By: Erewunmi Peace

Nigeria’s Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has issued a stern response to Governor Umaru Bago of Niger State, stating that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has the constitutional authority to revoke the licence of a radio station.

This follows the governor’s controversial order on Thursday, August 1, instructing the immediate closure of Badeggi FM 90.1, a private radio station based in Minna, over allegations of inciting violence and promoting unethical broadcasting.

“A state governor has no legal power to revoke or suspend the licence of any broadcast station,” Minister Idris emphasized in a public statement.
“Only the NBC, as established under the National Broadcasting Commission Act, is empowered to regulate, sanction, or withdraw licences.”

BACKGROUND

Governor Bago had alleged that Badeggi FM violated professional standards and posed a threat to public order. He also ordered security agencies to seal off the station’s premises and called on federal authorities to revoke its broadcasting licence.

The move sparked immediate backlash from press freedom advocates and civil society organizations, who described it as a gross overreach of executive power and an assault on Nigeria’s constitutional democracy.

REACTIONS

The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) condemned the closure, warning that such actions send a dangerous signal about the shrinking space for free expression.

The Nigeria Bar Association (NBA) described the order as “illegal and unconstitutional,” urging immediate reversal.

Amnesty International Nigeria and other civil society groups demanded the reopening of the station and accountability for what they called “a violation of media independence.”

LEGAL CLARIFICATION

Under Nigerian law, the NBC is the sole regulatory body empowered to:

Grant or revoke broadcast licences

Monitor content for compliance with broadcasting codes

Impose sanctions when necessary

The NBC has not issued any statement supporting or authorizing Badeggi FM’s closure, further reinforcing the minister’s position.

The incident has reignited conversations around media freedom, regulatory overreach, and rule of law in Nigeria. As of the time of this report, Badeggi FM remains shut down, with growing public calls for its immediate reopening and an independent review of the governor’s actions.