Professor Armstrong Idachaba who is the Acting Director-General of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says the commission imposed sanctions on broadcast stations during the #EndSARS protests because they were reckless in the coverage of the protests.
Recall that the commission in October, imposed N3 million fine each on media houses including ARISE News, AIT, and Channels TV, over claims that they used unverifiable video footage from social media to cover the #EndSARS protests.
In an interview with AriseTV today November 11, Idachaba explained why the commission had to fine the broadcasting houses.
“We had to impose a sanction because we found out that in the coverage of the #EndSARS campaign that many broadcasters began to be reckless in the coverage of the crisis.
At the beginning of the crisis, there was fairness and reasonable professionalism. All shades to the issue were given the opportunity to present their positions. The broadcasters followed the agitators as they went on their protest which at the initial stage was peaceful. When government responded and preferred solutions and answers to the demands of the protesters, the broadcasters also gave the government view.
What we monitored was a dramatic turnaround the moment the protest became violent. Rather than come up with facts of the issues, we began to see deliberate distortions, manipulated storylines, face infusions and intrusions into the narrative in the graphic presentations that rather than help to reduce the situation, more or less aggravated it.
We saw spurious claims, misrepresentation of facts, and these are clear violations of the provisions of the broadcasting code.
We began to wonder whether broadcasters have abdicated their ethical requirements.
For point of clarity, Section 5.6.2 of the broadcast code says the broadcaster shall approach with restraint the use of materials from user-generated sources and that was the problem. User-generated sources. Broadcasters abdicated their own rule of relying on their own reporters.
Many of you had reporters at many of those locations but the stories you churned out, the visuals you churned out emanated from other user-generated sources and these sources were not corroborated, authenticated, and not verified. They were largely misleading.”
Speaking further, Idachaba said
”The facts available to us shows that most of the pictures that were transmitted at the time of that conflict, pictures depicting violence and the pictures that attempted to justify what several of you called mass killings or massacre were actually gotten from social media sources. Quite strangely, one or several of them gleefully on their station claimed that the source of information was a certain DJ and the DJ had a reputation for uploading visuals. How much of those contents did they subject to verification? ”
On how the Commission got to know that some of the materials used were fake, Idachaba said
”Regarding how we came about to know that some of these videos are fake, it’s out there in the public. Some of the visuals and footages that were shown, some of the people that they claimed died at the location came out to say they are alive and did not die.
There was a particularly funny one that showed a Nigerian in the flag that was drained in blood and that was shown round the country. It elicited a lot of agony and pain amongst Nigerians and it turned out much later that that visual was obtained from a rehersal class of a theatre arts department in a Nigerian university years before now.
Many of Nigerians broadcasters were in that location. I saw them. I saw some of them running and saying ‘Okay now as we are talking the soldiers are here’ and then they left. The moment they left, they started bringing pictures that were gotten from other sources claiming that those people were streaming. If those people had the safety to stream at the same location, why were our own professional broadcasters licensed by government to pick any of those visuals to corroborate the story they were offering”
At 31, Lagos-born Espago is redefining what it means to be a late bloomer in the Nigerian music
space. After spending years as a chef, designer, and farmer, Espago turned to music just a year
ago on a journey sparked by deep loss, life experience, and self-discovery.
What makes him different? It’s not just his sound, it’s his story. Espago brings a calm but
confident energy that mirrors his Lagos upbringing: a blend of vibrant Fuji rhythms and soulful
Afrobeat traditions like King Sunny Ade, shaped by global legends like Michael Jackson and
Celine Dion. His voice? Professionally trained. His brand? Stylish, grounded, and intentional.
Espago didn’t wait for the industry to find him; he found his own way in, teaching himself,
searching out producers, and building his identity from scratch. With no major label backing and
no big-name features, he has still built a brand marked by boldness, emotion, and Lagos street
authenticity.
