Security officials attached to Muhammadu Buhari have barred
African Independent Television (AIT) from covering the functions of the
president-elect till further notice.
Buhari Clamps Down On AIT
The security team according to Punch cited security reports and
ethical issues as reasons for their action.
The directive which took effect on Monday, April 27, was enforced
when members of AIT crew, who were at the Defence House to cover of a meeting
between Buhari and a visiting Cuban delegation, were asked to leave.
Confirming this to Punch, the crew said: Yes, we were told but
we cannot just leave; we have a job to do. In any case, we have not been
officially informed about what we have done wrong.
On why AIT was restricted from covering functions of the
president-elect, Mallam Garba Sheh, the director of press of the All
Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Organisation, noted that security
concerns informed the decision.
He said: “AIT has been asked to stay aside based on security and
family concerns. In addition, General Buhari has decided that they will have to
resolve some issues relating to issues of standard and ethics.
“We will be talking with them to try and resolve the matter but
for now, the station has been asked to stay aside because, like I said, there
are some family and security concerns.
“They have been asked to step down their coverage until we
resolve the matter with them on ethics and standards.”
In weeks building up the presidential election, AIT was
criticized for airing a documentary, “The Real Buhari” which x-rayed the
retired general’s past military regime as one that become the first to sentence
a woman to death by firing squad.
The documentary was described by the All Progressives Congress
(APC) as a“fabricated and hate broadcast” against its presidential candidate,
Muhammadu Buhari.
The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) also indicted the
African Independent Television (AIT) and the National Television Authority
(NTA) for the airing several documentaries which maligned the image of
Muhammadu Buhari.
