*Slams FG for fines imposed on some broadcast outfits in Nigeria
The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is unperturbed by the f8nes imposed by Federal Government on some media houses which aired a documentary on terrorism it said was in bad taste.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) had fined the multimedia wing of Media Trust Limited and and some satellite based redistribution media comoanies, N5 million each for airing a documentary “Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story” and for permitting their channels to be used to air such documentary.
The other affected concerns are Multichoice Nigeria Limited (DSTV owners), NTA-Startimes Limited, and Telcom Satellite Limited (TSTV). They are to pay N5million each.
The NBC informed the public that all outfits violated the broadcasting code by airing documentaries on banditry and terrorism.
The authorities consider the visuals damaging, with citizens already furious about the country’s worsening insecurity further enraged.
There was no opportunity given to the affected media houses and companies to defend themselves.
However, BBC sources accused the Nigerian government of trying to coerce the media to underreport the extent of damage done in the country by non-state actors (NSAs).
“We published another one (documentary), and will do more because it’s about the people suffering”, one of such sources hinted.
“They (government) did not impose a fine on us because they knew they could not do so.
“What they can do is write to the agency that regulates us, the Office of Communications (Ofcom).
“They definitely would ask Ofcom to take disciplinary actions; they cannot do anything other than that.
“After Trust TV spoke with the victims, we interviewed the NSAs – Ado Aleru, the one turbaned, and Abu Sanni, who led the Jangebe school attack,” the source said.
The duo have been terrorizing Zamfara. In mid-July, Aleru (Alieru) was turbaned as Sarkin Fulani (King of Fulanis) of Yandoton Daji Emirate in Zamfara state.
He was installed by Aliyu Garba Marafa, the Emir of Yandoto, despite being on the police wanted list for kidnapping and killings.
The Zamfara state government has however sanctioned the Emir, but no more.
In February 2021, Sanni’s gang abducted nearly 300 students of Government Girls Secondary School in Jangebe.
In BBC’s ‘The Bandit Warlords of Zamfara’, he narrated how the Nigerian government paid millions for the release of the girls.
Sanni disclosed that they struck in retaliation for military operations after the wet period in 2020.
“When the rainy season ended, they sent the military. We decided to show the government they should not interfere in our problems. We went to Jangebe and took the students.
“We wanted to get the government angry. We demanded N300million but after negotiations, N60million was paid for their release”, he revealed.
Yusuf Anka, a journalist with the United Kingdom national broadcaster, met with the bandit leaders in their enclaves.
The NBC action announced on Wednesday followed last week’s comments by Information Minister, Lai Mohammed.
“Appropriate sanctions will be meted to both the BBC and the Trust TV. They will not get away with the naked glorification of terrorism and banditry.
“When otherwise reputable platforms like BBC can give their platform to terrorists showing their faces as if they are Nollywood stars, it is unfortunate.
“If they are not registered in Nigeria and they are only sending their signals to Nigeria, we will ask them to stop sending the signals”, he said.
Mohammed added that during the IRA (Irish Republican Army) days, “the BBC will not dare do what they are doing now in Nigeria”.
