CCNL Drags NBC to Court, Asks for N15Bn Over Licence Revocation

Cable Channels Nigeria Ltd (CCNL), private company, has sued the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) for allegedly revoking its content aggregation licence for digital switch.

Sued along the NBC in the N15 billion suit is Abubakar Malami (SAN), Attorney General of the Federation (AGF) and Minister of Justice.

The case is with the Abuja division of the Federal High Court.

By the suit, the plaintiff wants a declaration that it is entitled to be paid special damages by the NBC for purportedly revoking its licence.

The suit is challenging the power of the NBC in revoking its licence without following due process.

In the suit, marked FHC/ABJ/CS/785/2018, instituted by T. Y. Musa (SAN), the Cable Channels is praying the court to set aside the purported revocation of its licence.

The plaintiff claimed that it has been operating the licence for over two years and the purported revocation by the NBC is unjustified, unknown to law and liable to be declared a nullity.

The plaintiff in addition is seeking the court’s declaration that the revocation of the licence without any default on the part of the plaintiff renders the licence fee of N150 million paid by the plaintiff recoverable for total failure for consideration.

The Cable Channels therefore prayed the court for an order directing the NBC to pay it special damages for the purported licence revocation.

The content aggregation licence issued to the plaintiff in May 28, 2015 for transition from analogue to digital was said to have been revoked on June 22, 2018 by the NBC via a letter with reference NBC/SEC/LIC/19 Vol. V.