News

NBC Asks Court To Set Aside Judgment Restraining It From Imposing Fines On Broadcast Stations

Published

2 years ago

July 14, 2023

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has filed a motion at a Federal High Court in Abuja asking the court to set aside its May 10, 2023 judgment in which it, among other things, issued an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Commission from further imposing fines on radio and televisions stations.

In the motion filed on its behalf by Mr. Babatunde Ogala (SAN), the Commission is asking the court to set aside the judgment, claiming that the court lacked jurisdiction to render the verdict and that it arrived at the decision in ignorance of relevant facts.

The judgment arose from a suit instituted by Abuja-based lawyer, Mr. Noah Ajare, on behalf of Media Rights Agenda (MRA), challenging the powers of the NBC to fine broadcasters, following a March 1, 2019 announcement by the then Director General of the Commission, Mallam Ishaq Kawu, that the Commission had imposed a fine of N500,000 each on 45 broadcast stations for alleged contraventions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

In his judgment delivered on May 10, 2023, Justice James Omotosho ruled that fines are sanctions imposed on a person who has been found guilty of a criminal offence and that the law in Nigeria, only Courts of law are empowered to impose sanctions for criminal offences.

In setting aside the fines of N500,000 each imposed on the stations, he held that the NBC “is neither a Court nor a judicial tribunal to make pronouncements on the guilt of broadcast stations notwithstanding what the NBC Code says,” adding that the Commission’s action violated the Constitution.

But contrary to the finding of the judge in his judgment that the NBC “was served with the Originating Summons on 24th February, 2022 and served with several hearing notices but failed to file any process”, the Commission is alleging that the originating summons in the suit, which led to the judgment, was not served on it.

It is also claiming that MRA “has two un-appealed, subsisting and binding decisions of the Federal High Court on the same issues and parties” and that rather than appeal those decisions, it brought a fresh suit, setting the Court on a collision course with decisions of the other Federal High Court in the same complex.”

The NBC cited in support of its claim a suit filed by MRA in 2021 against the NBC in which the organization challenged the constitutionality and legality of the Commission’s action on May 27, 2020 in imposing fines of N250,000 on Breeze FM radio, based in Lafia, Nazarawa State; N500,000 on Adaba FM radio in Akure, Ondo State; and N250,000 on Albarka FM radio in Ilorin, Kwara State. Justice Obiora Atuegwu Egwuatu delivered judgment on March 2, 2023, dismissing the suit.

It also cited another suit brought against NBC by seven organisations, namely the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP); the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID); MRA, HEDA Resource Centre; the International Centre for Investigating Reporting (ICIR); the African Centre for Media and Information Literacy (AFRICMIL); and Premium Times.

In that suit, the seven organizations challenged the NBC’s imposition of fines of N3 million each on Channels Television, Arise Television and the Africa Independent Television (AIT) over their coverage of the ENDSARs protests as well as another imposition of a fine of N5 million on Nigeria Info 99.3 by the NBC without giving the stations an opportunity to respond any allegation against them.

Justice Nkeonye Maha delivered judgment in the suit on April 26, 2022, dismissing the suit.

The NBC is claiming that these suits and their outcome was not brought to the attention of court and that if the court had been aware of them, it would have reached a different decision in its May 10, 2023 judgment.

Justice Omotosho has fixed hearing of the motion for October 5, 2023.

News

LG Chairman Drags Niger Govt To Court Over Alleged Tenure Reduction

Published

10 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

Alhaji Aminu Yakubu-Ladan, the Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Area (LGA) in Niger, has sued the state government over alleged reduction of tenure of local government chairmen and councillors.

Yakubu-Ladan, in the suit filed at the Federal High Court in Abuja, sought an order restraining the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) and its co-defendants from conducting the scheduled LGAs’ election until the expiration of their tenure.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the NSIEC has fixed November 1 for the conduct of the local government poll across the state.

However, the plaintiff, in the suit, named the Attorney-General of Niger State, the House of Assembly, NSIEC, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and Inspector-General (IG) of Police as 1st to 5th defendants respectively.

The chairman is challenging the constitutionality of the Niger State Local Government Law, 2001, which seeks to reduce the tenure of local government chairmen and councillors from four years to three years.

Yakubu-Ladan, in the originating summons marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1370/2025, dated July 10 but filed July 11 by his counsel, Chris Udeoyibo, sought eight questions for determination.

The chairman questions whether the state government can enforce inconsistent local government law, 2001 (as amended), which clashed with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022.

“Should Niger State Local Government Law Section 29 (2) be declared unconstitutional for clashing with the 1999 Constitution (as amended) and the Electoral Act, 2022,” he said.

The plaintiff seeks a declaration that a four-year tenure for local government chairmen and councillors is constitutionally guaranteed by virtue of the Constitution and the Electoral Act, 2022.

The suit also challenged the NSIEC’s preparation for the local government elections slated for November 1.

