Just In:NBC Revokes AIT, Silverbird, 50 Other Broadcast Licenses

The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has revoked the broadcast licenses of Silverbird TV, AIT and 50 other broadcasters following their failure to renew their broadcast licenses.

This was announced by the Director-General of the NBC, Malam Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, while briefing journalists in Abuja on Friday.

According to Shehu, AIT, Silverbird, Raypower FM, Rhythm FM and 48 other stations were indebted to the NBC to the tune of N2.6bn since 2015.

While directing its state offices to liaise with security agencies to ensure the shutdown of the operation of the affected stations within the next 24 hours, the NBC director said there was no political undertone in revoking the license of the defaulting broadcast stations.

He urged the stations to pay their fees before 24 hours to avert total disconnection.

The broadcasting regulator said it had earlier granted the affected stations two weeks to renew their licenses and pay their debts or consider their licenses revoked.

However, three months after the notice, some of the affected stations are yet to settle their debt with the NBC 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.

The list of affected broadcasters and stations are:Silverbird TV

Rhythm FM Abuja

Rhythm FM Lagos

Rhythm FM Yenagoa

Rhythm FM Port Harcourt

Rhythm FM Jos

Rhythm FM Benin

AIT/Raypower FM

Greetings FMT

ao FM

Zuma FM

Crowther FM

We FMLinksman International ItdBomay Broadcasting Services Itd

MITV (Murhi International Group Ltd)

Classic FM Port Harcourt

Classic FM Lagos

Classic TVBeat

FMCooper Communications Itd

Splash FM

Rock City FM

Family FM

Space FM

Radio Jeremi

Breeze FM

Vibes FM

Family Love FM

Wave FM

Kogi State Broadcasting Corporation

Kwara State Broadcasting Corporation

Niger State Broadcasting Corporation

Gombe State Broadcasting Corporation

Lagos State Broadcasting Corporation

Lagos DSB

Osun State Broadcasting Corporation

Ogun State Broadcasting Corporation

Ondo State Broadcasting Corporation

Rivers State Broadcasting Corporation

Bayelsa State Broadcasting Corporation

Cross River State Broadcasting Corporation

Imo State Broadcasting Corporation

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

Katsina State Broadcasting Corporation