The Founder of DAAR Communications Plc, owners of AIT and Ray Power FM, Raymond Dokpesi, has accused President Buhari and members of his kitchen cabinet of using the National Broadcasting Commission NBC, to victimize and persecute him and his media houses.

Speaking at a press conference at the company’s headquarters in Abuja earlier today Thursday June 6th, Dokpesi said he had received that some of his staff were been trailed by unidentified gunmen while exiting the office premises. The media guru’s press conference comes two days after the NBC issued a statement threatening to sanction AIT for  airing what it termed some ”anti-government reports”. Read here.

 Speaking at the press conference, Dopkpesi said

 “I believe very strongly that under the leadership of the current Director General of the NBC (Is’haq Kawu), press freedom has been greatly eroded. If this was not protected by the President at the top, is it possible that his body language is being interpreted? I have it on strict authority and very assured information that the highest echelons of government, the Presidency, queried and challenged the National Broadcasting Commision, that they were not doing their jobs. ‘How on earth could they be hearing and seeing on AIT what they termed hate speech?’ What they see and classify as hate speech

“Any criticism of this government is hate speech. The NBC is acting under the authority of the President and Commander-in-Chief and his immediate officials, his Chief of Staff and his Advisers and all of them that are in Aso Rock” he said

Speaking further, Dokpesi berated the Federal government for charging exorbitant licensing fees from private media houses.

“The licensing fees in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world. There is no country in the world where you have this type of exploitative fees. I have appealed for a reduction because the payments cannot be sustained by private broadcasters in Nigeria.

This economy has plummeted. This government has called this organisation unprintable names which has deterred several advertisers from patronising AIT. I sought an audience with the NBC DG. I called, sent letters and sent text messages to him, but he refused. In spite of the fact that we have to run generators 24-hours of the day, I remain committed to keeping the spirit of broadcasting alive.” S