Court extends order stopping Buhari, NBC from shutting down broadcast stations

• Adjourns suit till October 26
The Federal High Court sitting in Lagos has extended the order stopping President Muhammadu Buhari and National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) from revoking the licenses of 53 broadcast stations in the country and shutting them down for allegedly failing to renew their licenses.

When the case came up, yesterday, Justice Daniel Emeka Osiagor extended the order of interim injunction, pending hearing of the motion on notice, and adjourned the case till October 26, 2022 for hearing of the originating summons.

Justice Akintayo Aluko had, on August 29, 2022, granted an order of interim injunction following hearing of an argument on motion ex parte by Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE).

The order was granted pending hearing of the motion on notice for interlocutory injunction.

The court extended the order of interim injunction following hearing of an argument by SERAP and NGE counsel, Ebun-Olu Adegboruwa.

SERAP and NGE had, in August, filed a lawsuit against Buhari and NBC, asking the court for a declaration that Section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act used by NBC to threaten to revoke the licenses of the stations and shut them down is unconstitutional and unlawful, as it violates freedom of expression.

In the suit, the duo had asked the court for an order of interim injunction restraining Buhari, NBC and their agents from the action, pending hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed contemporaneously.

The suit followed the decision by NBC to shut down their operations within 24 hours over alleged N2.6 billion debt. In the suit (FHC/L/CS/1582/2022), the duo asked the court to determine whether Section 10(a) of the Third Schedule to the NBC Act is not inconsistent with freedom of expression and access to information.