Breaking! NBC Orders TV, Radio Stations To Deactivate Twitter Accounts

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), on Monday has directed all the broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend the use of their Twitter accounts.

According to the NBC, the directive is in compliance with the suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria.

Recall that the Federal Government had announced an indefinite suspension of the operations of Twitter in Nigeria, after the microblogging site deleted President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet.

According to the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, who made the announcement, the Microblogging and social networking service has been used to persistently undermine Nigeria’s corporate existence.

Mohammed had also ordered the NBC to “immediately commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the NBC, in a statement issued by its Director General, Armstrong Idachaba, on Monday, directed that all the media outfits in the country suspend the use of their Twitter accounts.

According to Idachaba, all the media outfits must abide by the “section 2(1) r of the NBC Act which entrusts the Commission with responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations.”

The statement reads, “Consequent on the suspension of Twitter operations in Nigeria by the Federal Government over the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining the corporate existence of Nigeria, the National Broadcasting Commission directs all Broadcasting Stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of Twitter immediately.

“In Compliance to the above directive, Broadcasting Stations are hereby advised to de- install twitter handles and desist from using twitter as a source (UGC) of information gathering for News and programmes Presentation especially Phone-in.

“Section 2(1) r of the NBC Act entrusts the Commission with responsibility to ensure strict adherence to the national laws, rules and regulations. Also, section 3.11.2 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code provides that “the broadcaster shall ensure that law enforcement is upheld at all times in a matter depicting that law and order are socially superior to or more desirable than Crime and Anarchy.

“Attention is also drawn to section 5.6.3 of The Code which requires Broadcasters to be mindful of materials that may cause disaffection, incite to panic or rift in the society in the use of a user generated Content (UGC).

“Note that it will be unpatriotic for any broadcaster in Nigeria to continue to patronise the suspended Twitter as a source of its information therefore strict compliance is enjoined.”