Dare Babalola
Badeggi Radio, Minna, Niger State capital has broken its silence over an order by Governor Umar Bago, directing the shutdown of the radio station for allegedly inciting violence.
The position of the media house was made public by its General Manager, Aisha Shaibu on Monday during an interview on Channels Television.
Aisha maintained that the radio station is managed by educated people and can not be forced into silence.
The General Manager also stated that it is aware that Governor Bago does not have the constitutional power to shut down the media house without passing through the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
She said, “The media is for the people, the government should allow the media fo their job, the NBC is there to probe and punish.
“We know how these things work, we know our rights and we know that the governor does not have the right to shut down our radio station.”
Shaibu recalled that some thugs had earlier threatened the life of the owner of the radio station, Alhaji Shuaibu Badeggi.
She continued, “Early this year, there was a video of threats by area boys in Niger State, they didn’t mention the name of the owner of our radio station but they said an old man who owns a radio station should be careful or else they will take him out. We then contracted our lawyers and security agencies but we didn’t let it weigh us down just like this one.”
