There had been a nation wide uproar following a controvasial bill passed by the House of Senates. On the March 2018, a bill tittle “National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate of Hate Speech" was forwarded by some members of the Senate in an attempt to hamper the freedom of speech in the Nation.The Hate Speech bill which was championed by Sen. Sabi Abdullah (APC, Deputy Chief Whip) led to a bicker of indifference among the Senate members. He was strongly supported by some of his cohorts like Sen. Ibrahim Gobir, Abba Moro and Elisha Abbo. This bill has drawn rapid reaction from many Nigerian Social media users.
According to the news report, very few senators opposed the bill passed by the Senate. In lieu to this, the Nigerians sees this as nothing but infringement on the freedom of speech in a democratic environment. Most Nigerians castigated the move and vowed to boycott such an horrendous action.
A bill which at first carried a placard of death sentence as a punishment on anyone that delivers hate speech against the government or any ethic in the country. Most Nigerians see this as nothing but a return to the military pushy under civilian cloak. As a result of this, many Nigerians have taken to the social media to report to the Human Right Watch and other International community on the decisive steps the government of the day is taking.
Despite all pressures from the masses, the Senate have vowed that there is no going back on the bill. Although, after two sittings, the Senate members repelled the death as penalty for anyone convicted of Hate Speech. However the new mode of punishment is petrifying as it doesn't favour the masses. The masses are now caught between the devil and the deep blue sea. How will an individual or a corporate body convicted of Hate Speech pays a Ransom of ten million and bag three years jial? Inadvertently,if this bill is to come to order, the Masses will be at the receiving end.
Although, the Senate insisted that the bill has not been designed to restrict the freedom of speech but rather, it has been passed so as to protect individual dignity and ethic discrimination. According to the bill, "it proposes that any person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and/or directs the performance of any material, written and or visual which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour commits an offence if such person intends thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such an ethnic group in Nigeria" (Premium times Newspaper). Also, the bill proposed that a body called Independent National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech should be established in the country and that the commission will be responsible for sueing any individual or organization convicted of hate speech.
However, there has been public outcry as most Nigerians alleged the Senate of plagiarising the Singapore and other countries legislation on Hate Speech. To most Nigerians, the bill meant nothing good but rather to hinder the masses freedom of speech and to strictly regulate the online space in the country.
Another problem at hand is the Social media bill sponsored by Senator Sani Abdullah and vehemently supported by Senator Elisha Abbo. The Social media bill and Hate Speech bill are two different things but under the same umbrella. They are both political propaganda cooked up by some members Senate to silence masses and protect their authority . Infact, one can say the social media regulation bill will be hypocritical if passed into law. Reason are:
1. The constitution never covered for people of the a different sexual orientation and therefore makes these people preys to selective hate speech.
2. Mosques and Churches will be closed down, Imams and Pastors will be jailed or fined as their Religion naturally thrash-talks one another.
3. Opposing political parties and party members will be fined or jailed as we know that politics has to do with preying on your opponent's weakness and talking them down as we have seen in past election campaigns and after election grievances.
If this so called 'Social media regulation bill' is passed into law, Freedom of expression and Information will be subjected to scare tactics and Intimidation. Even Media houses and Journalism will be subjected to 'Chats' with the state security service that might involve threat and possible imprisonment.