Following the purported arrest of Channels TV Sunrise Daily presenters over alleged anti-Buhari interviews Thursday morning, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says the programme which had Samuel Ortom, the Governor of Benue State contained inciting, divisive and unfair comments which the anchors failed to interrogate.
Samuel Ortom had featured on Channels TV Sunrise Daily programme on Tuesday, August 24 where he commented on the ongoing insecurity across the country.
But the NBC in a letter to the management of Channels TV said that the comments by the Benue Governor and the failure of the presenters to properly interrogate them violated some sections of the Broadcasting Code such as Sections 1.10:4, 3.1.1, 3.3(1b),3.3.1(e), 3.11(a) and 3.12.2.
In the letter signed by Balarabe Shehu Ilelah, Director General of NBC, Channels TV was requested to answer the query within 24 hours of receiving the letter.
Earlier on Thursday, there were media reports that Chamberlain Usoh and Kayode Okikiolu, both presenters of Channels TV Sunrise Daily were picked up by operatives of the State Security Service (SSS).
Their arrest was said to be connected with interviews with Governor Ortom during which he accused President Muhammadu Buhari of promoting a Fulanisation agenda, and another guest, Commodore Kunle Olawunmi (rtd) who revealed that people who are high up in the Buhari’s government are sponsors of Boko Haram.