Nigerian Government to penalize BBC, Trust TV for glorifying terrorism

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) and Trust TV have been threatened with punishment by the federal government for supporting terrorism and banditry.

This was disclosed on Thursday by Lai Mohammed, the minister of information and culture.

Trust TV and BBC Africa Eye highlighted the bandits’ operations in different documentaries.

But in response to the documentaries, the Minister said that the two media outlets’ actions were improper because they frequently support terrorism.

The Minister denounced Trust Tv for encouraging terrorist acts by using its platform to interview the bandit boss Shehu Rekeb.

Additionally, he criticised the BBC for not keeping the same principles and standards that they would have in the UK.

He argued that both platforms had, by their conduct, turned into robbers and terrorists’ accomplices in the name of reporting.

The Minister stated that the proper regulatory agency is already looking into the violations and that both platforms will get the proper sanctions.

[quotation name=’Lai Mohammed’]There is a regulatory body regulating broadcasting which is the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and they are also aware of these two incidents.

“They are looking at which part of the Broadcasting Code has been violated by the BBC and Trust TV.

“Media is the oxygen that terrorists and bandits use to breathe.[/quotation]

It is regrettable that normally trustworthy outlets like the BBC might allow terrorists to use their images to pose as Nollywood stars, according to Lai Muhammed.

[quotation name=’Lai Mohammed’]I want to assure them that they will not get away with it, appropriate sanctions will be meted out to both the BBC and Trust Tv[/quotation].

The Minister assured the audience that the BBC, a foreign media outlet, would not get away with openly glorifying terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.

[quotation name=’Lai Mohammed’]If they are not registered in Nigeria and they are only sending their signals to Nigeria, we will ask them to stop sending the signal.

“I know that during the IRA days, the BBC will not dare do what they are doing now in Nigeria.

“It is because there is a country called Nigeria that they are operating here.[/quotation]