Don’t dissipate energy on Hate Speech, Social Media Bills,  Ahmadiyya advises NASS

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to focus on Bills and issues that have direct impact on the lives of Nigerians. The group spoke in response to the ongoing debate on the Hate Speech and Social Media Bills before the Senate, saying the NASS should not dissipate energy on issues […]

The Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama’at Nigeria has urged the National Assembly (NASS) to focus on Bills and issues that have direct impact on the lives of Nigerians.

The group spoke in response to the ongoing debate on the Hate Speech and Social Media Bills before the Senate, saying the NASS should not dissipate energy on issues already catered for in the constitution.

National Amir (President) of Ahmadiyya, Abdul Azeez Alatoye, stated this during a press briefing on the 67th Jalsa Salana (Islamic conference) of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community between December 20th to 22nd.

He said: “It is of great importance to focus on issues that affect the people directly rather than legislating on issues that have already been catered for in the constitution of the country”.

Alatoye reiterates that there is enough provision in the constitution like the Cybercrime Act which has already catered for the Hate Speech Bill.

He said: “As a lawyer, I believe there are enough extant laws in the Nigerian constitution that adequately take care of these two Bills.

“At present, we have the Libel law and defamation, cybercrime law and other criminal laws that can effectively accommodate any misdemeanour on the use of social media platforms and extreme comments capable of inflaming passions and causing disunity in the country.”

He urged the National Assemblies not to get distracted with things the constitution has already taken care of.