IPI knocks Zamfara Govt over media clampdown
The International Press Institute (IPI) says Zamfara government lacks the power to shut down media houses operating in the state.
Musikilu Mojeed, IPI president, stated this in a press statement he issued on Sunday.
“The order by the state government clearly violates the 1999 Constitution as amended, and has no place in a civilised society like ours. It reminds Nigerians of the dark days of the military in Nigeria when media organisations were clamped down by various authoritarian regimes.
“If any media organisation has flouted any law, the only option opened to the Zamfara State government is to approach the court for redress.
“Resorting to self help as done by the Zamfara State government threatens the rule of law and could lead to anarchy,” the statement read.
Mojeed added that the government took “the law into its own hands.” He equally urged the commissioner of police to shun the directive to shutdown the media houses, while demanding an apology from the government “for its obnoxious act.”
The affected media houses are the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria’s (FRCN) Pride FM, the Nigerian Television Authority (NTA), Gamji Television, Vision FM and Al Umma Television ) in Gusau, the state capital.
TheCornet reports that the Zamfara state Commissioner of Information, Ibrahim Dosara had, in a radio broadcast on Saturday, said that the affected media organisations violated their professional ethics.
He accused them of attending and covering a political rally – which was organised by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state – at a time the government banned political activities for security reasons.
