Amnesty International has condemned the recent shutdown of Badeggi 90.1 FM, a private radio station in Niger State, Nigeria, calling it an unlawful act that undermines press freedom. Niger State Governor Umar Bago ordered the closure of the station last Thursday, accusing it of inciting violence and engaging in unethical journalism. The decision has drawn sharp criticism from the global rights organization, which described the move as a diversion from the government’s failure to address widespread insecurity in the region.
In a statement shared on X (formerly Twitter) on Saturday, Amnesty International accused Governor Bago of overstepping his legal authority, noting that Nigerian law does not empower state governors to unilaterally shut down broadcast media. The group characterized the governor’s claim that the station fueled violence as “baseless” and warned that such actions reflect a worrying pattern of silencing critical voices. “Blaming a radio station for security failures is not only irrational but also exposes a troubling refusal to address the real causes of violence,” the statement read.
The controversy unfolds against a backdrop of escalating attacks by armed groups in Niger State, where bandits and insurgents have displaced thousands of rural residents amid accusations of inadequate government protection. Amnesty emphasized that shutting down media outlets stifles public access to vital information and creates a climate of fear among journalists. “This is not an isolated incident but part of a broader campaign to intimidate Nigeria’s media,” the organization asserted, citing rising restrictions on press freedom across the country.
Governor Bago’s directive has also raised questions about the autonomy of regulatory bodies like the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which typically oversees broadcast licenses. Legal experts argue that shutting a station without due process violates Nigeria’s constitutional guarantees of free speech. Amnesty urged the governor to retract the order immediately and called for federal authorities to safeguard media independence.
Local journalists and civil society groups have echoed Amnesty’s concerns, noting that Badeggi FM often covered issues affecting marginalized communities, including displacement and insecurity. Critics argue that the station’s closure undermines transparency at a time when accurate reporting is critical to addressing humanitarian challenges.
Niger State officials have yet to respond to Amnesty’s allegations or clarify the specific violations attributed to the station. Meanwhile, media advocacy organizations warn that repeated attacks on press freedom risk eroding public trust and weakening democratic accountability in Africa’s most populous nation.
