MINNA, Nigeria — The Federal Government has weighed in on the closure of Badeggi FM, a privately owned radio station in Niger State, stressing that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has the authority to revoke or suspend broadcasting licences.
The clarification comes a day after Governor Umar Bago of Niger State ordered the commissioner of police to seal off Badeggi FM 90.1, citing alleged incitement of violence and unethical conduct by the station.
The directive, announced during an All Progressives Congress (APC) stakeholders’ meeting on Friday, August 1, 2025, also included a call for the revocation of the station’s broadcasting licence.
“The daily activities of the radio station have been unethical,” said Bologi Ibrahim, chief press secretary to the governor, in a statement.
“Governor Bago also accused the owner of the station of incitement of the people against the government and directed that the license of the radio station be revoked.”
The directive has since sparked public concern over press freedom and the limits of state authority in regulating broadcast media.
In a statement on Saturday, August 2, 2025, Mohammed Idris, Minister of Information and National Orientation, through his media aide Rabiu Ibrahim, responded by reaffirming the legal framework governing broadcast regulation in Nigeria.
“While acknowledging the concerns raised, the Ministry notes that the suspension of broadcasting licenses falls within the purview of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), as stipulated by law,” the statement read.
“In light of this, the Ministry welcomes the decision of the Niger State Government to formally report the perceived ‘unethical behavior’ of Badeggi FM to the NBC for resolution.”
Idris appealed for calm among stakeholders in the media industry, noting that the NBC has the mechanisms to investigate and resolve the issue fairly and impartially.
According to its website, Badeggi FM was founded in 2020 by Shuaibu Badeggi and operates from Minna, the Niger State capital.
The station’s programming includes news, music, public affairs, and talk shows, with a strong following in central Nigeria.
