that journalists and media houses that regularly impart information on matters of public interest including Badeggi FM enjoy an environment to perform that function.”
