Nigerians have reacted against the N5million fine slammed on a Lagos-based private radio station, Nigeria Info 99.3FM, for allegedly broadcasting views categorised as hate speech.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) slammed the fine on the radio station over the views expressed by a former deputy governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Dr. Obadiah Mailafia, on one of its programmes, ‘Morning Cross Fire,’ on August 10.
With this development, Nigeria Info 99.3FM has been made the first victim of the NBC code which reviewed the fine on hate speech from N500,000 to N5million.
In his reaction, Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the last election said the NBC was seeking to “exterminate” the media.
He accused the authorities of constricting free speech in the guise of preventing hate speech.