Shehu Sani flays military monitoring of public speech

Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, has condemned plans by the Military and Police to monitor social media  opinions and comments made by Nigerians in a bid to check the rising incidents of hate speech in the country. Speaking on Tuesday  in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Human […]

Senator Shehu Sani, representing Kaduna Central senatorial district, has condemned plans by the Military and Police to monitor social media  opinions and comments made by Nigerians in a bid to check the rising incidents of hate speech in the country.

Speaking on Tuesday  in Abuja when he paid a courtesy visit to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) he said he was not in support of the use and wide spread of hate speeches in the country but maintained that “the Military or the Police have no business in monitoring and arresting people for posting information on the social media.”

He stressed that people in position of power are still finding it difficult to realize that Nigeria was a democratic country which allows right to freedom of expression.

He stressed the need to have a template on what constitutes a hate speech in order for the security agencies and Nigerians to take note.

Sani also described as undemocratic the gagging and arrest of journalists for posting information on what is happening in the states on the social media platforms.

On the challenges facing the Commission, he promised to assist the Commission towards realizing its mandate saying, “we do receive reports that you are overwhelmed by complaints."

"You are doing a fantastic job, for standing up for corporate and government interest. As a human rights activist and now a Senator, I will offer myself to do everything to see that your budgetary requirements are fully met,” he said.

In her response, the Acting Executive Secretary of the Commission, Oti Ovrawah expressed appreciation that Senator Sani has stepped in to assist in taking the Commission to greater heights as far as promoting; protecting and enforcing the rights of Nigerian are concerned. 

She stated that the Commission issued an advisory preparatory to the 2015 general election to curb cases of hate speech and since then has been working to see that the various cases of hate speech and electoral violence are addressed.