NBC Asks Broadcasting Stations in Nigeria to De-Install Their Twitter Handles

The National Broadcasting Commission has directed all broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend and de-instal their twitter handles with immediate effects, profjaysblog reports.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen on the 6th of June, 2021 by Prof Armstrong Idachaba of the public affairs department of the commission.

The press release says:

Consequent on the suspension of twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria, the national broadcasting commission directs all broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of twitter immediately.

In compliance to the above directive, broadcasting stations are hereby advised to de-install twitter handles and desist from using twitter as a source of information gathering for news and programmes presentation especially phone-in.

Section 2(1) of the NBC act entrusts the commission with responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations. Also, section 3.11.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that ”the broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a matter depicting that law and order are socially superior to or more desirable than crime and anarchy.

Attention is also drawn to section 5.6.3 of the code which requires broadcasters to be mindful of materials that may cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society in the use of a user generated content (UGC).

Note that it will be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronise the suspended twitter as a source of its information therefore strict compliance is enjoined.

Recall that the Federal Government through the Minister for Information, Mr Lai Mohammed suspended twitter and its activities in Nigeria hours after the founder of twitter, Jack deleted a genocide tweet of President M. Buhari considered to have gone against their community policies.

The president had tweeted and threatened to deal some persons from the southeast with genocide as it was during the war.