President Muhammadu Buhari of Nigeria has 48 hours to reverse a proposed censure on media companies BBC and Daily Trust for their reports on domestic terrorism, according to the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).
A BBC program showcasing bandits in the forest that exposed how the government profits from terrorism and banditry was released last week.
The Federal Government will penalize the BBC and Daily Trust for showing programs that “glorify,” “promote,” and “fuel” terrorism and banditry in Nigeria, according to Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, who made the announcement last Thursday.
Now, SERAP is pleading with President Buhari to give Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information and Culture, an urgent order to revoke the threat of sanctions against BBC and Daily Trust.
“The media has a duty to disseminate information and thoughts on topics of public concern,” the organization stated in a letter dated July 30, 2022 and signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, the deputy director of SERAP.
The BBC and Daily Trust would be prevented from reporting on topics of public interest if the sanction threat came to pass.
Media outlets and journalists should be given the freedom to choose how to best publish information of public interest, particularly information about the rising violence and homicides across the nation, claims SERAP.
The group also said that in order to guarantee Nigerians’ security, the government should concentrate on keeping its commitments.
We would like it if the required action were to be implemented within 48 hours of the receipt and/or publishing of this letter, according to the letter.
In the event that we have not heard from you by then, SERAP will take all necessary legal measures.
“A free, uncensored, and unhindered press or other media is essential in any society to ensure freedom of opinion and expression and the enjoyment of other rights. It constitutes one of the cornerstones of a democratic society.
“Sanctioning the BBC and Daily Trust would be entirely inconsistent and incompatible with Nigeria’s obligations under article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights.
“The threat if carried out would impermissibly restrict the constitutional and international rights to freedom of expression, access to information, and victims’ right to justice and effective remedies that are central to public debate and accountability in a democratic society.
“Access to information is essential for the enjoyment of other human rights and freedoms and constitutes a fundamental pillar for building a democratic society and strengthening democracy.
“Allowing the media to freely carry out their duties is essential to building secure society and leaving no one behind. Conversely, imposing impermissible restrictions on media houses, journalists and other Nigerians undermines the security that builds a healthy and vibrant society.
“The grounds for sanctioning the BBC and Daily Trust as stated by Mr. Mohammed fail to meet the requirements of legality, necessity, and proportionality.
“The requirement of necessity also implies an assessment of the proportionality of the grounds, with the aim of ensuring that the excuse of ‘glorifying, promoting, and fueling terrorism and banditry’ are not used as a pretext to unduly intrude upon the rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
“Any interference with the constitutional and legal duties of the BBC and Daily Trust would not be justified in the context of the right to information.
“The Federal Government has not shown that the documentaries by the media houses would impose a specific risk of harm to a legitimate state interest that outweighs the public’s interest in the information provided by the documentaries.”
