The National Broadcasting Commission on Monday directed all broadcasting stations in Nigeria to suspend the patronage of Twitter with immediate effect.
The directive was contained in a statement by the NBC Director General, Prof. Armstrong Idachaba.
The commission said, “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.”
According to the NBC, 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.
“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,” the commission noted in its statement.
The Nigeria government had last Friday barred the operations of the social networking service, claiming the persistent use of the platform was capable of undermining the country’s corporate existence.
Sequel to that, it had also ordered the NBC to commence the process of licensing all social media outfits in the country.
