A legal practitioner, FESTUS OGUCHE, has threatened to take legal action against the Federal Government over the five-million-naira hate speech fine.
This comes as the fine contained in the new National Broadcasting Commission Code continues to face criticism.
OGUCHE, whose interest covers human rights and media law, made his intention known in a letter to the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, ABUBAKAR MALAMI.
In a copy of the letter seen by Lasgidi FM News Desk, OGUCHE drew the attention of the AGF to a judgment by the ECOWAS Regional in 2018 in a suit he initiated against the Federal Government.
The Port Harcourt-based lawyer, with offices in Abuja, Enugu, and Idah, Kogi State, said the ECOWAS Court judgment covers everything that threatens the operation of free press in the society.
He asked the AGF to take steps to ensure that the hate speech fine is deleted from the NBC Code within fifteen days of receipt of his letter.
But if the AGF failed to do as requested, FESTUS OGUCHE said he would return to the ECOWAS Court of Justice to seek enforcement of the earlier judgment.