The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have filed a lawsuit against the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) in response to what they describe as an “arbitrary, unconstitutional, and unlawful” threat to penalise broadcast stations and their presenters.
This development was announced in a statement on Sunday, co-signed by Kolawole Oluwadare, deputy director of SERAP, and Onuoha Ukeh, general secretary of the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
The lawsuit challenges a recent directive from the NBC that cautioned presenters and journalists against “stating personal opinions as facts,” “bullying or intimidating guests,” and failing to remain neutral during broadcasts.
The statement highlights that, “SERAP and the Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE) have initiated legal action against the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for the arbitrary and unconstitutional ‘Formal Notice’ threatening sanctions against broadcast stations and presenters for allegedly ‘expressing personal opinions as facts, bullying or intimidating guests, or failing to maintain neutrality.’”
NBC’s recent warning indicated that it intended to sanction any stations or presenters who “express personal opinions as facts” or intimidate guests, citing a “notable increase in violations of the 6th Edition of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code within news, current affairs, and political programs.”
The lawsuit, filed under the reference FHC/L/CS/854/2026 in the Federal High Court in Lagos State last Friday, seeks a judicial review to determine if the provisions of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code cited by the NBC in its directive contradict the Nigerian Constitution of 1999 (as amended) and the country’s international human rights commitments.
Femi Falana (SAN), a renowned human rights lawyer, is set to lead a team of legal experts representing SERAP and NGE in this case.
The groups are urging the court to declare that the provisions of the 6th Edition of the Broadcasting Code, relied upon by the NBC, are vague and violate the press freedom safeguards outlined in both the Nigerian Constitution and international human rights standards.
Furthermore, SERAP and NGE are requesting an interim injunction to prevent the NBC and its agents from imposing sanctions on broadcasters and presenters based on what they characterise as “unlawful provisions” of the 6th Edition of the Broadcasting Code until the matter is fully heard and resolved.
The statement concluded with a call for the court to issue an order restraining the NBC, its agents, or any other authorities from enforcing sanctions based on these dubious provisions, pending the outcome of their legal motion.
