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ENDSARS: ACCE Slams NBC For Sanctions On Media Houses

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ACCE has called for the withdrawal of sanctions against media houses.
News Rain Nigeria gathered that the African Council for Communication Education (ACCE) has on Tuesday, 27, October 2020, called on the Nigerian  Broadcasting Commission  (NBC) to with immediate effect withdraw the sanctions already imposed on three media firms that covered the Endsars protest.

ENDSARS: ACCE Slams NBC For Sanctions On Media Houses

The African Council for Communication observed that as a government regulatory bodies, the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) should not be both the accuser and the judge at the same time, on the same matter on ground.
News Rain Nigeria recalls that the National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, had on Monday fined Nigerian media houses such as AIT, Channels TV and Arise News, claiming that the media houses affected used unverifiable video footage from social media to cover the #EndSARS protests.
According to a Press Release which was signed by the National President of the African Council for Communication Education, Prof. Nnamdi  Ekeanyanwu and made available to newsmen in Uyo on Tuesday,  advised NBC to set up an appropriate body to investigate the mainstream media coverage of the ENDSARS protests.
Ekeanyanwu stressed that with recent happenings in Nigeria, which have shown that the media, not the judiciary, should be regarded as the last hope of the people, especially the so-called common man,,  every act that will smack off an attempt to muzzle the media must be resisted.
Ekeanyanwu through the statement said our expectation is that NBC should use fines and other punitive measures as last resort. A proper investigation should precede any such punitive measures.
Ekeanyanwu stressed that there should be room for warning letters and cautions before such heavy sanctions that could be misconstrued as an attempt to muzzle the hard-earned freedom of the media.
“ACCE, therefore, calls on NBC to immediately withdraw the sanctions already imposed on the three media firms and set up an appropriate body to investigate the mainstream media coverage of the ENDSARS protests and ensuing violence.
“The outcome of the investigative panel would definitely form  part of future guidelines for most mainstream media in future handling of related conflicts”. the statement read
Ekeanyanwu through the statement  congratulated the mainstream media for their show of  professionalism in the midst of danger during the coverage of the ENDSARS protests and the violence that followed
ACCE president noted that the commission will remain at the forefront to protect media freedom as well as continue in her noble role in the training and retraining of media professionals to remain responsible, responsive, and professional in the discharge of their duties”.
Ekeanyanwu however condemns in totality any media establishment that must have used unverified video footage in its coverage.
He said, the peaceful protest and legitimate agitation, the council also condemned, in very strong terms, the violence, wanton destruction of both public and private property, and the widespread looting that took place all over the country during the protest.
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