Broadcasting
Alleged N2.5Bn Fraud: Court Orders NBC Boss to Appear ‘Even on Stretcher’
Federal High Court, Abuja, has ordered Mr Abdullahi Mustapha (SAN), to produce Kawu Modibbo, director-general of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), in court on the next adjourned date of April 17 to take his plea.
Justice Folashade Ogunbanjo-Giwa gave the order, following the absence of Modibbo in court to answer to fraud charges levelled against him by the Independent Corrupt Practices and other related offences Commission, (ICPC).
Modibbo, Lucky Omoluwa, founder of Pinnacle Communications Ltd (third defendant); Dipo Onifade (2nd defendant) and Pinnacle Communications Ltd (4th defendant) are facing trial over allegations of fraud in the digital switch over project of the Federal Government.
When the matter was called, Mustapha told the court that Modibbo was not present in court based on health grounds.
“My lord, let me apologise for the absence of Modibbo in court. He is on admission. He had a major surgery 10 years ago, and is ill.
“I have a medical report from the University of Illorin Teaching Hospital to confirm that he is currently ill, and I shall be filing it before the court registry,” he said.
Kawu Modibbo, DG, NBC
He prayed the court for an adjournment based on the health of his client and pending when he (Modibbo) will be well enough to stand trial.
Mr Henry Emore, prosecuting counsel, did not oppose the oral application for an adjournment.
Emore, however, said it should be on record that they had taken one adjournment out of 5, as stipulated by the Administration of Criminal Justice Act (ACJA) 2015 in criminal cases.
Mr Alex Izinyon, (SAN), who announced appearance for the 2nd and 3rd defendants also did not oppose the application for an adjournment.
Izinyon said his not opposing was based on the fact that only the living could praise God; and only the living could face trial.
He, however, drew the attention of the court to the fact that the statement of Emore on adjournment was not applicable to the other defendants and the court affirmed.
Justice Ogunbanjo-Giwa said she would not bend over backwards again to grant an adjournment exceeding two weeks based on the provision of Section 396 of ACJA.
She also directed the prosecuting counsel to verify the authenticity of the medical report filed by Modibbo’s counsel and file a report on it to the court.
She adjourned the matter until April 17 for the defendants to take their plea, and May 2, 3, 8 and 9 for commencement of trial.
National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has said that Nigerians will no longer pay annual Digital Access Fees under the renewed Digital Switch Over (DSO) project.
Charles Ebuebu, director-general, NBC, disclosed this in an exclusive interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Wednesday in Abuja,
Ebuebu said viewers only need to purchase an approved decoder and satellite dish which cost below N20,000 to enjoy free television permanently.
“Previously, users paid an annual digital access fee of about N1,500, described as an administrative charge.
“The new system removes that annual fee. It provides free access to free-to-air television channels without any payment.
“Premium channels will be introduced later. Viewers who want those additional channels will be able to access them through paid services.
“Nigerian content on free-to-air channels remains free to watch. Unlike Pay TV, this platform does not require monthly subscriptions for its basic service,” he said
Ebuebu said approved decoders for the FreeTV will cost less than N20,000 and authorised sales outlets will soon be announced.
He urged Nigerians to wait for official information on approved dealers for the DSO decoders, warning that unauthorised sellers are exploiting growing public demand.
He reiterated that people only need a free-to-air decoder, along with a satellite dish instead of the old antenna system to receive the DSO signal.
“Once the equipment is installed, viewers can access all available channels across the country without paying any subscription fees,” he stressed
The DG dismissed claims by some retailers that there are different categories of decoders sold at varying prices, stressing that such sellers are not authorised by the commission.
According to him, the NBC will soon publish the list of approved dealers, official prices, and locations where genuine decoder boxes and accessories can be purchased.
The NBC boss said the DSO project is designed not only to improve television broadcasting but also to stimulate economic growth by creating jobs, attracting investment, and opening up opportunities for businesses that support the broadcasting industry.
Ebuebu noted that content producers and broadcasters stand to benefit significantly from the nationwide reach of the DSO platform.
Unlike the previous system, where many stations had limited regional audiences, he said the new platform will make their channels available to viewers across Nigeria.
He added that the introduction of audience measurement technology will provide scientific and reliable data on television viewership.
