The management of Jay FM Jos on Thursday called on the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, to free itself from “political manipulation” by persons who wield power in high places, and from people who have conscripted themselves in the army of enemies of “liberty, justice, and freedom” in the country.
The management also stated that it has credible information that the powers-that-be in Plateau State in collaboration with those in the presidency were behind the continuous shutdown of the radio station.
They said as a result of the aforementioned, the organization is left with no option but to seek legal redress in a court of law.
Jay FM, through its Chief Executive Officer/Managing Director, Clinton Garuba, stated this in Jos, the state capital.
Clinton said, “It has become incumbent for us at Jay FM Jos to speak as a follow up to our Press Conference of 2nd March, 2019, and hopefully, an update to our indefatigable fans, followers, listeners, and supporters on the status of the station and the state of our struggle.
“Importantly, we want to use the momentous opportunity of to call on the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, the regulator of broadcasting in Nigeria, to free itself from political manipulation by people who wield power in high places, and those who have conscripted themselves in the army of the enemies of liberty, justice, and freedom in Nigeria.”
It would recalled that Jay FM Jos was shut down under controversial circumstances on 1st March, 2019 by the NBC.
NBC had, in a letter signed by its Jos Zonal Director, alleged that the station’s continued broadcast may lead to breakdown of law and order.
The Commission referred to two instances when the Station was sanctioned few days to the 2019 Presidential Elections, the first being a N100, 000 fine on 16th February, 2019 for airing a News Commentary titled “Does Buhari Deserve a Second Term?” written by Chris Gyang a listener, and the second being a warning on 18th February, 2019 for airing a News Sound Bite by Bishop David Abioye charging his followers on how they should vote.
The Commission at that time accused Jay FM of glamourizing Alhaji Atiku Abubakar the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in that election, and broadcasting divisive content respectively.
However, the Managing Director said, “While communicating the directive to shut down the station believed to have been handed down from above, the NBC failed to give one instance from the last sanction of 18th February, 2019 to 1st March, 2019, the shutdown day, whether Jay FM was involved in any form of breach or improper conduct that would warrant a heavy and unfair sanction as a shutdown, especially as it amounts to double jeopardy to issue punishment a second time for the same offence.”
