…Finalising NBC’s order, attempt to muzzle media – Atiku
….Calls it pre-election censorship
…Withdraw NBC’s ‘unlawful’ order on broadcasters, SERAP tells Tinubu
….Amnesty to NBC: You can’t dictate to journalists
By Juliet Umeh
Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, and Amnesty International have kicked against recent directives given broadcasters by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, on how to do their jobs.
Recall that the NBC had in formal notice issued on April 17, 2026, citing a rise in breaches of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code, warned stations against actions such as expressing “personal opinions,” allegedly intimidating guests, or failing to maintain neutrality.
The commission also warned that as Nigeria enters a critical electoral period, the airwaves must not be used to propagate misinformation.
But while Atiku described the notice as an attempt to stifle free expression and silence dissent in the media, SERAP argued the notice was unlawful and a threat to press freedo.
Amnesty International, on its part, described the notice as an outrageous and desperate attempt to muzzle the press.
Reacting in an X post on Saturday night, Atiku said the code of conduct advisory was “yet another troubling attempt to muzzle the media and shrink the space for free expression in Nigeria”.
He said the country’s media industry had grown into a formidable institution, respected globally for its resilience and professionalism, adding that it was “alarming” that the NBC resorted to “heavy-handed directives” whenever elections approached.
“I stand firmly with Nigeria’s broadcast industry and all media platforms resisting this creeping censorship,” Atiku said
He added that ethical standards in journalism should not be “seasonal tools to be weaponised during campaigns”.
According to him, the timing and tone of the regulations suggest a deeper agenda.
Atiku accused the government of being more interested in controlling the narrative than in ensuring a free, fair and transparent electoral process.
The NBC directive comes amid heightened political activity ahead of the 2027 general election.
The ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, is expected to field President Bola Tinubu for re-election, while opposition figures have joined forces in the African Democratic Congress, ADC.
Withdraw NBC’s ‘unlawful’ order on broadcasters, SERAP tells Tinubu
Also reacting, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project, SERAP, urged President Bola Tinubu to order the immediate withdrawal of the directive, describing it as unlawful and a threat to press freedom.
In a letter dated April 18, 2026, and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation called on the President to instruct the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, and the NBC to reverse the notice.
SERAP said, “The NBC’s notice represents a dangerous attempt to impose prior censorship on the media and suppress legitimate journalistic expression.”
The group also asked the government to “abstain from imposing prior censorship on broadcast stations and Nigerian journalists, including presenters and to allow them to freely carry out their constitutional responsibilities.”
SERAP argued that such provisions are vague and unconstitutional, stressing that “the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights law protect both the absolute right to hold opinions and the qualified right to express ideas of all kinds.”
It added “journalistic opinion is protected expression.”
SERAP further criticised Section 1.10.3 of the Broadcasting Code, noting that “this amounts to prior restraint that impermissibly excludes commentary, analysis and value judgments, the core of journalism and democratic discourse.”
SERAP maintained that the NBC’s reliance on broad and unclear provisions risked arbitrary enforcement and could stifle critical reporting, especially ahead of the 2027 general elections.
“The threat of sanctions for broadly defined conduct creates a chilling effect on journalists and broadcasters, thereby undermining constitutional guarantees,” the group said.
The group, which warned that failure to act could trigger legal action, stated further: “We would be grateful if the recommended measures are taken within 48 hours. If we have not heard from your government and the NBC by then, SERAP shall take all appropriate legal actions to compel compliance.”
It also urged the NBC to amend sections of the broadcasting code to align with constitutional and international human rights standards.
You can’t dictate to journalists, Amnesty tackles NBC
Similarly, Amnesty International strongly condemned what it described as an “outrageous and desperate attempt” by the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to gag journalists through a controversial directive issued to broadcasters.
In a statement reacting to the NBC’s ‘formal notice to broadcasters’ dated April 17, 2026, the global rights organisation said the commission lacked the authority to dictate how journalists carried out their professional duties.
According to Amnesty International, the directive, targeting political broadcasts as well as anchors of current affairs and political programmes, imposes “unduly restrictive and invasive controls” on the media landscape.
The organisation argued that the move appeared designed to pressure journalists and media organisations into self-censorship, warning that such actions threatened press freedom and democratic accountability.
“Nigeria’s vibrant broadcast media, which editorial content is independent, enable people to freely seek, debate, receive and impart information and ideas as envisaged by the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights,” said Isa Sanusi, Executive Director of Amnesty International Nigeria.
Sanusi further called on Nigerian authorities to halt what he described as the misuse of the NBC to stifle independent journalism.
“The Nigerian authorities must stop using the NBC in an unrelenting quest to silence journalists and media organisations that are crucial to ensuring an independent and diverse media space that fulfils people’s right to information,” he said.
Amnesty International maintained that the latest directive by the NBC was both authoritarian and unconstitutional, urging broadcasters across the country to remain steadfast.
It encouraged journalists to continue carrying out their duties “fiercely and independently without fear,” despite mounting pressure.
Article Attempt to gag broadcasters: Atiku, SERAP, Amnesty Int’l slam NBC Live On NgGossips.
