The Federal High Court in Abuja has nullified the provisions granting the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission the authority to impose fines on broadcast stations for alleged violations of its broadcasting code.
This was disclosed in a statement issued by the Communications Officer for Media Rights Agenda, Idowu Adewale on Wednesday.
The judge, Justice Rita Ofili-Ajumogobia, who delivered the judgment, stated that the NBC is not allowed to have administrative, legislative, and judicial powers simultaneously.
Recall that MRA, a non-governmental organisation, had sued the NBC for the imposition of N5 million fines on Trust Television, MultiChoice Nigeria Limited, Telcom Satellite Limited, and StarTimes Limited for airing a documentary on banditry in Zamfara State in 2020.
However, the NGO requested that the court invalidate the fine and impose sanctions.
In Wednesday’s ruling, Justice Ofili-Ajumogobia set aside the fines imposed by the NBC on August 3, 2022 on the television station and three pay TV platforms.
In her ruling, Ofili-Ajumogobia fully supported MRA’s arguments and granted all the declarations and injunctions requested by the organisation.
She did not, however, grant the organisation’s requests of imposing sanctions on NBC.
