AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL SLAMS NIGER GOV OVER CLOSURE OF BADEGGI FM, LABELS ACTION ‘ABUSE OF POWER’

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By: Sefiu Ajape

Amnesty International has criticized Niger State Governor Umar Bago for ordering the closure of Badeggi 90.1 FM Radio Minna, describing the move as unlawful and “a clear attack on press freedom.”

In a statement posted on X on Saturday, the rights group condemned the governor’s claim that the station was inciting violence and his request for its license to be revoked, stating it “shows abuse of power and unacceptable intolerance of critical voices.”

“The governor’s claim that the radio station is causing violence and his careless order to cancel its license show an abuse of power and a refusal to accept criticism. The decision to shut down the radio station is wrong and cannot be justified,” the group said.

Amnesty International further noted that “while bandits and insurgents are ravaging the Niger State through killings and massive displacements of rural communities, with both the federal government and Niger State failing to protect lives, pointing accusing fingers at a radio station clearly shows a failure of leadership.”

“The attack on Badeggi 90.1 FM is part of a growing trend aimed at creating fear in newsrooms across Nigeria and making it more difficult for journalists to do their work,”the statement read in part.

The group called on Governor Bago to uphold media freedom and let independent voices work without fear.

“Governor Bago must immediately withdraw his unlawful order. Under Nigerian laws the governor has no power to order the shutdown of a radio station. Choosing to bizarrely blame a radio station for the inexcusable security failures of the government is an open attack on media freedom.

According to Amnesty, targeting independent media is a way of denying people access to honest and balanced news about the issues that affect their daily lives.

Recall that on Thursday, Governor Bago ordered the closure of the private radio station over alleged incitement of violence and unethical practices.