Twenty-five broadcasters in Nigeria has sanctioned for breaking broadcasting restrictions while covering the general elections last month
According to local media, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has also given 16 additional people a final warning for various poll-related offenses.
- 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.
