SERAP says the ban violates constitutional rights and demands immediate reversal
The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against the Federal Government and the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) after they failed to lift the ban on Eedris Abdulkareem’s song, Tell Your Papa. The song, which critiques socio-economic issues and government accountability, was deemed inappropriate for broadcast.
On April 10, 2025, SERAP gave a 48-hour ultimatum for the ban’s reversal, citing a violation of Abdulkareem’s right to freedom of expression. “BREAKING: The Tinubu administration must immediately reverse the unlawful ban,” SERAP tweeted.
The government had earlier instructed media houses to stop airing the track, calling it a threat to public order. In the song, Abdulkareem addresses Seyi Tinubu, urging him to relay the struggles of Nigerians to his father.
SERAP described the ban as “arbitrary, illegal, and unconstitutional,” and has now taken legal steps to challenge what it calls censorship.