He’s not just making music; he’s building a lifestyle brand. His creative roots are in food,
fashion, and music fused into something richer than just a “sound.” It’s a full experience. While
he hasn’t performed live yet, he’s putting in the work behind the scenes, mentoring new artists,
recording regularly to sharpen his voice and brand for bigger stages ahead.
In a scene dominated by speed, Espago’s journey is about intentional growth, honest
expression, and emotional connection.
As the new class of Afro‑HipHop begins to take shape, Espago stands out not just for what he’s
making, but for who he is becoming.
Rising artist Derriq isn’t just making music for entertainment; he’s building a legacy rooted in culture, resilience, and pride. The Lagos-based Afro-soul and Afrobeats singer has his eyes set on something bigger than streaming numbers: putting his hometown of Benin City on the global creative map is his dream.
A native of Edo State, Derriq’s musical journey began as a child organizing school parties just for the chance to perform. Since then, he’s gone from studio assistant to full-fledged artist, releasing impactful tracks like “Position,” “Vibration,” and “Confidence.” His sound, described as smooth, calm, and party-ready, reflects the duality of his personality: laid-back yet determined, quiet but powerful.
Derriq is more than just a promising name on Nigeria’s growing music roster; he’s a symbol of the next generation of artists who blend regional identity with global appeal using his distinctive voice, a strong sense of direction, and his signature slang “Yehboo! Yezaiii!” making waves among fans, Derriq is proving that cultural authenticity still cuts through the noise.
His next single, “Omo n’ Ogie,” is a tribute to his heritage and a signal that he’s just getting started. Keep your eyes on Derriq, he’s not just singing for the moment, he’s singing for a movement.
Follow @DerriqMusic on all social platforms
For interviews and press: derriqmusic@gmail.com
Good morning! Here is today’s summary from Nigerian Newspapers:
1. President Bola Tinubu will address the nation in a broadcast today, Sunday, August 4, 2024. Mr Ajuri Ngelale, Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, announced this in a statement, on Saturday, saying the broadcast would hold at 7am.
2. The Commissioner of Police in Borno State, Yusuf Lawal, on Saturday confirmed the killing of four persons along Baga Road in Maiduguri, Borno State during the nationwide #EndBadGoverment protest. He said Boko Haram elements infiltrated the protesters and killed four persons on Thursday with explosives at a filling station.
3. Many persons have been feared killed while others sustained injuries as hoodlums clashed with security operatives in Kano. It was gathered that Rijiyar Lemo, Kurna to Bachirawa areas in Fagge Local Government, Kofar Nassarawa in Kano municipal and Unguwa Uku area of Tarauni Local Government are the worst hit areas.
4. The leadership of the organised labour, on Saturday, warned the Nigeria Police Force and other security forces to stop what it described as a “massacre” of protesters carrying out nationwide demonstrations against hunger in the land.
5. Leading Human Rights group, Amnesty International Nigeria, has said over 50 protesters were arrested in Abuja on the third day of the demonstration against hardship in the land.
6. Former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar has urged the police and other security agencies to stop shooting and killing protesters demanding good governance in Nigeria. Atiku in a statement on Saturday, questioned the professionalism of the security agencies in the handling of the ongoing demonstrations.
7. Some of the organisers and supporters of the ongoing protest have set up pages to raise over N4bn through GoFundMe, a popular online crowdfunding platform. A check on Saturday showed that a total of N4.1bn had been benchmarked to be donated through accounts created by three GoFundMe users.
8. Tragedy struck again in Imo State on Saturday evening when some gunmen reportedly shot dead the President-General of Umucheke Okwe autonomous community in Onuimo Local Government Area of Imo State, Hyginus Ohazurike. Six village heads from the autonomous community were also allegedly killed by the gunmen.
9. The Federal Capital Territory Commissioner of Police, Bennett Igweh has said his men were not responsible for the death of a teenager in the Kubwa area of the FCT. In a viral video, a man claimed that police, while dispersing protesters, shot dead a teenager in the Kubwa area.
10. The Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Atiku Bagudu has said President Bola Tinubu is keeping an eye on the ongoing #EndBadGovernance demonstrations across the country.
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