NBC shuts Vision FM

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) Wednesday shut down Vision FM, an Abuja based radio station for airing content described as ‘harmful to the country’s national security’

The comment was reportedly made on air on the 5th of January 2022 by the station in one of its programmes; ‘I don Mikiya’ where it allegedly discussed the controversial extension of the appointment of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) Director General, Rufai Abubakar.

In a letter addressed to the station’s Managing Director, Wednesday, NBC claimed it sanctioned the broadcasting outfit for airing content harmful to the country’s national security.

In December, the station reportedly accused the federal government of extending the tenure of Mr Rufai as the DG of NIA despite internal protests against his reappointment.

The letter reads partly: “Your discussion of issues, including appointments of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA) constitutes a breach of the provision of section 39 (3) (b) of the 1999 constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, which imposes restrictions on matters concerning government security services or agencies established by law,” the Nigerian broadcasting regulator stated.

The commission fined the media outlet N5 million and suspended the programme for six months, starting from January 28, 2022.

While confirming the development in a chat with Blueprint, a staff of the broadcasting medium who refused to be named told this medium that the station has been sanctioned.