The Kano State Government has announced a ban on live political programmes and introduced new media regulations prohibiting journalists from asking what it describes as “provocative questions” during interviews.
The decision was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Commissioner for Information and Internal Affairs, Ibrahim Waiya, following a meeting with media executives in the state. The statement also mandated that media guests sign an undertaking against making abusive, defamatory, or culturally offensive comments on air.
Presenters have similarly been barred from posing questions or using gestures likely to provoke controversial responses or harm the image of the state.
Defending the decision, Waiya said the measures were not intended to silence dissenting voices but to safeguard the “sanctity of Kano’s cultural and religious values.” He claimed the state had recorded progress in curbing hate speech and unethical broadcasts through earlier collaborations with media organisations.
“Our goal is responsible communication that respects our values. This policy is about protecting our dignity, not targeting opposition voices,” the commissioner said.
