A civic group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), on Monday confirmed the ruling via its official Twitter handle, claiming that the order was given by the court in a suit filed by the group and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
A Federal High Court, sitting in Lagos State, has issued an order to stop the President Muhammadu Buhari-led government and the National Broadcasting Commission from shutting down 53 broadcast stations in the country.
A civic group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), on Monday confirmed the ruling via its official Twitter handle, claiming that the order was given by the court in a suit filed by the group and the Nigerian Guild of Editors.
"BREAKING: Following a suit by SERAP and Nigerian Guild of Editors, Justice Akintayo Aluko of the Federal High Court, Lagos has stopped President Buhari and National Broadcasting Commission from shutting down 53 broadcast stations in the country," SERAP tweeted.
SaharaReporters had reported that the NBC suspended the revocation of the operating licenses of 53 broadcast stations owing various sums in licensing fees.
The commission had earlier revoked the broadcast licences of Silverbird TV, AIT, Raypower FM, and Rhythm FM amongst others over failure to renew their license amounting to N2.66billion.
Meanwhile, in a circular released on Friday through Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, NBC Director-General, the commission said the decision was taken due to positive responses and reactions from the affected stations.
The statement had read, “The National Broadcasting Commission on Friday, August 19, 2022, issued a shutdown notice to licensees that are indebted to the Commission.
"Following the ultimatum, the Commission received positive responses from the debtor Licensees, including big players in the broadcast industry.
"Sequel to a follow-up meeting held with Executives of the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria (BON), and other critical Stakeholders in the industry, the Commission has decided to temporarily suspend the shutdown of the indebted Broadcast stations all over the Country.
"We express our profound appreciation to the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, the affected licensees and Broadcast Stakeholders for their responses and interventions. We, specifically, thank DAAR Communications Ltd and Silverbird TV/Rhythm FM for their responses.
"The Commission is not unaware of the difficulties this shutdown must have caused the operators and other stakeholders, but must state that the Commission will always operate within the National Broadcasting Commissio