Police, military have no business in monitoring social media – Shehu Sani warns
The Nigerian Police Force, the Military or any security outfit in Nigeria has no business in monitoring social media under the guise of tracking hate speeches, Senator representing Kaduna Central in Nigerian Senate, Shehu Sani has said. The senator likened it to giving the security agents blank check to humiliate every person that pour out […]
The senator likened it to giving the security agents blank check to humiliate every person that pour out his opinion on issues that affect them as bona-fide citizens of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.
The lawmaker, who was reacting to recent resolve of Nigerian Army to go after those who make inciting statement on social media such as Facebook, Twitter and what have you in Kaduna over the weekend quickly added that, the Senate is already working on a bill that will address any form of hate speech.
He said, "The military and the police have no business monitoring the social media. Few days ago, I was at the headquarters of National Human Right Commission and I told them and I’m still saying it that, we at the national assembly in particularly in the senate, the bill is on the way that will clearly define what hate speech is and what hate speech is not.
"This will prevent giving security agencies the blank check to go after each and every person who speaks. Nigerians must speak to defend their constitution and republic. They must speak to criticize their government, hold them accountable and speak to cast out lies in our democratic experiment.
"Those who also want to exploit the right to freedom of speech to incite people to cause disharmony, to dismember this country, to derogate other persons or to violate religion and other sensitivities of others are the ones we should do away with in the society. Those are the ones we will not accept.
"This democracy is a product of struggle of those who laid down their lives. And on no guise we will fold our hands and see our democracy simply taking away".