The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has issued a sharp rebuke of Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bag...
The Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) has issued a sharp rebuke of Niger State Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago over his recent directive to shut down Badeggi FM Radio and revoke its broadcasting license, describing the move as a “grave assault on press freedom and an outright abuse of state power.”
In a statement signed by Busola Ajibola, Deputy Director of the CJID’s Journalism Program, the organisation accused Governor Bago of executive overreach, warning that such actions threaten democratic norms and violate constitutional protections for freedom of expression and the media.
“This action represents a grave assault on press freedom and a direct contravention of the Nigerian Constitution,” the statement read. “The directive to shut down Badeggi FM and revoke its license is unlawful and beyond the authority of a state governor.”
The CJID’s response follows confirmation by the Governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, who stated that the directive was issued during an APC expanded meeting on August 1. According to Ibrahim, the order also included profiling the station’s owner and marking the premises for demolition.
The CJID condemned the demolition threat as a blatant act of intimidation and a dangerous escalation in a broader campaign to muzzle independent media in the state.
“This is not an isolated incident,” the organisation noted, citing multiple documented attacks on journalists in Niger State. These include the assault on Voice of America reporter Mustapha Batsari in November 2023 and the repeated detention of a People’s Daily correspondent in January and April 2025.
“The governor’s action is a predictable escalation in a state that already ranks dismally on the CJID Subnational Openness Index, placing 11th and marking it as one of Nigeria’s most hostile environments for journalists,” the statement added.
The CJID backed the position of the Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris, who earlier clarified that the regulation and revocation of broadcast licenses fall exclusively under the authority of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC)—not state governments.
“Any grievances against a station’s content should be directed to the NBC or the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC), otherwise known as the National Ombudsman,” CJID stated. “Unilateral action by any governor is illegal and undermines the rule of law.”
The Centre also expressed concern over the chilling effect such actions have on journalism and civic space. “These systematic attacks create a climate of fear, aiming to silence critical voices and distract from pressing governance failures, such as the insecurity plaguing Niger State,” the statement said.
CJID demanded an immediate reversal of the shutdown directive and urged law enforcement agencies, including the Commissioner of Police and the DSS in Niger State, to reject unconstitutional orders targeting the media.
“A free press is not an adversary to a functioning government; it is a fundamental pillar of democratic accountability,” the statement concluded.
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