Shutdown: Jay FM withdraws fresh charge against NBC

Jodaj Global Communications Ltd – owners of a Jos-based radio station – Jay FM, on Wednesday withdrew fresh charges filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Jos against the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for alleged unlawful shut-down of the station. The fresh charge before its withdrawal, which was filed on Tuesday before the court, […]

Jodaj Global Communications Ltd – owners of a Jos-based radio station – Jay FM, on Wednesday withdrew fresh charges filed at the Federal High Court sitting in Jos against the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for alleged unlawful shut-down of the station.

The fresh charge before its withdrawal, which was filed on Tuesday before the court, was an ex-parte order asking the court to force NBC to reopen the station.

Despite the withdrawal of recent charge, Jodaj refused to withdraw the originating summons in which it sought 10 prayers including an order urging the court to direct NBC to pay the plaintiffs the sum of N500 million being for the general damages.

It would be recalled that NBC and the Jodaj had during the last sitting agreed for an out-of-court settlement.

There was a stalemate during out-of-court settlement on Tuesday which forces the plaintiffs (Jodaj) to press the fresh charge against the commission.

During Wednesday’s sitting when the matter was mentioned in court, the counsel to the plaintiff, Mrs Hope Olowokere announced the withdrawal of the fresh charge because the commission has already opened the station.

She said: “My lord, we filed a motion ex-parte yesterday on the 14th May 2019. But we are withdrawing that ex-parte motion because as we were filing the application, the respondents opened our client’s radio station.

“And my Lord, this goes to confirm what we said on the 8th May at the last hearing on the matter that they had approached us for settlement. And my Lord, opening the radio station is on the number eight of our 10 prayers which we sought in the originating summons,” she said.

Dr. Ogomu Onoja who serves as the commission’s Jos Zonal Director and represented the commission in court didn’t object the plaintiffs’ submission.

The presiding judge, Justice Kurya, granted the application as prayed by the plaintiffs before adjourning the case to July 1st.