The Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended the
license of Dar Communication Plc, promoter of AIT, RAY POWER until
further notice..
The Director-General of NBC, Modibbo Kawu announced the shut
down on Thursday evening.
He said the action was taken for failure of the broadcasting
station to abide by the broadcasting code.
The offences listed by the NBC included the airing of a
Presidential election documentary by the AIT, a matter pending
before a tribunal, the inability of the company to pay its fees,
the use of “divisive and inciting contents from the social media”
among others.
Daar Communications Plc is the parent company of Africa
Independent Television (AIT), and Ray Power 100.5 FM (in Abuja and
Lagos).
The NBC, Nigeria’s broadcast regulatory commission, had also
requested the media house to explain why it should not be
sanctioned for broadcasting ‘inciting’ and ‘unfair’ contents.
But in his reaction, the Founder and Chairman Emeritus of DAAR
Communications Plc, owner of RayPower FM, African Independent
Television (AIT) and FAAJI FM, High Chief Raymond Dokpesi protested
against threat, saying that it is a plot by the Government of the
day to gag the media and suppress free speech.
Dokposi who led a protest March in Abuja instead that the
broadcasting stations have not violated any code of broadcasting as
alleged by the NBC.
” The NBC and the government in power are not comfortable with
the broadcast industry because of its courageous and dogged stance
in informing Nigerians on happenings in the country.
“We are in a Democracy and must all rise to defend Nigeria from
anti-democratic forces,” he added.
In what looks like a swift reaction to the protest, the
Commission announced the indefinite suspension.
Besides, the commission also note that part of the sins of Dar
Communication was its failure to be up to date with its due.
This Kawu said must be paid before any consideration for pardon
beside other laid down rules that must be met.
The NBC boss also denied any partisan position in the shutdown
saying that the broadcasting station on many occasions fell shut of
the broadcasting code .
He said ” Today the 6th of June, 2019, AIT/Rapower embarked on
use of inflammatory, divisive, inciting broadcasts, and media
propaganda against the government and, the NBC for performing its
statutory functions of regulating the broadcast industry in
Nigeria.
“Consequently, after several meetings with management of
DaarCommunications Plc and many letters of warning. The NBC, today
6th June, 2019 took a decision to suspend the licence of Daar
Communications Plc for failure to abide by the Commission’s
directives, the provisions of the NBC Act Cap N11
“The SHUT DOWN order is until further notice.”
He said the commission drew its powers to suspend the broadcast
station from its establishing Act.
“This decision is based on the provisions of Section 10 of the
Third Schedule of the NBC Act Cap N11 Laws of the Federation of
Nigeria, 2004, which states as follows:
“where in the opinion of the Commission the station has been
used in a manner detrimental to national interest.
“where there is wilful or repeated failure to operate
substantially as set forth in the licence
“where there is wilful or repeated violation or wilful or
repeated failure to observe any provision of this Act or any rule
or regulation of the Commission authorised by this Act or by a
treaty ratified by the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
“where there is violation of or failure to observe any cease and
desist order issued by the Commission;
“where a provision of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code has been
seriously breached.”
Given background to the shutdown, Kawu who chronicled the many
offenses of the broadcasting station said, “Following monitoring
reports and complaints from concerned Nigerians about the broadcast
contents of Daar Communications Plc’s AIT/Raypower broadcast
stations, the NBC have over the last 2 years summoned on several
occasions management of the company to address issues regarding the
operations of AIT/Raypower with the company, particularly,
Political Platform and Kakaaki aired on AIT.
“In one of our meetings, held on 2nd June, 2017, the Commission
expressed its disappointment with the way and manner Hate Speech,
divisive and inciting comments are applied in discussion of
national issues in breach of the provisions of the NBC Act and
Broadcast Code.
“Again, on 15th August, 2017, it became imperative to invite the
company for yet another meeting on almost same issues. Furthermore,
while addressing another meeting on 7thFebruary, 2018 we
highlighted issues of concern to the Commission which indicated
that the company had been breaching the provisions of Sections
3.1.2 and 3.1.3 of the broadcast Code. The company’s delegates in
their response promised to abate the breaches and comply with the
law.
“However, on October 18, 2018, the Commission was disturbed with
the manner in which social media issues became part of the
mainstream media unedited on AIT/Raypower, and was constrained to
issue a generic letter to all broadcast stations on the need to
exercise caution in the use of user generated content from the
social media knowing how volatile and misleading the social media
has become. The management of Daar Communication Plc thereafter
took to the social media to display our official
correspondences.
“Recently, the Commission’s monitoring reports on AIT/Raypower
indicate the use of divisive comments accredited to the segment of
“Kakaaki”, tagged, “Kakaaki Social”, where inciting comments like,
“Nigeria is cursed, we declare independent state of Niger Delta”,
“Nigeria irritates me”, “this country is gradually Islamizing” and
other similar slogans are used without editorial control in breach
of the broadcast Code. We were therefore constrained to issue Daar
Communication letters of warning dated May 27th, 2019.
“We also observed from monitoring reports that a documentary on
the Presidential Election Tribunal, a pending election petition
matter aired on AIT on Wednesday and Thursday, 22ndand 23rd May,
2019 without regard to the provisions of the Broadcast Code. The
Commission, in line with its regulatory powers again cautioned AIT
in another letter also dated 27thMay, 2019.
“However, instead of making amends, the management of Daar
Communications Plc resorted to the use of media propaganda against
the regulator. Even the letters from the NBC were posted on social
media platforms.”
Needless to state that Daar Communications have over the years
turned themselves into a bad example of how a professional
broadcast outfit should not be run.
In their relationship with the NBC, Daar Communications carry
on, as if it is beyond the regulatory direction of the Commission.
They don’t pay their license fees as and when due.
Its broadcast is patently partisan and one-sided and
deliberately inciting and heating the polity. The management of the
Company has created the habit of using the channel to fight its
personal battles contrary to the statutory requirements of the
law.
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