The plaintiff, therefore, seeks an order restraining the defendants from the elections on Nov. 1 until the expiration of a four-year tenure for chairmen and councillors.

The suit also seeks to restrain INEC and the I-G from providing logistical support and security protection for the election.

Yakubu-Ladan argued that the state’s local government law, 2001, is inconsistent with Section 7 of the constitution and Sections 018 and 150 of the Electoral Act, 2022.

The suit is yet to be assigned to a judge as of the time of the report.

News

France’s Top Court Annuls Arrest Warrant Against Syria’s Ex-president al-Assad

Published

10 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

France’s highest court Friday annulled a French arrest warrant against Syria’s ex-president Bashar al-Assad — issued before his ouster — over 2013 deadly chemical attacks.

The Court of Cassation ruled there were no exceptions to presidential immunity, even for alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.

But its presiding judge, Christophe Soulard, added that, as Assad was no longer president after an Islamist-led group toppled him in December, “new arrest warrants can have been, or can be, issued against him” and as such the investigation into the case could continue.

Human rights advocates had hoped the court would rule that immunity did not apply because of the severity of the allegations, which would have set a major precedent in international law towards holding accused war criminals to account.

French authorities issued the warrant against Assad in November 2023 over his alleged role in the chain of command for a sarin gas attack that killed more than 1,000 people, according to US intelligence, on August 4 and 5, 2013 in Adra and Douma outside Damascus.

Assad is accused of complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity in the case. Syrian authorities at the time denied involvement and blamed rebels.

– Universal jurisdiction –

The French judiciary tackled the case under the principle of universal jurisdiction, whereby a court may prosecute individuals for serious crimes committed in other countries.

An investigation — based on testimonies of survivors and military defectors, as well as photos and video footage — led to warrants for the arrest of Assad, his brother Maher who headed an elite army unit, and two generals.

Public prosecutors approved three of the warrants, but issued an appeal against the one targeting Assad, arguing he should have immunity as a head of state.

The Paris Court of Appeal in June last year however upheld it, and prosecutors again appealed.

But in December, Assad’s circumstances changed.

He and his family fled to Russia, according to Russian authorities, after he was ousted by advancing rebels.

In January, French investigating magistrates issued a second arrest warrant against Assad for suspected complicity in war crimes for a bombing in the Syrian city of Deraa in 2017 that killed a French-Syrian civilian.

– Indictment of ex-bank governor valid –

The Court of Cassation said Assad’s so called “personal immunity”, granted because of his office, meant he could not be targeted by arrest warrants until his ouster.

But it ruled that “functional immunity”, which is granted to people who perform certain functions of state, could be lifted in the case of accusations of severe crimes.

Thus it upheld the French judiciary’s indictment in another case of ex-governor of the Central Bank of Syria and former finance minister, Adib Mayaleh, for complicity in war crimes and crimes against humanity over alleged funding of the Assad government during the civil war.

Headline

Fashion Designers, IT Specialists: UK Opens Door To Foreign Talents With New Visa Rules

Published

11 hours ago

July 25, 2025

Editor

The United Kingdom has expanded its Skilled Worker visa route to include more than 70 mid-level occupations, opening the door for foreign professionals such as fashion designers, technicians, and IT specialists to work in the country with salaries starting from €29,000.

This move, which took effect on July 22, 2025, is part of the government’s strategy to tackle urgent labour shortages by easing access to roles traditionally considered outside the high-skilled visa category.

The update introduces a newly expanded Temporary Shortage Occupation List (TSOL), which comes with significantly lower salary thresholds and streamlined visa processes for eligible roles across sectors such as engineering, construction, healthcare, science, finance, creative arts, and information technology.

The changes reflect a deliberate shift to address staffing gaps in industries critical to the UK economy.

Under the revised rules, salary requirements now vary based on an applicant’s visa history. While standard

thresholds still apply to newcomers, those categorized as “new entrants,” PhD holders, or individuals with continuous Skilled Worker visas prior to April 4, 2024, can qualify at lower salary levels.

For instance, a pipe fitter who previously needed to earn at least £46,000 can now be eligible with £40,400. Engineering technicians are permitted at £34,700, down from £42,500. In the creative sector, fashion designers can now qualify with £29,100, while data analysts in tech are eligible at £28,600. Laboratory technicians in science and healthcare can apply with £25,000, reduced from the standard £33,400.

This restructured visa list is seen as a direct response to economic and political pressures surrounding skills shortages. It seeks to make the UK labor market more globally competitive while addressing domestic gaps in practical, mid-level roles.

Despite these new allowances, all applicants must still meet basic eligibility requirements, including having a confirmed job offer from a licensed UK sponsor and obtaining a Certificate of Sponsorship. Applications must also include proof of qualifications, salary information, and a valid job match aligned with the official occupation codes.

Although the government describes the updated list as temporary, no fixed end date has been announced.