THE International Press Centre (IPC), has reacted to the N5 millon fine recently slammed on Nigeria Info FM by the National Broadcasting Board (NBC) asking that it should be reversed immediately.
The fine, according to the IPC represents an assault on media independence, freedom of expression and the right of citizens to know about issues of public interest.
The NBC had announced in a press statement on Thursday that it was asking the Abuja based radio station to pay N5 million for unprofessional conduct and for using its platform to promote inciteful and unverifiable comments capable of causing public disorder.
According to a media report on Thursday night, the IPC in a statement through its spokesperson Olutoyin Ayoade, condemned the fine, stating that it was out of place for the Commission to accuse, prosecute and judge the case.
The IPC noted that rather than investigating the case, the NBC without due investigation slammed the radio station with a fine making it look as if it puts what Mailafia said into his mouth.
“Even if a case of hate speech can be established, it is totally out of place in a democratic setting that NBC would be the one to accuse, prosecute and judge its own case against the station,” it added.
Mailafia, the former Deputy Governor of CBN had in an interview on Tuesday, told the radio station that one of the serving governors of Northern Nigeria is the sponsor of Boko Haram insurgency.
He was thereafter invited for questioning and clarification on Wednesday by the Department of State Security Service (SSS).
But shortly after meeting with the DSS in Jos, Plateau State, Mailafia reiterated to newsmen that though a little part of what he said on radio was taken out of context, he will not retract or disown them.
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