Amnesty International has condemned what it termed an “outrageous and desperate attempt” by the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to muzzle the media, warning that the regulator has no authority to dictate how journalists perform their professional duties.
In a statement reacting to the NBC’s ‘formal notice to broadcasters’ dated April 17, 2026, the rights organisation criticised the directive as an overreach targeting political broadcasts and presenters of current affairs programmes.
According to Amnesty International, the move imposes “unduly restrictive and invasive controls” on the broadcast space and appears calculated to coerce journalists and media organisations into self-censorship, with far-reaching implications for press freedom and democratic accountability.
Executive Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, said Nigeria’s independent broadcast media remain central to citizens’ ability to freely seek, receive and exchange information and ideas, as guaranteed under international human rights frameworks.
He urged authorities to desist from what he described as the misuse of the National Broadcasting Commission to stifle dissenting voices.
“The Nigerian authorities must stop using the NBC in an unrelenting quest to silence journalists and media organisations that are crucial to ensuring an independent and diverse media space that fulfils people’s right to information,” Sanusi said.
Maintaining that the directive is both authoritarian and unconstitutional, Amnesty International called on broadcasters nationwide to remain resolute, urging journalists to continue their work “fiercely and independently without fear,” despite mounting pressure.
