Court Grants MRA Leave To Sue NBC Over Details Of Broadcast License Fees

Justice Ambrose Lewis-Allagoa of the Federal High Court in Lagos has granted Media Rights Agenda (MRA) permission to sue the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for failing to honour its Freedom of Information (FOI) request on fee pay by broadcasting stations to renew their licenses.

Justice Lewis-Allagoa granted the leave after entertaining an application of mandamus file by MRA, seeking to apply for an order of court to compel NBC to provide it with the information.

The civil society organisation had in a FOI letter dated August 22, 2022 asked the NBC to disclose details of payments of license fees by broadcasting stations and platforms operating in Nigeria and the amount owed the Commission by stations as license fees.

In the suit in which the NBC and the Attorney-General of the Federation are named as Respondents, MRA is contending that the failure of the NBC to provide the requested information amounts to a breach of its right of access to information as well as a flagrant violation of the FOI Act.

It is, therefore, asking the court for an order directing the NBC to pay the organisation the sum of N1 million as exemplary and aggravated damages for the flagrant and unlawful violation of the organization’s right of access to information.

MRA is also praying the court for an order directing the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister for Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN) to initiate criminal proceedings against the NBC for the offence of wrongful denial of access to information under Section 7 (5) of the FOI Act.