The closure of Gov Bago della Radio Badaggi an affront to democracy – The head of Nhrc condemns the action

The closure of Gov Bago della Radio Badaggi an affront to democracy – The head of Nhrc condemns the action

Abuja (basic reporter) The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has warned against the arbitrary arrest of the media organizations in Nigeria, observing that the closing of the Radio Station Badaggi in the state of the Niger by the governor Mohammed Umar Bago was an affront to democracy and a suppression of press freedom.

The executive secretary of the Commission, dr. Tony Ojukwu (San), while reacting to the bad accident, said that the governor’s decision to close the radio station without following the right trial is disappointing and a clear violation of the right to freedom of expression, as guaranteed by section 39 of the Constitution of 1999 and article 9 of the African paper on human rights and populations.

Dr. Ojukwu has observed that the consequences of the suppression of freedom of the press are of large -reaching and can lead to greater opacity of the government, a reduced participation of citizens, to create obstacles in the responsibility and weakening of democratic institutions.

A declaration by the company director and external connections, NHRC, Fatimah Agwai Mohammed on Sunday 3 August, Ojukwu stressed that “the arbitrary arrest of the media undermines the controls and essential sales for a functioning democracy”.

However, the endowed silk invited the governor Bago not to immediately put the radio station and allow him to resume complete operations. While he urges him to channel the issues relating to any alleged unconstitutional operation of the radio station to adequate authority and not act with impunity. “This is both a moral imperative and a democratic requirement,” he said.

Dr. Ojukwu, who is also president of the network of national institutions for human rights in West Africa (Nnhri-Wa), urged governments to protect journalists and media freedom, promotes a culture of tolerance and supports independent media. “Journalists must be able to operate without fear of harassment, intimidation or violence,” he underlined.

It complained that the media were seriously attached to various forms, a situation that has defined unacceptable in a civil society.

He invited the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to be stopped in currently statutory mandate which must not be abused in any slight opportunities.

In addition, he urged media professionals to be professional at any time in order to prevent unnecessary censorship by the owners of political offices.

He also invited the Nigerian guild of the publishers to provide a professional guide at regular intervals as this will give a damn about hatred speeches, false news and other non -professional conducts capable of negatively influencing media houses.

Basic journalists report that dr. Ojukwu concluded by saying that “while the commission remains committed to promoting and protecting human rights in Nigeria, it will continue to carefully monitor the situation”.