Nigeria sanctions 25 media outlets for poll offences

For breaking broadcasting rules while covering the general elections last month, Nigeria sanctioned about 25 broadcast stations.

16 additional broadcast stations have also received a final warning from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for different poll-related offenses, according to local media.

Seventeen broadcast stations were charged with broadcasting partisan content 24 hours before the election, three stations were fined for making inciting remarks, and four stations were accused of airing content that was divisive in terms of ethnicity or religion.

One station was penalized for announcing results before the electoral commission had made a formal declaration.

Subversive conversations and careless remarks that could split our nation apart were broadcast openly and without the appropriate gatekeeping. Ethics and expertise were abandoned, according to NBC's director-general Balarabe Ilelah.

Before Saturday's governorship and state assembly elections, Mr. Ilelah urged all broadcasting outlets to abide by the broadcasting rules.