The Zamfara state government has apologized for shutting down the NTA, FRCN’s Pride FM Gusau, and three other private broadcast media organizations.
The other media organizations shut down by the government included Gamji TV, Gamji FM, and Al-umma TV which are privately operated.
The Government, in a statement by the state Commissioner for Information, Ibrahim Dosara, alleged that the affected media violated its Executive Order Number ten and abused journalism practice.
The government, in the Order, banned all forms of political rallies and meetings in the state due to security concerns, and totally shut down Anka, Bukuyum, and Gummi Local government areas’ roads and other affected towns and villages affected by the order.
A chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Chairman of Zamfara State Committee on Prosecution of Banditry and Related Offences, Dr. Abdullahi ShinKAFI, however, handed an apology to the Media while addressing a press conference in Gusau on Monday.
Shinkafi said that the government’s action of shutting down the media houses attracted unprecedented reactions and criticisms from various organisations and agencies.
Broadcast media regulators: National Broadcasting Commission, Broadcasting Organization of Nigeria, Nigeria Union of Journalists and International Press Institute among others condemned the government for its action and called for immediate reversal.
The APC chieftain, however, insisted that Governor Bello Matawalle’s action was guided by the powers vested on him as enshrined in relevant sections of the Constitution of the Federal Republic.
According to him, the government has since withdrawn the order given to the Commissioner of Police to arrest and prosecute personnel seen around the affected media organisations.
Shinkafi said the government has also withdrawn the security forces deployed to the media houses to allow the personnel resume their work.
He urged the media organisations and all journalists to respect the state laws and support the government in its effort to tackle banditry and kidnapping in parts of the state
