by Olatunji Saliu and Olayemi Fadare

ABUJA, June 7 (Xinhua) -- Nigerians have called for the redefining of laws guiding local media following the recent suspension of the operating license of a popular broadcast station in the country.

The Nigerian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) on Thursday halted the operation of Daar Communications, owner of the African Independent Television (AIT), Raypower FM and Faaji FM, for allegedly violating broadcast rules in some aired programs.

The station was accused of airing "hate speech, divisive and inciting comments," breaching the provisions of the NBC's code and had been summoned in the last two years, the director-general of the Nigerian regulatory body, Modibbo Kawu said.

According to Kawu, instead of the station making amends, it rather "resorted to the use of media propaganda against the regulator."

The NBC is a parastatal of the government established by law and vested with the responsibilities of, among other things, regulating and controlling the broadcasting industry in Nigeria.

Prior to the suspension, the owner of the broadcast station, Raymond Dokpesi led a protest in view of the warning issued by the regulating body, accusing the latter of clamping down on free speech.

Following the suspension, concerned Nigerians and media bodies alike, including the Nigerian Guild of Editors and Nigeria Union of Journalists, utterly condemned the act, describing it as a way to "arm-twist or gag the media."

Media experts and analysts are also calling for redefining of the broadcasting laws in the country.

Abiodun Adeniyi, a mass communication scholar, described the regulatory body's action as "most unfair," especially in a democratic dispensation.

"An extreme infraction, their inability to pay practicing fee is quite understandable but sanctioning them because of nebulous national interest is seen as an unfair action which won't stand in a democratic dispensation," Adeniyi said. "The laws setting up the NBC should actually be reviewed to reflect the changing times in communication and administration of media organization."

The suspension has gained momentum on social media, as hashtags such as "#IStandWithFreePress #PressFreedom" have been trending on Twitter.

Emmanuel Ohiomokhare, a media expert, urged the regulating body to review its definition of hate speech or items that require censorship.

"What they (the broadcast station) have done is to provide an alternative to government voice, the fact that they criticize the government does not make whatever they are doing hate speech. I think we should begin to redefine what exactly should be censored and not be censored or what incites hate speech," Ohiomokhare opined

He urged the NBC to further caution and advise the broadcast station, rather than go too far by placing an indefinite suspension on the media entity. "You don't close down a station in the 21st century," he said.

Huge concerns have also risen on the fate of those working in the local media station.

Nigerian netizen Petra Onyegbule advised the NBC to exercise discretion in some cases where harsh punishment might cause ripple effects.

"That punishment is deserved doesn't mean discretion cannot be employed. Revoking the license without consideration to other factors doesn't speak well of wanting the overall good," Onyegbule wrote on Facebook.

A Federal High Court sitting in Nigeria's capital Abuja has, however, nullified the suspension of the broadcast station's operating license.

Daar Communications on Thursday requested the court to order the regulatory body to revert its ban, saying it did not breach any broadcast code.

On its own part, the NBC said its recent monitoring reports on AIT/Raypower indicate the "use of divisive comments accredited to the segment of a program called "Kakaaki", tagged, "Kakaaki Social," where inciting comments like, "Nigeria is cursed, we declare independent state of Niger Delta", "Nigeria irritates me," "this country is gradually Islamizing" and other similar slogans were used without editorial control in breach of the broadcast Code. Enditem

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