Ebuebu added that audience measurement technology will give advertisers greater confidence in placing adverts and enable broadcasters to demonstrate the true size and reach of their audiences nationwide.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker, has raised concerns over the alleged unauthorised broadcast of Nollywood films by some Ghanaian television stations, calling on Ghana’s National Film Authority (NFA) to strengthen the enforcement of copyright laws.
Uchenna Mbunabo, Nigerian filmmaker
Mbunabo made the remarks during a conversation with James Gardiner, deputy CEO of the National Film Authority (NFA) of Ghana.
He questioned whether it was permissible for television stations in Ghana to download Nigerian movies from YouTube and air them without obtaining permission from the producers.
“I noticed that Ghanaian TV stations, the way they are stealing our films and showing them for free with impunity. Is it legalised in your country for TV stations to go on YouTube, download people’s sweat and show it for free?”
According to Mbunabo, some Ghanaian television stations have been downloading newly released Nollywood films from YouTube and broadcasting them without authorisation, depriving producers of revenue generated through the platform.
He also stated that he had not witnessed Nigerian television stations engaging in similar practices and questioned what measures Ghana was taking to protect filmmakers’ intellectual property.
Responding to the concerns, Gardiner acknowledged that the issue exists and said the National Film Authority had begun engaging relevant stakeholders to address it.
He disclosed that the NFA has held discussions with the Ministry of Communications, the National Communications Authority (NCA) and the National Media Commission (NMC) on improving copyright enforcement.
Gardiner explained that while Ghana has copyright laws, enforcement remains challenging because many television stations now operate digitally and may not have physical offices within the country.
“There are copyright laws, but they are not effective because a lot of the TV stations don’t have offices. Most of them are now digital, so they operate from anywhere. They can even have a Ghanaian TV station but be operating from Austria simply because it is digital.”
He added that authorities are considering a new licensing framework that would require broadcasters to undergo a fresh licensing process to improve monitoring and enforcement.
According to Gardiner, television stations found guilty of illegally broadcasting copyrighted content would be required to compensate affected producers through fines.
He added that repeat offenders could face suspension of their broadcasting licences, while a third violation could result in the revocation of their licences.
Although he did not provide a specific timeline, Gardiner said the reforms were already underway and expressed hope that significant progress would be seen next year.
Mbunabo welcomed the proposed measures but urged the National Film Authority to expedite the process, stating that unauthorised broadcasts continue to affect filmmakers’ ability to recover production costs through legitimate distribution channels such as YouTube.
He also stressed that his comments were not directed at Ghana’s film industry, noting that he has worked with several Ghanaian actors over the years and supports collaborations between Nollywood and Ghallywood.
FAAN to Replace Physical ID Check with V-Pass Biometric Verification
World Bank Says 79 Percent of Nigerians Still Trapped in Poverty despite Reforms
SEC Begins Drive to Recover Unclaimed Dividends
ntel Plays Down Calls and Data Services, Moves to BET Agenda
Nigeria Facing Rising Cybercrime Losses – Report
NRC, Ponzi Scheme Collapses Resulting Loss of Billions of Naira
Nigeria Launches FreeTV Nationwide
NASENI Moves to Digitize CCB’s 5m Assets Declaration and Operations
Lebara Nigeria Launches Lebara Play, Africa’s First Telecom-Owned Micro-Drama Platform
CANAL+ Partners Samsung to Pre-Load DStv Stream on New Samsung TVs In Nigeria, Other African Countries
E-Business3 days agoTD Africa Sponsors Check Point Secure 360 Summit to Boost Cybersecurity in Nigeria
Telecom3 days agoMTN Foundation, MUSON Celebrate Emerging Music Talents at 2026 Graduation Ceremony
Telecom3 days agoNITDA Calls for Digital Infrastructure Expansion to Drive Nigeria’s Industrialisation
News3 days agoGuinness Rolls Out Nationwide Consumer Rewards Promotion
E-Financial3 days agoNext Currency Crisis May Turn $300Bn in Stablecoins into National Currencies
E-Financial3 days agoGigbanc Nigerian Fintech Startup Closes Shop after 3 Years
General News3 days agoFirst Trustees Advocates Estate Planning as an Essential Tool in Every Wealth Creation Strategy
Broadcasting3 days agoMbunabo, Nigerian Filmmaker Accuses Ghana TV Stations of Pirating Nollywood Films