Lagos, Nigeria - The regulatory Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has suspended the operating licence of the radio station believed to have incited the recent killing of nine polio vaccinators in the country's northern state of Kano.
In a statement issued in the nation's capital, Abuja, NBC said Wazobia FM breached Section 3.9.1 of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code, which prohibits the use of language encouraging crime or disorder.
“The commission has, therefore, decided to suspend the licence of the station...until further notice,” it said.
Earlier this month, the presenter of the radio station's popular Hausa-language programme, Yakubu Faggae, accused local officials in the state of using force to carry out polio immunisation on children.
This played into the hands of some extremists in the predominantly-Muslim north that polio vaccines could trigger infertility, and was believed to have incited the killing of the vaccinators.
The authorities subsequently arrested and charged to court two journalists working at the station
After they pleaded not guilty to the charges, which included criminal conspiracy and inciting disturbance, they were granted bail, and the case was adjourned till 13 March.
Pana 23/02/2013