Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) has expressed grave concern over the reported threat by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to sanction broadcast presenters for allegedly presenting personal opinions as facts or for bullying guests on air.

The concern is contained in a statement yesterday signed by the President of the Guild, Eze Anaba, and the General Secretary, Onuoha Ukeh.

It reads: “We consider such a move dangerous and injurious to journalism. It amounts to a direct assault on the principles of press freedom, editorial independence and democratic accountability.

“While we acknowledge that the NBC may be motivated by a desire to promote professionalism and uphold ethical standards in broadcasting, the commission’s vague and broadly worded statement is open to multiple interpretations,” stressing that such ambiguity creates room for misuse, as it may be selectively applied or misinterpreted in ways that unfairly target journalists and media organisations carrying out their legitimate duties.

NGE reiterated the role of broadcast presenters and journalists, particularly during interviews, to ask probing questions, challenge inconsistencies, and demand clarity in the public interest.

“Journalism is not designed to place public officials or interviewees in a comfort zone, but to hold power accountable,” it stressed.

SIMILARLY, a presidential aspirant on the platform of the opposition African Democratic Congress (ADC), Peter Obi, has said Nigeria is drifting dangerously.

His remarks came following NBC’s directives warning broadcasters against the bullying of guests, the misuse of platforms, and other code breaches ahead of the 2027 General Elections.

Reacting to the NBC directives in a post on his X handle, the former Governor of Anambra State said the recent notice by the NBC, especially at the critical time of the general elections, was “very troubling.”

The presidential candidate of the Labour Party (LP) in the 2023 General Elections said a free and responsible media should not be an enemy to any administration, especially one that claimed to have fought for democracy.

He said Nigeria did not need stronger control but stronger institutions.
MEANWHILE, Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), Human Rights Journalists Network Nigeria and Access Now have raised fresh concerns over what they described as the persistent misuse of Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act, particularly Section 24, despite amendments to the law.

This was at a webinar titled “Advancing Rights-Centred Reporting on Nigeria’s Cybercrimes Act.”

SERAP’s Deputy Director, Oluwadare Kolawole, disclosed that the organisation had, since 2015, reviewed the Cybercrimes Act and documented patterns of abuse that informed multiple legal actions, including cases before the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) Court of Justice.

According to him, findings from the group’s “CB Space Monitor” reports, published biannually since 2021, reveal that the Cybercrimes Act has been increasingly deployed at federal, state, and local levels to target citizens, journalists, and critics.

He noted that, beyond government actors, celebrities, social media influencers, and private individuals with influence or financial capacity had also begun to weaponise the law, often in collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

Speaking on the implications of the law, she noted that the provision’s vagueness makes it difficult for individuals to clearly understand what constitutes an offence, thereby undermining a key principle of international law.