The Federal Government has
threatened to show a red card to television and radio stations in Nigeria for
alleged breach of broadcast ethics.
The Minister of Information and
Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made this known while speaking with the News
Agency of Nigeria on Wednesday in Sal Island, Cape Verde.
The National Broadcasting
Commission recently invited presenters of Channels Television and threatened to
sanction the broadcast station over an interview with Benue State Governor
Samuel Ortom.
The interview, which attracted a
harsh reaction from the president, was considered to be against the President, Muhammadu Buhari.
The minister was said to be in
Cape Verde to attend the 64th Conference of the UN World Tourism Organisation
(UNWTO) Commission for Africa and the Second Edition of the UNWTO Global
Tourism Investment Forum.
Speaking on the sideline of the
global events, the minister also cautioned the media, particularly radio and
television stations, to abide by broadcast codes and other regulations guiding
them.
“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.
“The incendiary rhetoric that
comes from political, religious leaders and some opinion moulders have the
capacity to set the country on fire.
“This is because the rhetoric is
pitting one ethnic group and religion against the other and overheating the
polity.
“Our serious counsel to
stakeholders is that they should understand and remember that leadership comes
with a lot of responsibilities, tone down the hateful rhetoric because they are
harmful for the country
“They should remember that every
war is preceded by these kind of mindless rhetoric, especially when it comes
from otherwise responsible people who the people have the tendency to take
seriously,
He said the cacophony of hate and
incendiary rhetoric from various radio stations and online publications in
recent week were capable of causing panic, further divide the country along
religious and ethnic lines.
The minister said the National
Broadcasting Commission and other regulators would ensure that broadcast
stations abide by statutory laws and ethics.
He said 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.”
(NAN)
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