CJID Condemns Niger Governor’s Unlawful Clampdown On Media

The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has condemned the directive by Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umaru Bago, to shut down Badeggi FM Radio and revoke its broadcasting licence, describing the move as an illegal clampdown on press freedom and a violation of Nigeria’s constitutional order.

The governor’s directive, announced in a statement issued by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, on Friday, August 1, also included the profiling of the station’s owner and plans to demolish the premises housing the radio station.

The announcement has triggered widespread criticism from press freedom advocates, civil society groups, and the wider journalism community.

In its reaction on Sunday, CJID described the action as “executive overreach and an outright abuse of state powers,” warning that such actions not only undermine the rule of law but also reflect a growing trend of hostility towards the media in Niger State.

“This action represents a grave assault on press freedom and a direct contravention of the Nigerian Constitution,” said Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director of CJID’s Journalism Programme.

“It is deeply troubling that a sitting governor would act outside the bounds of his constitutional authority to suppress independent journalism.”

CJID emphasized that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)—the federal agency established by law—has the legal mandate to regulate, sanction, or revoke broadcast licenses in Nigeria.

This position was also echoed by the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, who reaffirmed that state governments do not possess the powers to shut down broadcast operations.

“Regulatory responsibility over broadcast stations rests exclusively with the NBC, not state governors,” CJID stated.

“What Governor Bago has done is not only unlawful, but it also sends a chilling message to other media practitioners in the state and across the country.”

The media rights group further recalled that this incident is not isolated. It forms part of a troubling pattern of press intimidation in Niger State under Governor Bago’s administration.

According to CJID’s Press Attack Tracker, other documented cases include the assault on a Voice of America reporter, Mustapha Batsari, in November 2023, and the repeated arrest and detention of a People’s Daily correspondent in January and April 2025 by state security agents.

“This is a predictable escalation in a state already ranked poorly on press freedom,” Ajibola said.

“Niger ranks 11th out of 36 states on our recently released Subnational Openness Index, making it one of the most hostile environments for journalists in Nigeria.”

CJID warned that the order to shut down Badeggi FM is not only an attack on the media but also an infringement on the people’s right to be informed.

The group argued that any grievances over the station’s content should be referred to the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC)—popularly known as the National Ombudsman—or processed through the NBC’s formal regulatory framework.

“There are established legal channels for addressing alleged unethical journalism,” the statement read.

“Resorting to unilateral, authoritarian action only deepens the democratic deficit and erodes public trust in governance.”

CJID urged the Niger State Commissioner of Police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to reject any instructions to harass, intimidate, or detain journalists and media workers.

“A free press is not an enemy of the state—it is a vital pillar of democracy and public accountability,” the organisation stated.

“Using security forces to suppress media freedom is not only unlawful but also a dangerous diversion from the real governance issues facing the state, particularly the escalating insecurity affecting residents.”

CJID called on civil society organisations, media advocacy groups, and the international community to speak out against the creeping culture of censorship in Nigeria, particularly at the subnational level.

“Governor Bago must immediately reverse this unlawful directive and respect the constitutional guarantees of free speech and press freedom,” Ajibola added.

“Nigeria’s democracy cannot survive if state actors are allowed to shut down media outlets with impunity,” the statement warned.

CJID Condemns Niger Governor’s Unlawful Clampdown On Media is first published on The Whistler Newspaper