The Nation Newspaper

Tag: African Independent Television (AIT)

  • Closure of AIT, others: Court orders maintenance of status quo as at May 30

    A Federal High Court in Abuja has granted an order ex-parte for the maintenance of status quo, pending the determination of a motion filed by DAAR Communications Plc in its suit challenging the suspension of its operating licence by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

    Justice Inyang Ekwo, in a ruling on Friday, rejected two prayers by DAAR, for restraining orders against the respondents – NBC, Federal Ministry of Information and Culture (FMIC) and the Attorney General of the Federation (AGF).

    In the first relief rejected by the court, DAAR Communications had sought to restrain the respondents “from blocking, jamming. stopping, removing from air and/or interfering with the air waves of the plaintiff/applicant in any way and manner howsoever, in its broadcast and airing of news, views, documentaries, or any other legitimate broadcast material that is usually associated with television, radio or social media broadcast pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application.”

    It also, in the second relief, sought to restrain the respondents “from invading the premises of the plaintiff/applicant, or closing down, viet armis, the said premises, its operations or broadcast services, pending the hearing and determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application.”

    Instead, Justice Ekwo granted the alternative relief: “an order for the maintenance of status quo ante bellum as at May 30, pending the hearing and final determination of the motion on notice filed along with this application.”

    Justice Ekwo said the applicant, DAAR, would be penalised should it turn out, at the end of the day, that the order ought not to have been made.

    The judge noted that, by the issues raised in its application by DAAR Communications, the respondents deserved to be heard.

    He ordered the respondents – NBC, FMIC, AGF – “to appear in court on the next date to show cause why the prayers in the applicant’s motion should not be granted.”

    Read Also: Atiku condemns shutdown of AIT, says free press in danger

    Justice Ekwo adjourned further proceedings till June 13.

    Daar Communications stated, in a supporting affidavit, that it is the first privately owned independent broadcasting organisation in Nigeria, having been licensed to broadcast on television and radio since 1996 and currently, operating the African Independent Television (AIT), Ray Power 100.5 fm, Faji FM and DARSAT stations.

    “Plaintiff/applicant has in the best tenets and tradition of broadcast and in compliance with section 22 of 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, 1999 as altered, carried out its duties legally, legitimately, morally and nationalistically, in informing, educating and entertaining Nigerians both at home and in the diaspora on sundry matters, which activities have energized and contributed to national development and also nurtured, widened, deepened and strengthened democracy, rule of law, human rights and anti-corruption in Nigeria.

    “Since the emergence of the present government, the plaintiff /applicant has been under its close surveillance and undue monitoring of its operations by the present government which wrongly believes that the plaintiff/applicant had been too supportive of the immediate past government.

    “That sometimes on  April 16, agents of the Federal Government represented by the 1st  defendant (NBC), in a gestapo- like- manner, attacked and pulled down the two buildings and gates leading to the plaintiff/applicant’s operational headquarters which damage and destruction run into hundreds of millions of naira.

    “The defendants and their agents have been writing a series of letters with which they harassed and intimidated the plaintiff over the contents of their broadcast, particularly of late, concerning its social media segment of its morning flagship broadcast show called Kaakaki (the African Voice).

    “Credible information just reaching the plaintiff has it that the defendants have concluded plans to invade and shut down the premises of the plaintiff and/or part thereof, in the next few days.”

     

  • Obasanjo demands apology from AIT over meeting with Osinbajo story

    …Says he owns no twitter account

     

    Ex- President Olusegun Obasanjo has asked the African Independent Television (AIT) to retract with apology, the airing of a photo on its social media segment, Kakaaki Social, where a purported tweeter account belonging to him, depicted a picture of an alleged meeting with Vice President Yemi Osinbajo (SAN) and the Minister of Transportation, Hon. Rotimi Amaechi, at his Ota farm in Ogun state.

    Read Also:How we caged Obasanjo as governors, by Osoba

    Obasanjo said the apology should also be extended to Osinbajo for the embarrassment the depiction of the picture might have caused him.

    The elder statesman who made this known in a statement through his Special Assistant (Media), Kehinde Akinyemi, on Thursday,  expressed disappointment that AIT could disseminate information it sourced from fake Twitter Account without first verifying it.

    He disclosed that he does not have Twitter account anywhere and expressed concern over the continuous use of his name by suspected fraudsters on social media platforms.

    Obasanjo  warned  that whoever that is caught perpetrating the act, would be made to face prosecution immediately, even as he advised the media to always be professional in discharging their duty and refrain from creating unnecessary confusion and heating up the polity

    “It is a fact that severally, the former President has dissociated himself from owning any social media account. Therefore, it is highly disappointing that such sensitive Twitter post would be allowed to go on air without verification by the African Independent Television (AIT).

