ABUJA, Sept 17 (Reuters) - A Nigerian federal agency revoked the broadcasting licence of Channels Television on Wednesday, a day after the station broadcast what officials called a false report President Umaru Yar'Adua might resign for health reasons.
The National Broadcasting Commission said it suspended all operations of Channels Television because the station had used its licence "in a manner detrimental to national interest".
Channels Television on Tuesday aired the report, quoting the official News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), that the president might step down after announcing a cabinet reshuffle. NAN has denied publishing such a story.
The president's spokesman immediately denied the report and said Yar'Adua had no intention of resigning.
State security officers on Tuesday arrested three senior TV journalists in connection with the report, which Nigerian media said was sent widely to news outlets in an email from an unknown Yahoo account.
Yar'Adua's health has been a source of constant speculation in the Nigerian media and opposition politicians, among others, have voiced concern about whether he is fit enough to govern.
The 57-year-old, known to have a chronic kidney problem, travelled last month to Saudi Arabia officially for a Muslim pilgrimage. But senior Nigerian officials and a medical source in Saudi Arabia said he had received treatment during the trip. (Reporting by Felix Onuah; writing by Randy Fabi; editing by Tume Ahemba and Andrew Roche)