Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has urged Umar Bago, governor of Niger state to “immediately reverse the arbitrary and unlawful decision to strip Badeggi FM radio station of its licence, reinstate the station’s licence, withdraw your threat to demolish the station’s premises, and end your crackdown on freedom of expression and media freedom in Niger state.”
SERAP urged him “to immediately end your attacks against Shuaibu Badeggi, the owner of Badeggi FM 90.1, and other staff members of the radio station, publicly guarantee their rights to liberty and security of person, and end the prevailing impunity for violations of freedom of expression and media freedom in your state.”
SERAP also urged him and his government “to refrain from weaponizing the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and law enforcement agents to further crackdown on Badeggi FM and to uphold your constitutional oath of office to protect Nigerians’ freedom of expression and media freedom in Niger state.”
Mr Bago had last Friday directed the state Commissioner of Police and Commissioner for Homeland Security to seal an independent media outlet, Badeggi FM Radio, Minna, revoked its license, profiled its owner and threatened to demolish the station’s premises, having been unhappy with its broadcasts.
In the open letter dated 2 August 2025 and signed by SERAP deputy director Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation said: “Your vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated allegations of ‘inciting violence’ against Badeggi FM and its owner are apparently made to silence the radio station and its owner.”
SERAP said, “Silencing critical or dissenting voices under the guise of vague and unsubstantiated national security concerns is a fundamental breach of your constitutional oath of office and Nigeria’s international human rights obligations.”
According to SERAP, “Silencing Badeggi FM and its owner would have a chilling effect on the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom across several states.”
The letter, read in part: “Shutting down the station, arbitrarily revoking its licence, threatening to unlawfully demolish its premises and profiling the station’s owner are all clearly antithetical to the requirements of the Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended] and the country’s international human rights obligations.