The Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association (NBMOA) has publicly distanced itself from individuals it describes as “unauthorised impostors” and reaffirmed its legal challenge against AREWA24 TV Channel, intensifying a dispute over broadcasting rights, cultural representation, and regulatory compliance in Northern Nigeria.
Recall that AREWA24 filed a N10 billon defamation suit against Alhaji Ahmed Tijjani Ramalan, Atar Communications Nigeria Limited (operators of Liberty TV and Radio) and the Northern Broadcast Media Owners Association (NBMOA), following a series of what they claimed was a false, damaging and unsubstantiated allegations made against the company.
The legal action, filed at the State High Court (Jalingo), Taraba state, seeks redress for reputational damage and financial losses arising from statements allegedly issued by NBMOA and Tijjani Ramalan that AREWA24 asserts are misleading and injurious to its brand and operations.
However, in a strongly-worded statement issued in Abuja on Wednesday, the association’s Board of Trustees (BoT) said its position on protecting licensed indigenous broadcasters remains “unchanged,” insisting it is a duly registered and transparent body operating under Nigerian law.
The NBMOA said it had engaged multiple government and regulatory institutions , including the presidency, the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), and anti-corruption agencies — and had also taken legal action to address its grievances. The case, it noted, is currently before the courts.
At the heart of the dispute are allegations by the association that foreign interests, working with local collaborators, are exploiting Northern Nigerian identity through the use of “Arewa” and “Hausa” branding. The group maintained that its advocacy is aimed at safeguarding cultural and religious values, as well as ensuring fair treatment for local broadcasters.
The association used the statement to categorically reject claims by two individuals — Ambassador Yusuf Mamman, of JKD TV and Hamada Radio FM, and Alhaji Abdullahi Yelwa of the Arewa Broadcast Media Owners and Practitioners Forum (ABMPF) — who were referenced in a recent Arewa24 statement.