By Newsie Events Media
The Federal Government has read the riot act to television and radio stations in Nigeria, threatening to show a red card for alleged breach of broadcast ethic.
Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the Minister of Information and Culture made the position of the Federal Government known while speaking with the News Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Sai Island Cape Verde.
Newsie Events recalled that the presenters of Channels Television were recently invited by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and threatened to sanction the station over an interview with Benue State Governor, Samuel Ortom.
Ortom’s interview which attracted harsh reactions from the presidency was considered anti-Buhari.
NAN reported that the Lai Mohammed was in Cape Verde to attend the 64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global Tourism Investment Forum.
It also quoted the Minister as saying that the National Broadcasting Commission and other regulators would ensure that broadcast stations abide by statutory laws and ethics, adding that any station that violated the broadcast code and ethics would be “shown the red card.”
“We agree that there are challenges but the government is doing its best in addressing insecurity, banditry, insurrections, and fixing the economy.
“What one expected from these leaders at this trying period is support and encouragement.
“It is, however, quite disturbing that they have thrown caution to the winds and it is no longer about leadership and maturity but about who can say something that can break this country.
“Certain words that we were afraid of using before such as genocide and ethnic cleansing, are now taking over the media waves.
“That is why it is important to call everybody to order to appeal to their sense of patriotism that they should understand that because there is a country called Nigeria, that is why they are leaders.
“If what they are praying for happens, they will no longer be leaders but servants in other countries.”
The minister was equally quoted as saying, “In the last few weeks, the country has been awash, especially from the broadcast media, with very incendiary rhetoric which has created a sort of panic in Nigeria.”
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