Nigerian Senate Reintroduces ‘Hate Speech’ Bill

The Senate has reintroduced a bill that seeks to penalise persons found guilty of hate speech.

''The National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech Bill, is sponsored by the deputy chief whip, Aliyu Abdullahi.

Mr. Abdullahi had in March 2018 introduced the bill for consideration and passage.

The bill prescribed death by hanging for any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person.

It seeks the establishment of an Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches. The proposed Commission is expected to enforce hate speech laws in the country and ensure the elimination of hate speech.

For offenses such as harassment on grounds of ethnicity or race, the offender shall be sentenced to “not less than a five-year jail term or a fine of not less than N10 million or both.”

The bill also proposed that “A person who uses, publishes, presents, produces, plays, provides, distributes and/or directs the performance of any material, written and/or visual, which is threatening, abusive or insulting or involves the use of threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour, commits an offence, if such person intends thereby to stir up ethnic hatred, or having regard to all the circumstances, ethnic hatred is likely to be stirred up against any person or person from such an ethnic group in Nigeria.''