Aidoghie Paulinus, Abuja
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has shut down African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower FM indefinitely.
NBC Director-General Is’haq Modibbo Kawu disclosed this during a media briefing in Abuja.
The shutdown follows protest yesterday by the founder of DAAR Communications Plc (owner of AIT and Raypower FM) Raymond Dokpesi.
Dokpesi was at the Ministry of Information and Culture, the Embassy of the United States of America, the British High Commission, the European Union and the United Nations Office in Abuja, where he complained that the Federal Government of Nigeria was attempting to gag the press.
The NBC had in separate letters to DAAR Communications Plc, dated May 27, 2019, signed by NBC’s Director of Broadcast Monitoring, Armstrong Idachaba, accused the company of using contents from social media in one of AIT’s flagship programmes, Kakaaki.
The broadcasting regulator said the content aired by AIT was offensive, unfair and unprofessional.
It also frowned at a report by DAAR Communications plc titled ‘Nigeria Judiciary on Trial: Lessons from Kenya’.