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JUST IN: NBC Vows To Appeal Judgements Against Its Regulatory Mandates

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National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has vowed to appeal against the judgement by a Federal High Court in Abuja, which nullified the powers of the Commission to impose fines on broadcast stations that violates the provisions of the country’s Broadcasting codes.

Reacting to the ruling , NBC Director-General, Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, said : ” NBC will appeal against the judgement when found to be in conflict with the previous judgements of the Court, which empowers the Commission to regulate Broadcasting in Nigeria.”

He said that the Commission has applied for a certified copy of the judgement.
It is a global best practices and the ethics of the legal profession, that no party can freely comment on a judgement it has not seen and read,” he said.

Ohibaba.com reported that in the previous judgements, an Abuja-based Federal High Court had ruled that the NBC had the authority to impose sanctions on errant stations.

At the time, Justice N. E. Maha in April 2022 had ruled in a case brought against NBC by seven organisations led by the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP).

In a Certified True Copy of the judgement, Justice Maha had interpreted the provision of Section 2(1)(n) of the NBC Act, 1992.

The provision states, “The Commission shall have the responsibility of determining and applying sanctions including revocation of licences of defaulting stations which do not operate in accordance with the broadcast code and in public interest.”

Relying on the provision, Justice Maha held, “The law is settled that a regulator imposing fines under its enabling law in the discharge of its functions could not have acted unconstitutionally.
In Moses Ediru v Federal Road Safety Commission and 20 ors(supra) the court held that the FRSC Act gives the Commission the right to impose and enforce sanctions and such right does not derogate from the judicial powers of the court as provided in the constitution.

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US Declares 23 Nigerian States High-Risk for Citizens

Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.

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Photo: President Donald Trump; President Bola Tinubu

The United States Department of State has classified 23 Nigerian states “High Insecurity Risks” for its citizens to go , work and live.

In an updated travel advisory issued on Wednesday, the Embassy in Nigeria urged Americans to reconsider travel to Nigeria, with certain states classified under “Level 4: Do Not Travel” due to heightened security risks.

Plateau, Jigawa, Kwara, Niger, and Taraba were added to the list, bringing the total to 23 states where travel is strongly discouraged.

In Northern Nigeria, the advisory highlighted Borno, Jigawa, Kogi, Kwara, Niger, Plateau, Taraba, Yobe, and northern Adamawa as particularly high-risk, citing terrorism, kidnapping, and violent crime.Bauchi, Gombe, Kaduna, Kano, Katsina, Sokoto, and Zamfara were also flagged due to civil unrest, widespread crime, and kidnappings.

“The security situation in these states is unstable and uncertain due to civil unrest. Widespread violence between communities and armed crime, including kidnapping and roadside banditry.

“Security operations to counter these threats may occur without warning,” the advisory warned.

Southern and Southeastern states were not spared. The Department urged caution in Abia, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta, Enugu, Imo, and Rivers (excluding Port Harcourt), citing crime, kidnapping, and violent protests.

“Crime is widespread in Southern Nigeria. There is a high risk of kidnapping, violent protests, and armed gangs,” the advisory stated.

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INEC releases updated voters registration figure nationwide

Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.

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The Independent National Electoral Commission has recorded over 3.4 million new voters in the ongoing second phase of the Continuous Voter Registration exercise nationwide.

The figure is disclosed by the Commission in its week 13 update released on Wednesday in Abuja.

” A total of 3,441,121 registrations have been completed as of April 3, covering both online pre-registrations and physical walk-ins,” said INEC .

Given the breakdown, INEC explained that 2,068,384 citizens completed their registration online, while 1,372,737 others registered physically at designated centres across the country.

State-by-state data showed that Jigawa recorded the highest number of registrants with 201,047, representing 5.84 percent of the total.

Lagos followed with 181,095, while Kano ranked third with 177,681 registrations.Youth participation remained dominant, with citizens aged between 18 and 34 accounting for 2,354,768 registrants, representing 68.43 per cent of the total figure.

Gender distribution indicated a higher turnout among women, with females accounting for 1,922,143 registrations (55.86 percent), compared to 1,518,978 males (44.14 percent).

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Lagos Announces Traffic Diversions for Wednesday and Thursday Project Commissionings

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The Lagos State Government has unveiled a comprehensive traffic diversion plan for Wednesday, April 8, and Thursday, April 9, 2026, in preparation for the commissioning of several key infrastructure projects by President Bola Tinubu.

According to the state Ministry of Transportation, partial road closures and diversions will be implemented in affected areas to ensure smooth movement during the events, which include the inauguration of the Ojota-Opebi Link Bridge and other major projects such as the Lagos State Geographic Information Service building in Alausa and the Tolu Schools Complex.

On Wednesday, April 8, diversions will be enforced around venues for the commissioning ceremonies, while on Thursday, April 9, restrictions will apply between 9:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. during the Tolu Schools Complex event and additional project unveilings.

Motorists have been advised to use alternative routes and plan their journeys accordingly to avoid delays. The government urged residents and commuters to cooperate with traffic management officials and security personnel deployed to the areas.

The projects form part of ongoing efforts to improve infrastructure and education facilities across the state. Further details on specific diversion routes are expected to be released by the Ministry of Transportation in the coming hours.

Commuters are encouraged to monitor official announcements via Lagos State traffic radio and social media handles for real-time updates.

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