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The Media Rights Agenda (MRA) has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for banning the broadcast of Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s latest song, ‘Tell Your Papa’, calling the move “unlawful, repressive, and a dangerous affront to freedom of expression.”
The NBC, in a directive dated April 9, 2025, instructed all broadcast stations to refrain from airing the politically charged track, labeling it “Not To Be Broadcast” (NTBB) under Section 3.1.8 of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.
The rights group, in a press statement, by the MRA’s Programme Officer, Ayomide Eweje, Friday in Lagos, argued that the provision cited of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code was vague and lacks clarity on what qualifies as NTBB, thereby enabling arbitrary censorship.
Eweje accused the Commission of misusing its regulatory powers to silence dissent stating that: “The NBC’s action is a clear violation of Section 39 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of expression.”
“It also undermines Nigeria’s obligations under international human rights laws.”
MRA urged the Commission to reverse the ban and stop using regulation as a cover to suppress critical voices, warning that such actions could shrink civic space and erode public trust.
According to the rights group, it remained committed to defending the rights of artists and other citizens to speak truth to power without fear of censorship or reprisal.
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