By Fatima Saka
The Arewa Broadcast Media Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) has issued a stern warning to the Niger State Government, threatening a total boycott of all official state activities over what it describes as persistent attacks on press freedom and media independence in the state.
Speaking in Minna on Sunday, the Forum’s Chairman, Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa, Ajiyan Yauri, condemned what he termed the illegal and unconstitutional efforts by Governor Mohammed Umar Bago to shut down Badeggi FM, an independent radio station licensed by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).
“I spoke this morning with Mohammed Shuaibu Badeggi, the CEO of Badeggi FM, who confirmed that the station remains operational despite the Governor’s unlawful orders,” Yelwa stated. “However, state machinery continues to be used to harass the station and undermine its constitutional duties.”
The Forum praised both the NBC and the Federal Minister of Information, Mohammed Idris Malagi, for rejecting what it called the Governor’s “overreach” and for standing firmly in defence of press freedom.
Yelwa warned that unless the Niger State Government immediately halts its interference in media affairs and reins in its “foot soldiers,” members of the Forum would be directed to sever all coverage of the government’s activities across the state.
“In these times of rising insecurity and poverty, authorities must show greater tolerance for dissenting views,” he said. “Leadership is about service to the people, not silencing their voices.”
The Forum also criticized a broader trend in which Northern governors prioritize media patronage toward Lagos-based outlets at the expense of indigenous Northern media houses.
“Billions are spent annually on Southwest media while our own survive under duress. Badeggi FM is one such resilient station, but even it faces daily threats of closure,” Yelwa lamented.
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The ABMPF urged all local stations experiencing similar intimidation to report such incidents to its secretariat, promising a united front against the “unhealthy practice” of media suppression.
“This is not just about one station—it’s about preserving the voice of the North and the democratic integrity of Nigeria,” the statement concluded.
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