BBC May Air More Video On Terrorism As Nigerian Govt Targets Media

Published

3 years ago

August 4, 2022

The British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) is unfazed by the Federal Government of Nigeria’s seeming attempt to muzzle the media.

Insiders chatted with DAILY POST in reaction to the fine slammed on Trust Television Network (Trust TV) and others.

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) fined the multimedia wing of Media Trust Limited N5million for its “Nigeria’s Banditry: The Inside Story”.

The rest are Multichoice Nigeria Limited (DSTV owners), NTA-Startimes Limited, and Telcom Satellite Limited (TSTV) – N5million each.

The NBC informed the public that they all 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.

However, BBC sources accused the Nigerian government of trying to force the media to underreport the extent of damage done by non-state actors (NSAs).

“We published another one (documentary), and will do more because it’s about the people suffering”, one 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 named Sarkin Fulani (King of Fulanis) of Yandoton Daji Emirate.

He was installed by Aliyu Garba Marafa, the Emir of Yandoto, despite being on the police wanted list for kidnapping and killings.

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”.

2027: Drama As Two ‘ADA’ Emerge In INEC’s List Of 110 Party Registration Bids

Published

9 hours ago

June 26, 2025

Editor

Two political associations seeking registration as political parties have submitted identical acronyms to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC.

According to Vanguard, the first is the All Democratic Alliance, ADA, being promoted by Chief Akin Ricketts and said to be one of the special purpose vehicles that the anti-Tinubu coalition is seeking to use as a platform in the 2027 general election.

While the Ricketts ADA is 109 on the INEC list, the other ADA, Advanced Democratic Alliance, is 110, the last one the list unveiled by the electoral umpire.

This second ADA has Alhaji Ahmadu Suleiman as Protem Chairman and Zipporah Pius Miracles as Secretary.

The Ricketts ADA has its national headquarters at Ground Floor, UAC Complex, Plot 273 Samuel Adesujo Ademulegun Street, CBD, Abuja, FCT.

Suleiman’s ADA has its national headquarters at 1 Frandriance Close, Off Oda Crescent, Off Aminu Kano Crescent, Wuse 2, Abuja.

Ahead of the 2027 general elections, no fewer than 110 political associations have written to the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, seeking registration as political parties.

Politics

Damagum Is PDP’s Problem – Ex-Benue Gov Suswam

Published

20 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

Former governor of Benue State, Gabriel Suswam, on Wednesday declared that the acting National Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, Umar Damagum, is the problem of the party.

Suswam, who insisted that Damagum is not a leader, said the party has been drifting downwards since he assumed the role of acting National Chairman.

Featuring on Channels Television’s Politics Today, the former governor said, “There is no integrity in the leadership of PDP, I’m happy that Wike said it.

Politics

Confusion In PDP As NWC Counters Damagum, Rejects Anyanwu’s Reinstatement

Published

21 hours ago

June 25, 2025

Editor

The National Working Committee, NWC, of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, has dismissed claims that the party’s 100th National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting scheduled for Monday, June 30, 2025, has been postponed.

A statement signed by key members of the NWC on Wednesday also denied reports that Samuel Anyanwu has been reinstated as the party’s National Secretary.

The NWC said the statement comes in response to a press briefing earlier in the day by the Acting National Chairman, Ambassador Umar Damagum.

DAILY POST reports that Damagum had announced the postponement of the NEC meeting and said Anyanwu is to resume as National Secretary.

Rejecting Damagum’s declarations, the NWC said his pronouncements were contrary to the resolution of the 99th NEC meeting, which scheduled the next NEC session for June 30 and referred all matters concerning the National Secretary’s office to that meeting.

“The pronouncements by the Acting National Chairman have no foundation as no organ of the Party (including the NWC), individual or group has the power to cancel, overrule, veto or vary the resolution of the National Executive Committee (NEC),” the statement read.

Citing Section 31 (3) of the PDP Constitution (as amended in 2017), the NWC emphasized that NEC is the highest decision-making organ of the party after the National Convention and that its resolutions are binding on all members and organs of the party.

The NWC described the announcement regarding Anyanwu’s resumption as “misleading” and reaffirmed that the matter remains under the jurisdiction of the forthcoming NEC meeting.

The statement was jointly signed by Deputy National Chairman (South), Ambassador Taofeek Arapaja, Acting National Secretary, Setonji Koshoedo, National Treasurer, Ahmed Yayari Mohammed, National Auditor, Okechukwu Obiechina Daniel, and National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, among others.