    “There was no meeting with the Vice President anywhere. I was at the Airport and was informed that he was around in the Lounge and out of courtesy; I felt I should go and greet him. We met, greeted and exchanged pleasantries and I left. That was all.

    “The station should have been very professional and not causing confusion and heating up the polity. That I am not operating any social media account should not be strange to a station like AIT, and for that embarrassment, the Vice President and I deserve an apology,” Obasanjo said.

  • PDP: ‘This is the best national convention in Nigeria’- Fayose

    PDP: ‘This is the best national convention in Nigeria’- Fayose

    Ekiti state governor and Chairman of PDP Governors Forum, Ayo Fayose, has come out to praise the organisers of the national convention, being held by the People’s Democratic Party (PDP).

    He made this statement in an interview with the African Independent Television (AIT), at the on-going national convention.

    “This is the best national convention ever held in Nigeria. I listen to some people talking about list, I felt ashamed, I felt sad.

    He also asked others to toe the line of Atiku Abubukar and return to the PDP.

  • Journalist, wife, three children die in auto crash

    Journalist, wife, three children die in auto crash

    A senior reporter with the African Independent Television (AIT), Abdullahi Ibrahim, along with his wife and three children, died in an auto crash last Thursday, while on his way to his hometown, Okaba, in Ankpa Local Government Area of Kogi State.

    Ibrahim who was stationed in Agenebode, Edo State, was preparing for his daughter’s wedding coming up this December, when the accident occurred between Ojodu and Ochadamu communities along the Ajaokuta-Ayingba highway.

    He was said to be travelling in his Peugeot 504 saloon car, with three of his children and his pregnant wife, when the accident occurred.

    Eyewitness account had it that he was involved in a head on collision with an oncoming Toyota hiace belonging to a transport company.

    He was said to have died instantly, along with the pregnant wife and three children.

    Ibrahim, who was in his late 50s was at the Nigeria Union of Journalist (NUJ) press centre Lokoja, together with the members of his family, on the day of the accident, before they proceeded on the ill-fated journey.

    He was said to have lost his first wife and a daughter, five years ago, before he later remarried.

    Read Also: Two injured as motorcyclist dies in Auto crash

  • Shun disinformation, fake news – Minister tells media

    Shun disinformation, fake news – Minister tells media

    The Minister of Information and Culture Lai Mohammed on Friday urged the media to eschew disinformation and fake news, saying the phenomenon if left unchecked, could damage the credibility of the media and endanger the country’s peace and security.

    The Minister on a courtesy visit to the headquarters of Daar Communications Plc. owners of the African Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower radio station deplored what he called the current siege of disinformation and fake news in the country.

    “Unfortunately this dangerous trend, if not checked by the media – especially the traditional media – is capable of tearing the fabric of the society and bringing the country to its knees,” he said. 

    Alhaji Mohammed said that to make matters worse, a section of the traditional media often amplifies the disinformation and the fake news being spread on the Social Media. 

    He noted that in spite of the incursion of the Social Media, the traditional media remains the most credible platform, hence it should not join forces with the purveyors of falsehood. 

    “My greatest problem is with the traditional media because most people will probably say Social Media is what it is. But when the traditional media also latches on the same fake news and the same disinformation, then I begin to get worried for many reasons. Number one, it affects the credibility of the media itself and once the media is no longer believed, once the media loses its credibility, then it has serious consequences for the media and the society as a whole,” the Minister said. 

    Alhaji Mohammed recalled the role that disinformation, fake news and hate speeches played in the 1994 genocide in Rwanda in which over 800,000 people were killed and urged the media to draw some lessons from that unfortunate development. 

    He expressed concern that in the past few weeks, the media was saturated with false news on the health of the President, and that even when the government and the presidency promptly clarified that the President is hale and hearty, some people did not believe them because of the lies they have read in the Social Media.

    “What happened in the last couple of weeks is quite worrisome. Mr.President left for a vacation. When he was leaving, he transmitted the necessary letter to the National Assembly on who was going to act. He said during his vacation, he will also use the opportunity to carry out his routine medical check-up. Within 12 hours of leaving the country, the news was that he had died, and when that was not sustainable, they said he was critically ill.

    ”Some even went on to say that he was actually flown out of the country in an ambulance when the whole world saw when he was leaving and it was televised. For a week or so all we heard was this dangerous disinformation,” the Minister said.

    In his remarks, the Executive Chairman of Daar Communications Plc.

    Chief Raymond Paul Dokpesi, said the emergence of fake news is a global phenomenon, but noted that the Media Group has been absolutely committed to upholding the highest standard of journalism.