The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it will impose a higher sanction on the Ekiti State Broadcasting Service (EBS) if it fails to pay N500,000 fine within the stipulated period.

The NBC Head of Public Affairs, Mrs Maimuna Jimada, made the disclosure in a telephone interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN).

“Time frame to pay up a national broadcasting fine is 14 days. If they don’t pay within that time, they will get a higher sanction.

“Meanwhile, the station remains closed till further notice,” she said.

According to the official, EBS on July 11 breached Sections 5.2.7 and 5.2.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code and was reprimanded and fined N500,000 by the commission.

NAN reports that NBC also shut down the station on Sunday for infractions on the code and the Electoral Act.

The commission said on its website that it shut down the station following unauthorised declaration of Saturday’s Ekiti governorship election results by Gov. Ayodele Fayose on the station.

The commission added that Fayose made malicious and unsubstantiated claims against the Independent National Electoral Commission, the police and the Department of Security Services.

The NBC said that it had, on June 5, queried the station’s Acting Director-General, Mr Lere Olayinka, over breach of Section 5.2.18 of the code, and the query ignored.

It said that all broadcasters must adhere strictly to the ethics of the profession in conducting all programmes on their stations in respect to the code, the National Broadcasting Act, 2004, and the Electoral Act.

According to the NBC, social media is not an official source for the release of election results.

It said that broadcasting stations must ensure proper gatekeeping and professionalism in all programmes transmitted on their stations, warning that the commission would impose severe sanctions for any breach of the code.

NAN reports that Section 5.2.15 states that a broadcaster shall broadcast election results or declaration of the winner only as announced by the authorised electoral officer for the election.

Section 3.1.2 of the code states that materials likely to incite or encourage the commission of a crime or lead to public disorder shall not be broadcast. (NAN)

Update news