SERAP Gives Niger Gov 48 Hours to Reverse Badeggi FM Shutdown

The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has issued a 48-hour ultimatum to Governor Umar Bago of Niger State, demanding the immediate reversal of his administration’s decision to shut down Badeggi FM, a privately owned radio station in Minna.

In a strongly worded open letter dated August 2 and signed by its Deputy Director, Kolawole Oluwadare, SERAP described the move as “arbitrary and unlawful,” urging Governor Bago 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 further called on the governor “to immediately end attacks against Shuaibu Badeggi, the owner of Badeggi FM 90.1, and other staff members,” and to provide public assurances of their safety and freedom.

Governor Bago, during an APC caucus meeting held last Friday in Minna, had ordered the immediate shutdown of the station, revoked its licence, and instructed the Commissioner of Homeland Security to profile the station’s owner. He also allegedly threatened to demolish the premises, accusing the station of inciting the public, engaging in unprofessional journalism, and undermining the government’s New Niger Development Agenda. He warned that press freedom must not be “abused at the expense of peace and governance.”

But SERAP has pushed back against these claims, describing the governor’s allegations as “vague, unfounded and unsubstantiated.” The organisation warned that such a move could have a chilling effect on freedom of expression across the country.

“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.

According to the organisation, “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.”

SERAP also warned that it would take legal action should the demands not be met within 48 hours of receiving the letter or seeing it published. “We will take all appropriate legal actions to compel the government to comply in the public interest,” it said.

The organisation expressed concern that the targeting of Badeggi FM could discourage media participation in debates on public issues ahead of the 2027 elections.

“Media outlets in Niger State must be free to enable debate on issues of public interest without fear of reprisals,” it said, insisting 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.”

SERAP further argued that invoking national security as justification for the shutdown is unacceptable, stressing: “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.”

The organisation added that the incident reflects a troubling trend of harassment, intimidation, and attacks on independent media and journalists in Niger State and across the country.

Joining the condemnation, the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) described the governor’s actions as “executive rascality of the highest order.”

NBA President Afam Osigwe stressed that only the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has the legal mandate to revoke broadcast licences — not state governors. He urged law enforcement officers to ignore directives that violate constitutional rights and warned against any encroachment on press freedom.