The Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) has criticised the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over its recent directive to broadcasters, describing it as an attempt to restrict press freedom.
The NBC had said it has observed increased violations of the sixth edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code across news, current affairs, and political programmes.
It warned that presenters who present personal opinions as facts or who intimidate guests during broadcasts risk sanctions.
In a statement issued on Monday by its national secretary, Achike Chude, the NUJ described the advisory as “a veiled attempt to gag the media and institutionalise censorship”.
The union said it received the warning with “grave concern and utter disappointment”, arguing that it threatens free speech and editorial independence in the country’s media space.
It added that the NBC’s caution on opinion-based commentary and its emphasis on “crisis-free presentation” amounts to “direct interference in the internal editorial processes of independent media houses”.
“Journalism, particularly in the realm of current affairs and political analysis, requires robust engagement,” the statement reads.
“To strip presenters of their right to analyze and contextualize news is to reduce the Nigerian media to a mere mouthpiece.”
The NUJ also warned that vague regulatory terms and the classification of such actions as “Class B breaches”, with penalties such as fines or suspension, could intimidate journalists and weaken investigative reporting.
“This regime of fear encourages self-censorship, where journalists are too afraid to ask tough questions for fear of being labeled ‘unprofessional’ or ‘hostile’ by a regulatory body that has increasingly become a political tool,” it added.
The union cited constitutional protections for freedom of expression, stressing that regulatory guidelines must not override the rights guaranteed by law.
“The NBC Code cannot and must not be used to override the supreme law of the land. The government has a duty to ensure that regulatory agencies like the NBC are not weaponized against the media,” Chude said.
“We call on all journalists and broadcasters to remain resolute, professional, and fearless. Your duty is to the public and the truth, not to the whims of any regulatory agency.
“The media is the watchdog of society, not the lapdog of the government and opposition. Any attempt to break the screen or silence the microphone is an attack on Nigerian democracy itself.”