The National Broadcasting Commission NBC has suspended the operational license of Human Rights Radio popularly known as ‘Berekete FM’ in Abuja, Nigeria’s capital city for unprofessional conduct.
The suspension is billed to take effect on May 31 at 12 noon.
According to a statement by the regulatory agency, the sanction is in line with provisions in section 15.5 subsection 2 of the broadcasting code.
The order shall however last 30 days during which it is expected that the station will put its house in order and attune itself for responsive, professional and responsible broadcasting.
Part of the statement revealed that the station shall pay a re-commencement fee of 5,000,000naira as provided for in section 15.5.1 of the broadcasting code at the end of the suspension period.
It will be recalled that recently the founder of Human Rights Radio popularly known as Berekete FM, Mr Ahmed Isah physically assaulted a citizen who was invited to his program. An act that was unprofessional and widely condemned.
The guest in question was accused of inflicting grave injuries on a minor living with her which attracted the intervention of Isah where he spent about 2,000,000naira to treat the minor.
However, in handling the case on his radio show with the accused, Isah went extremely emotional and in the process, breached professional ethics.
Nneka Ukachukwu
