– Information minister Lai Mohammed says the trend of hate speeches could become a hydra-headed monster that could re-enact the genocide of Rwanda in Nigeria
– The way to curb this is to create a law that will monitor what people say and make them take responsibility for their words
Lai Mohammed wants there to be laws to curb hate speeches to protect the kind of genocide that happened in Rwanda
Information and culture minister Lai Mohammed has called for laws to check the rising trend of hate speeches in Nigeria.
Mohammed said this on Tuesday, February 7 night in Lagos at the conference dinner of the first West Africa regional round of the Oxford prize media law moot court competition.
READ ALSO: FG adds more charges to Saraki’s CCT’s trial
The Cable reports that Mohammed noted that if unchecked, the trend could become a hydra-headed monster that could re-enact the genocide of Rwanda in Nigeria.
To stop this eventuality becoming reality and for Nigeria to achieve a just and egalitarian society, Mohammed says laws must be enacted to curb hate speeches.
He raised concern over the growing prevalence of hate speeches in the country, stating that the fast growing trend constitutes a threat to national peace and security.
“Hate speech is becoming increasingly prevalent in all areas of our national endeavour, including religious, social, political and communal life.
“Experts, therefore, alerted that the level, trend and occurrence of hate speech constitute a threat to the peace, unity and security of the country.
“The phenomenon, if left unchecked could grow to become a hydra-headed monster which latently and silently creates a Rwandan-type experience,’’ he said.
Although he admitted that section 39 (1) of the 1999 constitution guarantees freedom of expression, he noted that section 45 (1), Mohammed said of the same constitution provides that the freedom shall not undermine public safety, public order and national peace.
PAY ATTENTION: Get the latest news on ZENITHBLOG.com News App
He noted that the enactment of such a law is not new and cited several examples of other countries where hate speech and hate crimes are penalised.
“Belgian law penalises public announcements of intention to discriminate, hate or perpetrate violence against persons on grounds of race, colour, origin, descent or nationality.
“Danish law also forbids public statements that threaten, insult or degrade on account of race, skin colour, national/ethnic origin, faith or sexual orientation.
“In the same vein, Sweden punishes racial agitation, which includes expressions that threaten or demonstrate contempt on the grounds of race, colour, national/ethnic affiliation or religious belief,” he said.
Earlier in the day, former minister of aviation Femi Fani-Kayode has lashed out at the information, culture and tourism minister Lai Mohammed and described him as ‘a sick man’.
In a tweet on his verified Twitter handle on Wednesday, February 8, Fani-Kayode slammed Mohammed for saying that there was never a time Muslims killed Christians in Nigeria under the present administration of President Muhammadu Buhari
360naze
No comments:
Post a Comment