Amnesty Int’l condemns ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s song
Amnesty International has condemned the National Broadcasting Commission’s (NBC) ban on Nigerian rapper Eedris Abdulkareem’s protest song “Tell Your Papa”, calling it a violation of freedom of expression and access to information.
In a statement released on Thursday, Amnesty labelled the ban as “unlawful, arbitrary, and deeply concerning,” arguing that it reflected an alarming trend of censorship under President Bola Tinubu’s government.
“The National Broadcasting Commission’s blatant ban of broadcasting Eedris Abdulkareem’s song “Tell Your Papa” is a clear violation of freedom of expression, which includes the right to obtain information,” Amnesty stated.
The NBC had prohibited the song from being aired, citing its critical nature and its commentary on the government and social issues, as a breach of certain sections of the Nigerian Broadcasting Code.
However, Amnesty International argued that the ban was not only unjustified but also an abuse of power. “Categorizing the song as ‘Not To Be Broadcast’ simply because it critiques the government and those in power is an unacceptable abuse of authority,” the organisation stated.
READ ALSO: SERAP gives NBC 48 hours to lift ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s song ‘Tell Your Papa’
It added that the ban was inconsistent with the right to access information and media freedom in the country.
Amnesty urged President Tinubu to take immediate action and order the NBC to lift the ban, calling on him to “direct the NBC to withdraw the bizarre ban which violates a range of human rights.”
The group also warned that such actions could have a severe chilling effect on artists, media houses, and freedom of expression in Nigeria.
“The arbitrary and unlawful ban by the NBC would have a disproportionate and chilling effect on the work of radio and television stations in Nigeria.
This clampdown on artistic freedom is an appalling reminder that artists are at the risk of being silenced. Nothing can justify suffocating creativity,” the statement read.
Amnesty further pointed out that the NBC’s actions place Nigeria in violation of its international obligations, particularly under the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights and the African Charter on Human and Peoples’ Rights, both of which protect the rights to free expression and artistic freedom.
“The use of the deeply flawed Nigerian Broadcasting Code to justify the ban shows a new level of intolerance for dissenting voices,” the organisation added.
The human rights group concluded by reiterating the need for urgent reforms to the NBC’s regulatory framework, which it claims has long been used to “curb dissent and muzzle the press.”
“The ban has highlighted the need to urgently repeal censorship regulations that stifle freedom of expression in the country,” Amnesty stated.
Amnesty cautioned that failure to reverse the ban could set a dangerous precedent for further government censorship.
“It is not too late for President Bola Tinubu’s government to withdraw the ban, which would have the dangerous repercussion of promoting censorship and creating a new atmosphere of fear and repression,” the statement said.
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