Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Muhammad Idris, has clarified that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has the legal authority to suspend or revoke broadcasting licences, following the closure of Badeggi FM in Niger State.

This comes after Governor Umar Bago ordered the sealing of the Minna-based private radio station on Friday, accusing it of unethical practices and inciting public unrest. The directive included a request to revoke the station’s licence.

In response, the minister via his media aide Rabiu Ibrahim stated that while the federal government acknowledges the concerns raised, the NBC alone is empowered by law to take regulatory actions against broadcasters.

Idris welcomed the state government’s decision to formally report the matter to the NBC, and urged calm from all parties, assuring that the commission will handle the case fairly and impartially.

Badeggi FM 90.1, founded in 2020 by Shuaibu Badeggi, is a private station operating out of Minna, the Niger State capital.