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By CHIKA CHIMEZIE
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have filed a lawsuit against Governor Mohammed Umar Bago of Niger State and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over intimidation of Minna-based radio station, Badeggi FM, and the threat to shut and crack down on the station using law enforcement.
Governor Bago recently directed security operatives to seal Badeggi FM, with threat to revoked its license, demolish the station’s premises, and profiling the station’s owner, Shuiabu Badeggi.
In the suit filed on Friday, with number FHC/L/CS/1587/2025, at the Federal High Court, Lagos, SERAP and NGE are asking the court to determine “whether, by section 22 of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 (as amended) and section 2(1) (t) of the NBC Act, the NBC has the duty to protect Badeggi FM from the ongoing intimidation from the governor.
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 and other broadcasting outlets in Nigeria from any intimidation and undue interference.”
SERAP and NGE are seeking “an order of perpetual injunction restraining Niger State governor and NBC from harassing, intimidating and/or threatening to shutdown Badeggi FM and revoke the licence of station.”
In the suit, SERAP and NGE are arguing that: “the failure and or neglect of the NBC to protect and defend the independence of Badeggi FM radio against arbitrary executive interference constitutes a breach of its statutory duty to ensure fair, independent, and lawful broadcasting practices in Nigeria.”
SERAP and NGE are also arguing that, “the ongoing intimidation, and threat by Governor Bago to strip Badeggi FM station of its operational licence, further threat to demolish the station’s premises and to profile the station’s owner is unlawful and a violation of the rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and media freedom.”
According to SERAP and NGE, “the allegations of inciting violence against Badeggi FM and its owner are vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated.
The suit filed on behalf of SERAP and NGE by their lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare, Oluwakemi Agunbiade, and Andrew Nwankwo, read in part: “The media plays an essential role as a vehicle or instrument for the exercise of freedom of expression and information – in its individual and collective aspects – in a democratic society.”
“Intimidating, harassing and silencing critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns is a fundamental breach of your constitutional oath of office and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.
“Intimidating, harassing and silencing Badeggi FM and its owner would have a chilling effect on the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom across several states.
