A group of Nigerians have protested at the National Assembly over the
controversial Hate Speech Bill.
The protesters demanded the withdrawal of the bills on hate speech and
internet manipulations.
Civil activist, Deji Adeyanju, who led the protesters carrying placards bearing various inscriptions
aimed at rejecting the bills to the National Assembly gate, described the bills
as “obnoxious”.
According to Adeyanju, the bills are completely out of place having no
place in a democracy regime.
”These bills have no place in our laws and nation because the Cybercrime
Act of 2015 has already aptly captured the provisions of these bills in its
entirety.
“That section of the act has
expressly captured all the provisions that the social media and hate speech
bill ought to cover,” he said.
Receiving the protesters, Sen. Uba Sani (APC-Kaduna Central), said that the
contribution of all segments of the society would be taken into consideration
during public hearings on the bills.
Recall that the controversial bill on hate speech had on Nov. 12, passed
first reading in the upper chamber.
The bill sponsored by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Sen. Sabi
Abdullahi, while the Bill for an Act to Make Provisions for the Protection from
Internet Falsehoods and Manipulations had passed second reading in the Senate
sponsored by Sen. Sani Musa (APC-Niger East)