NBA, SANs, Atiku Say Hate Speech Bill Draconian

-


The Senate has introduced a bill which seeks to establish a Federal Government agency to check hate speech in the country .

It also prescribed death by hanging as the maximum punishment for certain categories of offenders .

The bill , sponsored by a former Senate spokesperson , who is now the Deputy Senate Whip, Sabi Abdullahi , passed first reading on the floor of the red chamber on Tuesday . It is titled , “ National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech ( Estb . , etc ) Bill 2019 .

But a few hours after the bill passed the first reading, groups and individuals including former Vice -President Atiku Abubakar , eminent lawyers and civil rights organisations , warned that it was death sentence for democracy in the country .

 They described the bill as draconian.
Abdullahi had sponsored a similar bill in the 8 th Senate , but it could not survive the second reading due to overwhelming opposition and criticisms from the civil society groups and the media.

A copy of the bill obtained by one of our correspondents shows that in the proposed law , offenders are either liable to 10 years jail term , payment of N 10 m fine or death by hanging .

An offender, according to the bill is , “ a person who uses , publishes , presents , produces, plays , provides, distributes and / or directs the performance of any material , written and or visual .

Such material must be capable of causing threat , abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening , abusive or insulting words or behaviour. ”

It stated that such individuals had committed an offence if they intended to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or persons from such an ethnic group in Nigeria .

“ Any person who commits an offence under this section shall be liable to life imprisonment and where the act causes any loss of life , the person shall be punished with death by hanging ,” it added .

Ethnic hatred attracts 10 - year jail term
Offenders liable to a 10 - year jail term or that risk N 10 m fine are those who stir ethnic hatred by their speeches .

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Supermega Seven Foundation visit Divine Dove Int'l School, Abuja.

-
Image
As part of Supermega Seven Foundation's objectives to support quality education for the poor in line with SDG 4: Quality Education; the Foundation will be at Divine Dove International Schools at 0081, Zone A, Dape II, Angwan Cement, Life-Camp, FCT, Abuja on the 5th of April 2015 to distribute writing materials and gift to the pupils. The school is one of the schools making impact in the poor community. The Schools started as a day care on the 14th of November, 2016. As the kids grew and it was time for them to enroll into schools, their parents, based on the good work the proprietress has done and the impact she has made in their children educationally, suggested that she starts a nursery and primary school where the children can enroll. The school was registered on the 25th of September 2017 by the corporate affairs commission as “Divine Doves International Schools” to operate crèche, nursery and primary schools, to buy sell and distribu
Read more

Osinbajo’s Chopper Crash-lands In Kogi, VP and the entire crew are safe.|FlycomNews

-
Image
The helicopter conveying Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has crash-landed in Kabba, Kogi State on Saturday afternoon According to information by Laolu Akande, Senior Special Assistant (Media and Publicity) to the Vice President, the incident occurred on Saturday afternoon. A tweet by Akande read: “VP Osinbajo's Chopper crash lands in Kabba, but he and the entire crew safe. He is continuing with his engagements and plans for the day in Kogi State."
Read more

2019: Afenifere Faction Endorses Buhari

-
Image
A faction of Afenifere, a pan Yoruba social-cultural group, on Tuesday in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital endorsed President Muhammadu Buhari as its candidate for the February 16th election. The Senator Ayo Fasanmi-led faction said it took the decision because of Buhari’s sterling performances. At the endorsement which took place at the International Conference Centre, University of Ibadan were Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, Chief Ayo Fasanmi, Deputy Governor of Lagos and Ogun States, Mrs. Idiat Adebule and Mrs. Yetunde Onanuga and former Minister, Demola Seriki who represented Asiwaju Bola Tinubu. Traditional rulers at the event included the Ewi of Ado Ekiti Oba Rufus Adedejuyigbe; Akirun of Ikirun Oba Abioye Oyebode and Oniye of Iye Ekiti, Oba Adeleye Oni among others. The gubernatorial candidate of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), in Lagos state, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu was also at the event. Fasanmi said that Buhari deserved another term in the office. He said
Read more