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.