SERAP, Editors Guild Sue Niger Governor, NBC For Shutting Radio Station

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have sued Niger State Governor Umar Bago and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over alleged harassment, intimidation, and shutdown of Badeggi FM Radio in Minna.

In the suit marked, FHC/L/CS/1587/2025 and filed on Friday at the Federal High Court, Lagos, the groups accused Governor Bago of threatening to revoke Badeggi FM’s licence, seal its premises, demolish its building, and profile its owner, Shuaibu Badeggi, over the station’s broadcasts.

They stated that Badeggi FM and its owner have faced sustained intimidation and harassment, and that the NBC has failed to protect the station from arbitrary interference.

SERAP and NGE are asking the court for “a declaration that by the combined provisions of section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution and section 2(1)(t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the legal duty to protect Badeggi FM station and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from any threat, intimidation and harassment.”

SERAP and NGE are also seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining the Niger state governor and NBC from further harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shut down Badeggi FM radio, revoke its licence and profile the station’s owner.”

The plaintiffs argue that unless the court intervenes, the governor will continue to use the NBC and law enforcement agencies to clamp down on the station.

They insist that Governor Bago’s actions, including threats to demolish the premises and profile the owner on vague allegations of “promoting violence”, are unlawful and violate rights to freedom of expression, media freedom, and access to information.

According to SERAP and NGE, the accusations against Badeggi FM are “vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated” and appear aimed at silencing critical reporting. They stress that the media plays a vital role in enabling citizens to freely exchange information and debate public issues, particularly ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Their suit, filed by their lawyers, Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo, contends that suppressing dissenting voices under the guise of national security undermines democracy and breaches both the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations.

They noted that the NBC and the governor have a duty to create an environment in which journalists and media houses can operate without fear of reprisals, and that any restriction on press freedom must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate.

No date has yet been fixed for the hearing of the suit.

SERAP, Editors Guild Sue Niger Governor, NBC For Shutting Radio Station is first published on The Whistler Newspaper