The Federal Government on Thursday directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to place sanctions on any television or radio station which broadcasts hate speeches as part of efforts to stem the growing tide.

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed gave the directive at the annual lecture series to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the commission held in Abuja, the nation’s capital.

“As a matter of fact, the challenge facing the NBC has never become more daunting, considering the increasing propensity of some radio and television stations across the country to turn over their platforms to the purveyors of hate speech,” Mohammed said.

He added: “It is the responsibility of the NBC to put these broadcast stations in check before they set the country on fire.”

The minister added that as the commission celebrates a milestone of attaining the quarter of a century, it must ensure strict adherence to the Broadcasting Code and ensure that errant stations that broadcast speeches that are detrimental to the nation’s existence are sanctioned to serve as a deterrent to others.

Earlier in his speech, the Director-General of the NBC, Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu assured the minister that the commission was committed to carrying out its statutory mandate of regulating all activities of the broadcast industry.