Nigeria Fines Multichoice, Others For Airing BBC Report On Banditry

Nigeria's broadcast regulator has fined Multichoice Nigeria Ltd, part of a South African pay-TV group, and others 5 million naira ($12,013.74) each for airing a BBC report that it said "glorified the activities of bandits and undermines national security."The National Broadcasting Commission said in a statement on Wednesday that the outlets had until Aug.

30 to pay.It also fined local channel Trust TV, part of the group that owns the prominent Daily Trust newspaper, for its own report on banditry."The Commission wishes to seize this opportunity to advise broadcasters to be circumspect and deliberate in the choice and carriage of contents deleterious to Nigeria's national security," NBC said in a statement.The Daily Trust quoted its management as saying, "We wish to state unequivocally that as a television station, we believe we were acting in the public interest by shedding light on the thorny issue of banditry."The BBC did not immediately respond to an emailed request for comment.