Amnesty International Nigeria has slammed the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, for banning the broadcast of Eedris Abdulkareem’s song ‘Tell Your Papa', describing the move as a violation of freedom of expression and the right to access information.
In a statement released on its official Facebook page, the organization said that the ban, which categorized the song as ‘Not To Be Broadcast' for its critical tone towards the government, is an abuse of power.
It urged President Bola Tinubu to immediately order NBC to withdraw the ban, stressing that the song’s criticism of those in power is not grounds for censorship.
The organization argued that the Nigerian people have a right to freedom of expression and that there is no legal justification for prohibiting the song from being aired on radio and television.
Amnesty International also blasted NBC’s reliance on the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, which is described as deeply flawed, as a basis for the ban. Amnesty stressed that such actions represent an increasing intolerance of dissenting voices in Nigeria.
It highlighted that the ban is incompatible with the right to access information and media freedom, calling for the urgent repeal of heavy censorship regulations by NBC, which have been used to limit freedom of expression in the country.
The organization warned that the arbitrary nature of the ban would create a chilling effect on media outlets, potentially silencing artists and stifling creativity.
It also explained that the ban violates Nigeria’s international obligations under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights protecting freedom of expression.
AI urged Tinubu’s government to act swiftly and reverse the ban to avoid further promoting censorship and creating a climate of fear and repression.
This comes after the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Nigerian government and the NBC, demanding the immediate reversal of the ban on Abdulkareem’s song.
