Restrict airing of BBNaija show in public places within 30 days – Lawyer petitions NCC

Activist lawyer, Maduabuchi Idam has petitioned the Nigerian Communications Commission, NCC, to regulate, ban, or restrict the dissemination of the Big Brother Naija reality show within 30 days.

Idam charged NCC to restrict the dissemination of the Big Brother Naija show in restaurants, gardens, saloons to prevent accidental dissemination of explicit content in public, for the safety of underage children and the protection of the fundamental human rights of ‘uninterested’ citizens.

Idam, in a pre-action notice, insisted that the reality show has promoted real-time pornographic activities and obscene content within its two weeks of being aired.

In the petition titled ‘Petition to ban or strictly regulate the promotion, broadcast, and dissemination of the reality show “Big Brother Naija” for obscene, indecent and profane contents, pursuant to the Nigerian communications commission Act 1992 and cybercrimes (Prohibition, and prevention e.t.c.) Act, 2015’, Idam threatened legal action if his concerns are not addressed within the stipulated time.

The petition reads: “Sequel to the powers vested in the NCC, by the relevant laws in Nigeria, I, as concerned Nigerian citizen and a Civil Rights and Public Interest Legal Practitioner, hereby present to the NCC, a petition, seeking the immediate ban or strict regulation of the program “Bigbrother Naija reality” show.

“Premised on the flagrant obscenity and profane content freely aired on the said television program and disseminated on social media by the host company Multi-Choice Nigeria Limited, I am constrained to write this petition demanding the immediate ban or strict regulation of the program to protect public decency and societal values.

“It is public knowledge that the ongoing program has been characterized with the exhibition of real-time pornographic activities and obscene content which is aired not only on national yrlevision, but provocatively promoted and disseminated on social media vide verified social media handles of the host company, in utter disregard to decent communication, community standards or societal norms, and in violation of the relevant provisions of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention etc.) Act, 2015 and the NCC ACT 1992.

“Alarmed that the program which does not offer educative, artistic, scientific nor literary value to Nigerian society except serving the private economic interest of the host company, would if not banned or strictly regulated, pose a grave danger on the media and communication space of Nigeria.

“Therefore, by this petition, the NCC is urged to, within thirty (30) days from the service of same, invoke its regulatory powers and accede to the demand(s) set out below:

“Place an outright ban on the program “Bigbrother Naija reality Show” Or Regulate the promotion and dissemination of the explicit contents of the program on social media by the host company using its social media handles.

“Restrict the public viewing of the program in places, such as; restaurants, gardens, saloons, etc., to prevent accidental dissemination of explicit content in public, for the safety of underage children and the protection of the fundamental human rights of ‘uninterested’ citizens to their thoughts, conscience, religion and belief.

“TAKE NOTICE that the NCC is by this petition given Thirty (30) Days’ Pre-Action Notice within which to comply with the demand herein made and also furnish me with the details of the measures taken in respect of the demand(s) made.

“NOTE FURTHER that, on behalf of the teeming aggrieved members of the public, and myself, I shall be seeking redress in court of competent jurisdiction, in the event that the NCC failed, refused or neglected to accede my request within the time frame given.”