The governor of the Nigerian state of Niger, Umar Bago has ordered the immediate closure of Badeggi FM, a privately owned radio station in Minna, over allegations of incitement and unethical broadcasting practices.

Governor Bago accused the station of encouraging unrest through its daily programming and instructed relevant security agencies to take swift action.

A release by Bologi Ibrahim, the Chief Press Secretary to the governor read, “The daily activities of the radio station have been unethical.”

“The owner of the Station has incited the people against government,” the release added. “The license of the Radio station be revoked.”

The governor also directed the Commissioner for Homeland Security and the Commissioner of Police to seal the radio station, stressing that security operatives should profile the owner of the radio station as his station promotes violence.

Bago and his inner circles have recently been known for media clampdown and a hard stance on dissenting voices.

Earlier, Barrister Lakpene Yusuf, an in-law to the governor called on security agencies to immediately arrest and prosecute social media users who criticize the governor, citing provisions of the Cybercrime Act and Niger State’s criminal justice law.

He had made the statement in a Facebook post, warning that no one was above the law.

Amnesty International condemned the order issued by the governor directing the closure of the radio station.

The human rights organization said the allegation that the radio station was “inciting violence” and the subsequent directive to revoke its license represent an abuse of power.

In a statement on Saturday by the Director of Amnesty International Nigeria, Isa Sanusi, the organization terms the order for the closure of the radio station as misguided and unjustifiable.

“The governor’s allegation against the radio station of ‘inciting violence’ and his order that ‘the license of the radio station be revoked’ clearly show abuse of power and unacceptable intolerance of critical voices.”

He called on Bago to immediately withdraw the order, stating that under Nigerian law, state governors lack the authority to shut down broadcast stations.