Lai Mohammed says the BBC and Trust TV have by their actions become accomplices to terrorists and bandits in the name of reporting.
By Ishaya Ibrahim, News Editor
The recently released documentary, ‘Bandits Warlords of Zamfara’ aids terrorism, says the minister of information and culture, Lai Mohammed.
The documentary traces the origin of banditry in Zamfara to communal clashes between communities of Hausa and Fulani. Interviews with top leaders of the banditry, including Hassan Tawaye (Hassan the Rebel) and Ado Aliero, who is the notorious terrorist kingpin recently turban as a traditional ruler in Zamfara State but the decision rescinded after an outcry by Nigerians, were featured.
In the documentary viewed by TheNiche, Aliero was asked how many people he has killed, he said too many to remember.
For the Federal Government, the documentaries by the BBC and Trust TV represent the obscene glorification and fueling terrorism, banditry in Nigeria.
Mohammed’s rage is also shared by prominent journalist, Kadaria Ahmed, who argued that the international broadcaster could not attempt that in the UK.
The one hour documentary also features an interview with the mastermind of the Jangebe school kidnapping. The bandit kingpin who led the attack claimed the state government paid N60 million in exchange for the release of the over 300 girls.
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Mohammed said the Federal Government is aware of the unprofessional documentary by the BBC, Africa Eye, where interviews were granted to bandit warlords and terror gangs, thereby promoting terror in the country.
He condemned the BBC for not upholding the same standards and tenets as they would have done in the UK.
The minister also condemned Trust Tv, owned by Media Trust Ltd. for using its platform to grant interview to a bandit kingpin, Shehu Rekeb, thereby promoting activities of terrorists.
According to him, both platforms by their actions have become accomplices to terrorists and bandits in the name of reporting.
The minister said the appropriate regulatory body was already looking at the infractions and appropriate sanctions would be meted to both platforms.
“There is a regulatory body regulating broadcasting which is the Nigeria Broadcasting Commission (NBC) and they are also aware of these two incidents.
“They are looking at which part of the Broadcasting Code that has been violated by the BBC and Trust TV.
“Media is the oxygen that terrorists and bandits use to breathe.
“When otherwise reputable platforms like BBC can give their platform to terrorists showing their faces as if they are Nollywood stars, it is unfortunate.
“I want to assure them that they will not get away with it, appropriate sanctions will be meted to both the BBC and the Trust Tv,’’ he said.
The minister said that the fact that the BBC is a foreign medium and not under NBC regulations, notwithstanding, sanctions will be meted to the medium.
“Let me assure you that they will not get away with the naked glorification of terrorism and banditry in Nigeria.
“If they are not registered in Nigeria and they are only sending their signals to Nigeria, we will ask them to stop sending the signals.
“I know that during the IRA days, the BBC will not dare do what they are doing now in Nigeria.
“It is because there is a country called Nigeria that they are operating here,’’ he said.
The minister reiterated that the government would not tolerate any attempt by any media organisation to use its platform to set the country on fire.
