NBC withdraws suspension of Daar Communications’ licence

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), has withdrawn the suspension of the operating licence of Daar Communications Plc, owners of Africa Independent Television (AIT) and Raypower 100.5FM.

The withdrawal followed a series of meetings between the NBC and Daar Communications Plc and a consent judgment of the court in Suit No FHC/ABJ/C5/595/2019.

Recall that on June 6, 2019, the NBC suspended the operating license of Daar Communications Plc over content reported on the latter’s platform.

As a result of the suspension, Daar Communications Plc secured the judgement of a Federal High Court in Abuja, which reinstated its operating license.

Following the development, both parties went into a series of conciliatory meetings resulting in the final withdrawal of the suspension slammed on Daar Communications Plc.

Briefing journalists in Abuja, the Director-General of the NBC, Is’haq Modibbo Kawu, said the intervention of the Nigerian Press Organisation (NPO) under the leadership of its National Chairman, Nduka Obaigbena, and respected elders, Uncle Sam Amuka, publisher of Vanguard newspapers and Chairman of Bulet International Construction Company, Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua, the NBC met DAAR Communications, to find an amicable resolution of the issues.

“After several meetings, we reached an agreement, which also became the basis of the court judgement that was delivered two days ago. We want to especially thank Uncle Sam Amuka, and Alhaji Samaila Isa Funtua, who hosted the conciliatory meetings, and especially Nduka Obaigbena, the Chairman of the NPO, for his remarkable effort at brokering the settlement. He ensured that NPAN did not join the bandwagon of an almost pavlovian reflexive condemnation of the NBC, but chose instead, to find a way for the contending issues between regulator and licensee, to be amicably resolved in the overall interest of the country,” Kawu said.