The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to the Governor of Niger State, Umar Bago, demanding an immediate reversal of his administration’s decision to shut down Badeggi FM, a privately owned radio station based in Minna.
In an open letter dated 2 August and signed by SERAP’s Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, the organisation described the move as ‘arbitrary and unlawful’, urging the governor to ‘reinstate the station’s licence, withdraw the threat to demolish the premises, and end the crackdown on freedom of expression and media freedom in Niger State’.
The group also called on the governor ‘to immediately end attacks against Shuaibu Badeggi, the owner of Badeggi FM 90.1, and other staff members’, demanding public guarantees of their safety and liberty.
‘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’, SERAP stated.
Governor Umaru Bago had, on Friday, ordered the immediate shutdown of Badeggi FM, directed the revocation of its licence, and instructed the state’s Commissioner of Homeland Security to profile the station’s owner.
He also allegedly threatened to demolish the premises over what he called ‘unethical’ broadcasts and incitement.
Justifying the action during an APC caucus meeting in Minna, Bago accused the station of inciting the public, practising unprofessional journalism, and undermining the New Niger Development Agenda, warning that press freedom must not be abused at the expense of peace and governance.
Reacting, SERAP described the allegations as ‘vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated’, warning that such actions risk having a ‘chilling effect on the protection of freedom of expression and media freedom across several states’.
‘The shutting down of the station, arbitrarily revoking its licence, threatening to unlawfully demolish its premises, and profiling the station’s owner are all clearly antithetical to the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights obligations’, the organisation said.
It warned that if the demands were not met within 48 hours of the letter’s receipt or publication, SERAP would ‘take all appropriate legal actions to compel the government to comply in the public interest’.
According to SERAP, the crackdown on Badeggi FM is capable of discouraging press participation in debates over public concern ahead of the 2027 general elections.
‘Media outlets in Niger State must be free to enable debate on issues of public interest without fear of reprisals’, it added.
The organisation insisted that any restrictions on the press must be lawful, necessary, and proportionate. ‘Your directive is neither lawful nor necessary. It also does not protect any legitimate public interest’, it noted.
SERAP further stressed that invoking national security as a basis for the shutdown is unjustifiable and warned that such actions undermine democratic values.
‘The Nigerian Constitution and human rights treaties protect the press not merely so that specific journalists may conduct their work; they protect the press in order to guarantee the public’s right of access to information in the public interest’, SERAP stated.
The organisation further lamented that the Badeggi FM shutdown represents a growing trend of harassment, intimidation, and attacks on journalists and independent media in Niger State and beyond.
