The Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association (NBMOA) Board of Trustees (BoT) has initiated legal action against Arewa 24 Limited and seven other parties.
The suit, which is scheduled for a hearing before Justice Omotosho of the Federal High Court sitting in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), named the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), the Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation, the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON), the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Council (FCCPC), MIPAN, MultiChoice, StarTimes, and ADVAN as defendants.
In statement yesterday in Abuja, Chairman of the NBMOA Board of Trustees, Alhaji (Dr.) Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, the unlicensed broadcasting activities of the defendants threaten the established legal and competitive media landscape, adversely affecting media owners and audiences across Nigeria.
The NBMOA emphasised the association’s dedication to upholding lawful broadcasting standards. Ramalan said, “Our objective is to ensure a fair, regulated media environment, in line with established broadcasting standards, while maintaining a commitment to the rule of law”.
The group indicated that it will not issue further comments until court proceedings have concluded, emphasizing the need to respect the legal process in the interest of justice and transparency.
The outcome of the hearing will be closely monitored by stakeholders in the broadcast industry, as it may have significant implications for Nigeria’s broadcasting and media regulation framework.
