Amnesty International in Nigeria has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for banning the song “Tell Your Papa” by veteran musician Eedris Abdulkareem as a naked attack on freedom of expression and the right of the public to information.
The human rights group, in a statement published on its official Facebook page, charged that NBC had abused its regulatory functions by declaring the politically charged song “Not To Be Broadcast.”
The alleged ban was purportedly due to the criticism in the song against government performance.
Amnesty described the action as unacceptable in a democratic state and urged President Bola Tinubu to act with speed and instruct the NBC to remove the ban.
“The people of Nigeria have a right to freedom of expression,” the group said. “There is no legal justification for proscribing a song just because it speaks out against the authorities.”
The body also criticized the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, calling it “deeply flawed” and an insidious instrument of stifling opposition voices.
It warned that such censorship would lead to a culture of repression and fear, suppressing media freedom and artistic expression in the country.
Amnesty further noted that the prohibition violates both the Nigerian Constitution and global agreements Nigeria is bound to—such as the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights—upholding free speech.
The organization concluded by calling on the federal government to drop repressive censorship bills and encourage a culture in which its citizens can freely express themselves without the threat of reprisal.
This comes hot on the heels of the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) giving the government and NBC a 48-hour ultimatum to lift the ban or face a lawsuit.
