Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation, OGBC, a radio station owned by the Ogun State government was amongst 52 broadcast stations which lost their licenses, Friday, over unpaid debt amounting to N2.6b

Also in the list of the stations whose licenses were withdrawn by the Federal Government is the first independent radio station in Ogun State, Rock City FM owned by Boot Communications Ltd.

A former Commissioner for Information in the State, Niran Malaolu, is the promoter of the Station.

The affected broadcast station has the next 24 hours to shut down their stations.

The National Broadcasting Commission, NBC, announced the revocation of the licenses at a press conference in Abuja.

Other affected stations are Africa Independent Television, AIT; RayPower FM, of Daar Communications Limited; Silverbird TV, amongst others.

Mallam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Director General of National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) said the decision to revoke the licenses became necessary as all efforts to make the stations pay had yielded no successful result.

Ilelah said the list of the debtors was published three months ago in National Dailies, adding that all the affected broadcast stations have refused to pay their debt.

According to him, the continuous operations of the stations are threats to national security adding that same violates the National Broadcasting - Commission Act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10(a) of the third schedule of the Act.

"In May 2022, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) published in the National Dailies, the list of licensees that are indebted to the Commission, and granted them two weeks to renew their licenses and pay their debts or consider their licenses revoked, frequencies withdrawn and the withdrawn frequencies reassigned to others who are ready to abide by the necessary requirements.

"Three months after the publication, some licensees are yet to pay their outstanding debts, in contravention of the National Broadcasting - Commission Act CAP N11, Laws of the Federation of Nigeria, 2004, particularly section 10(a) of the third schedule of the Act.

"In view of this development, the continued operation of the debtor. stations is illegal and constitutes a threat to national security.

"Therefore, after due consideration, the NBC hereby announces the revocation of the licenses of the under-listed stations and gives them 24 hours to shut down their operations. Our offices nationwide are, hereby directed to collaborate with security agencies to ensure immediate compliance," he said.

The NBC boss, who was in company of Dr. Igomu Onoja, Secretary to the Commission, and other senior management staff of the Commission, listed the affected stations to also include Network FM Abuja, Network Greetings FM, Greetings Media Ltd FM Network, Tao FM Ovidi Communications Ltd FM Okene, Zuma FM Ltd Suleja, Crowther FM Crowther Communications Ltd FM Abuja, We FM Kings Broadcasting Ltd FM Benin, Linksman International Ltd Keffi.

Others are Boma Broadcasting Services Ltd Abuja, MITV Murhi International Group Ltd, Ibadan Classic FM, Pinkt Nigeria Ltd Port-Harcourt, Classic FM Pinkt Nigeria Ltd Lagos, Classic TV Pinkt Nigeria Ltd Lagos, Beat FM Megalectrics Ltd Lagos, Cooper Communications Ltd Lagos, and Splash FM of West Midlands Ltd Ibadan, among other private radio and television stations.

Other government owned stations affected include Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation, Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation, Niger State Broadcasting Corporation, Gombe State Broadcasting Corporation, Osun State Broadcasting Corporation, Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation, Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation, Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation, Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation, and Imo State Broadcasting Corporation.

Others are Anambra State Broadcasting Corporation, Borno State Broadcasting Corporation, Yobe State Broadcasting Corporation, Sokoto State Broadcasting Corporation, Zamfara State Broadcasting Corporation, Kebbi State Broadcasting Corporation, Jigawa State Broadcasting Corporation, Kaduna State Broadcasting Corporation, and Katsina State Broadcasting Corporation.

Mallam Shehu Ilelah, who emphasized that the licenses revocation has nothing to do with politics, called on stations that have not renewed their licenses for the current duration to do so within the next 30 days to avoid sanctions.

"All Broadcast stations who have not renewed their licenses for the current duration are advised do so within the next 30 days to avoid sanctions. The Commission also calls on all IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) - and all other broadcast stations that are streaming online to register with the Commission to avoid disconnection. Broadcasters should note that, having a DTT or FM license does not warrant a broadcaster to stream online; they are two different licenses," he said.

According to the NBC boss, over 1000 broadcasting stations are currently operating in Nigeria and some the 54 stations being shutdown have been indebted to the federal government since 2015.