The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has warned broadcasting stations in the country against airing or broadcasting hate speeches, warning that stiff penalties await any radio or television station that indulges in such act.

• The NBC Managing Director, Mallam Modibbo Ishaq Kawu, said this, yesterday, in Ilorin while featuring on “Media Parliament” organised by the Kwara State council of the Nigeria Union of journalists (NUJ) with the theme: “Digitisation of Broadcast: The Place of Nigeria.”
• Kawu said that the agency will not hesitate to clamp down on any broadcasting station that violates the ethics of broadcasting.
• The NBC boss condemned the rampant cases of hate speeches and campaigns by some media organisations, adding that, “NBC is committed to engendering national peace and unity through broadcasting.”
• Kawu noted that hate speeches are not part of the democratic process in any civilised society, and therefore it would be checked.
• Kawu also disclosed plans by NBC to carry out a digital mapping of the country in January, 2018. He said the agency has engaged the services of a foreign firm to carry out the exercise.
• Kawu said the commission was working hard to create national digital economy, adding that four more states would be switched over next month.
• According to him, Nigeria is doing well in its Digital Switch Over (DSO), process among other countries in the African continent.
• He also explained that the digital switch over would assist in entrenching growth of the economy and create job opportunities for the teeming youths.
• Kawu added that the DSO would strengthen the nation’s democracy and free press.

Bottom line: 2019 is underway and hate speeches will only affect the personalities of the candidates.

Omoleye Omoruyi

Omoleye Omoruyi… an apprentice web/game developer, novelist, sensitive to happenings in the world. Meet him @Lord_rickie on Twitter/Instagram