The Niger State Governor, Mohammed Umar Bago, must by now have learnt a vital lesson about the limits of executive hubris. It is a hard truth that gubernatorial power is no licence to take precipitous actions with potentially incendiary consequences.
Perhaps emboldened by the allure of power, Bago lit a figurative fire penultimate Thursday when he reportedly ordered the closure of an independent radio station in his state for allegedly inciting violence.
The media space erupted in outrage over the impulsive action and has remained agitated since.
According to reports, the governor ordered that Badeggi Radio 90.1 FM, operating in Minna, the state capital, be shut down and its licence revoked for alleged public incitement. He was said to have immediately directed the Commissioner of Homeland Security, Mohammed Bello, and the Commissioner of Police, Adamu Elleman, to execute his order. In addition, he allegedly directed security operatives to profile the station’s owner, claiming the station had been promoting violence.
The governor reportedly issued the order during an expanded meeting of the Niger State All Progressives Congress (APC) Caucus at the Government House in Minna. His extreme move was believed to have been motivated by dissatisfaction with what he perceived as the station’s unethical daily activities and alleged incitement against the government.
This action is patently unconstitutional. The move to trammel press freedom is ultra vires—beyond the powers of his office. At best, it is a despotic inclination that has no place in a 21st-century Nigeria, where the rule of law has supplanted the rule of fiat. No governor has the legal authority to sanction a media house, let alone shut it down or threaten to revoke its licence in the manner Bago has done.
The only statutory body empowered to issue and revoke operating licences for radio and broadcast media, or sanction such stations for unethical conduct, is the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC). Similarly, the National Media Complaints Commission (NMCC) serves as the print media industry’s ombudsman, empowered to sanction any newspaper, magazine, or similar publication for proven misconduct.
His Excellency was either not properly advised in this matter or chose to ignore wise counsel. The only lawful way to address any grievances against the station would have been to lodge a formal complaint with the NBC, supported by credible evidence for the regulator to act upon.
Thus, the governor’s unilateral order to shut down Badeggi 90.1 FM—regardless of the allegations—amounts to executive rascality. It is a travesty and an egregious abuse of power. His alleged threat to withdraw the station’s licence and mark it for demolition is a reprehensible act that should be condemned.
As expected, the governor’s ill-considered clampdown has triggered widespread outrage. Amnesty International (AI), the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), the International Press Institute (IPI), the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and other professional associations, advocacy groups, and civil society organisations have strongly criticised the move.
Virtually all the critics maintained that His Excellency exceeded his constitutional authority and violated democratic principles. Amnesty International, in a statement by its Country Director, Isa Sanusi, said Bago’s action sought to deprive the people of fair and objective reporting on issues affecting their lives.
Sanusi stated: “Amnesty International strongly condemns the lawless and repressive order issued yesterday (penultimate Thursday) by Governor Umar Bago of Niger State for the closure of Badeggi 90.1 FM Radio, Minna, an independent news source for the people of Niger State.
The governor’s allegation of ‘inciting violence’ and his reckless order to revoke the station’s licence clearly show abuse of power and unacceptable intolerance of critical voices…Attacking Badeggi 90.1 FM is part of a wider pattern of attempts to create a climate of fear across newsrooms in Nigeria.”
The Niger State chapter of the NUJ also cautioned the governor to tread carefully. In a statement signed by Chairman Abu Nmodu and Secretary Usman Chiji, the union reminded him that only the NBC has the power to revoke a broadcast licence, and even then, only through judicial interpretation.
SERAP, as expected, gave Governor Bago 48 hours to reverse his action or face legal action. In an open letter dated August 2, 2025, signed by Deputy Director Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP described the closure order, licence revocation threat, and profiling of the station’s owner as violations of the Constitution and international human rights obligations.
The organisation warned that silencing Badeggi FM would have a chilling effect on media freedom across Nigeria.
Governor Bago and his peers must be reminded that the press, as the Fourth Estate of the Realm, is constitutionally mandated to hold government accountable. Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria states that the mass media shall “uphold the fundamental objectives contained in this Constitution and hold the government accountable to the people.”
When a media outlet breaches ethical boundaries, the remedy lies not in self-help but in lawful recourse—either by suing for defamation or reporting to the appropriate regulator, in this case, the NBC.
A sterling example exists. In July last year, following a dispute over Daily Trust’s reporting on the Samoa Agreement, the Federal Ministry of Information lodged a complaint with the NMCC rather than clamping down on the newspaper. After investigation, the NMCC found the report inaccurate, directed the newspaper to apologise, and reprimanded the government for delayed disclosure of the signed agreement. Daily Trust complied, publishing the correct information and apologising publicly.
That is how grievances should be resolved in a democracy.
We also caution Badeggi 90.1 FM and other media houses to carry out their watchdog role responsibly, always verifying information before publication. An unverified story can be a dangerous spark with irreversible consequences.
The Nigerian Press Organisation’s 15-point Code of Ethics, adopted in March 1998, provides clear guidance—especially Item 2, which mandates accuracy and fairness. Journalism’s ultimate goal must be factual, balanced, and fair reporting.
Let media practitioners be guided by this compass, and let the government reciprocate with tolerance and respect for press freedom. Disputes should be resolved through lawful channels, not executive overreach.
