Echotitbits – Nigeria News

Tag: Channels TV

  • Global Humanitarian Focus: Channels TV Chairman to Lead Rotary Leadership Forum

    Global Humanitarian Focus: Channels TV Chairman to Lead Rotary Leadership Forum

    In an update published by The Punch, the Chairman and CEO of Channels Media Group, Dr. John Momoh, has been announced as the keynote speaker for the 2026 Rotary International District 9112 Team Learning Seminar. The event, scheduled for later this month in Lagos, is designed to prepare district officers for leadership roles within the global humanitarian organization for the upcoming 2026–2027 year.

    The seminar will focus on the intersection of professional excellence and humanitarian service. Dr. Momoh’s selection highlights the critical role of media and communication in driving social change and supporting the charitable activities of organizations like Rotary. The forum is expected to attract business leaders and philanthropists from across West Africa.

    Leadership newspaper validated the appointment, quoting the District Governor-elect who said, “Momoh’s leadership in the media space brings a unique perspective to our humanitarian mission.” ThisDay also covered the announcement, noting that the seminar would take place at the Orchid Hotel in Lekki. A Rotary official was quoted saying, “We need leaders who can communicate our vision to a modern, digital audience.”

    Echotitbits take:

    John Momoh’s involvement signifies a growing trend of “Corporate Social Leadership,” where Nigeria’s top business executives are taking more visible roles in civil society. This forum will likely set the tone for how NGOs in Nigeria leverage media partnerships to fundraise and execute projects in the face of dwindling international aid.

    Source: The Punch – https://punchng.com/channels-tv-chairman-headlines-rotary-leadership-forum/, and February 2, 2026

    Photo credit: The Punch

  • Advocacy Group Threatens NBC with Lawsuit Over “Illegal” Sanction of Arise, AIT, Channels TVs

    Advocacy Group Threatens NBC with Lawsuit Over “Illegal” Sanction of Arise, AIT, Channels TVs

    A legal and advocacy group, the Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has threatened to sue the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) over sanctions imposed on three national television station, AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV for airing images attributed to the alleged Lekki Shooting of unarmed #EndSARS protesters.

    In a swift reaction to the sanctions by the regulatory body, NBC on Monday, SERAP in a statement said it condemned the action, which it described as illegal fines.

    “We condemn the illegal fines of N9m reportedly imposed by the National Broadcasting Commission on Channels TV, AIT and Arise TV [N3m each] over their coverage of the #EndSARS protests. We’ll sue the NBC if the unconstitutional fines are not rescinded within 48 hours.

    “This action by the NBC is yet another example of Nigerian authorities’ push to silence independent media and voices. The NBC should drop the fines and uphold Nigerian constitution and international obligations to respect and protect freedom of expression and media freedom.

    “The fines are detrimental to freedom of expression and the media, and access to information in Nigeria, and the NBC must withdraw the decision”, SERAP stated.

    SERAP in its reaction to NBC’s sanction affirmed that media freedom and media plurality are a central part of the effective exercise of freedom of expression and access to information.

    It said: ‘”The ability to practice journalism free from undue interference, to cover peaceful protests, and critical views are crucial to the exercise of many other rights and freedoms.

    “The media has a vital role to play as ‘public watchdog’ in imparting information of serious public concern and should not be inhibited or intimidated from playing that role.

    “The NBC should stop targeting and intimidating independent media and voices”, SERAP ordered.

    Recall that on Tuesday, October 20, 2020, hours before the alleged shooting of unarmed peaceful protesters, an incident the Nigerian army has denied, the NBC had issued a press statement containing guidelines on how broadcast media firms in Nigeria should cover the #EndSARS protest, with specific instructions not to embarrass the government.

    However, Nigerians have began to kick against the sanctions on AIT, Channels TV and Arise TV. Minutes after the announcement of the sanction by NBC, some Nigerians took to twitter to Twitter to vent their anger, describing the fine as illegal and an attempt to gag the media even when the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria guarantees freedom of speech.

     

    By Tobiloba Kolawole

     

  • BREAKING: NBC Sanctions AIT, Channels, Arise for Airing “Unverified” Lekki shooting

    BREAKING: NBC Sanctions AIT, Channels, Arise for Airing “Unverified” Lekki shooting

    The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) has sanctioned three major broadcast stations over their alleged roles in escalation of violence across the nation .

    The regulators fined Arise TV, African Independent Television (AIT) and Channels Television between N2million and N3million.

    The broadcast regulator had accused the stations of escalating the unrest that followed the #EndSARS protest in Lagos and some other parts of the country by airing unverified images of the alleged shooting.

    READ ALSO:

    It’ll Cost N1tr to Fix Lagos after Arson, Destruction – Sanwo-Olu

    The #EndSARS protest, championed by youths from across the divides, was peaceful until Sunday, October 18, 2020 when thugs, alleged to have been sponsored unknown powerful people began to attack protesters, which later peaked at Tuesday night’s alleged shooting of unarmed peaceful protesters by men of the Nigerian army.

    Although, authorities in the Nigerian army had denied shooting at protesters, the wide reports of the alleged shooting triggered widespread violence, looting and arson in Lagos, Osun, Ekiti and Ibadan.

    Many states experienced wanton destruction and looting of public and private properties.