Baddegi FM Radio station dispute: Niger Govt opts for out-of-court resolution

In a bid to resolve its ongoing legal dispute with Badeggi FM Radio Station, the Niger State Government has opted for an out-of-court settlement.

During the resumed hearing of case number NSHC/M/0296/2025 on Monday at the Minna High Court, Attorney Jacob Johnson Usman, representing the defendants, said discussions had taken place with the opposing counsel, Barrister Philip Emmanuel, to resolve the matter amicably.

Usman said the decision to pursue a settlement was supported by key officials, including Niger State’s governor and attorney general, who noted the need to prioritise peace and the welfare of Niger State citizens.

Against this background, both parties agreed to reconvene on September 3, 2025, to report on the progress of the settlement.

The dispute began when the plaintiffs, including Badeggi FM Station, Badeggi Broadcasting Service Ltd, and its Managing Director, Mohammed Shaibu Badeggi, filed a suit against the respondents, namely the Governor of Niger State, the Attorney General, and the Urban Development Board, before a Minna High Court.

The court, presided over by Justice Mohammed Mohammed, granted an interim injunction prohibiting any actions by the respondents that might adversely affect the radio station’s broadcasting licence or its operations at the NTA premises in Uphill, Minna.

Barrister Emmanuel, counsel to the plaintiffs, had filed the original suit through an ex-parte motion backed by relevant provisions of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria and the guidelines set by the National Broadcasting Commission.

On August 2, 2025, Governor Mohammed Umaru Bago, in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, ordered the closure of the radio station, accusing it of inciting violence and unethical broadcasting practices.

Bago directed the Commissioner for Homeland Security and the Commissioner of Police to seal the station and revoke its broadcasting licence.

He also instructed security agencies to profile the station’s owner, Shaibu Badeggi, for promoting content that incites violence and encourages opposition against the state government.

Baddegi FM Radio station dispute: Niger Govt opts for out-of-court resolution