Indeed, the popular saying that “where there’s smoke there’s fire” is truism.

For some days, I have been bothered as to how one who witnessed, read or heard of the evils perpetrated under several military interregnums in Nigeria, would want to re-introduce a Bill akin to the controversial Public Officers (Protection Against False Accusation) Decree No 4, such as the controversial Hate Speech Bill?

Why create a Hate Speech Commission in a nascent democracy like ours? This is a recipe to gag Free Speech, Press Freedom and muzzle the opposition into submission by any ruling government at Federal, State and Local Council levels.

What does APC Senator Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi, Senate Spokesperson and Senator representing the good people of Niger North Senatorial District want?

DIGGING DEEP

‘Distinguished’ Senator Sabi, four months ago, precisely on November 3, 2017, was allegedly assaulted and stoned in Kontagora, the headquarters of Niger North Senatorial District where he represents.

Irked by the humiliation he suffered, Sen. Sabi may perhaps be nicodemusly joining forces with the enemies of Free Speech in Nigeria to introduce the Hate Speech Bill, which when passed, any person found guilty of any form of hate speech that results in the death of another person shall die by hanging upon conviction.

The bill also seeks the establishment of an ‘Independent National Commission for Hate Speeches’, which shall enforce hate speech laws across the country, ensure the elimination of the menace and advise the Federal Government.

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

Whatever the above means for Senator Sabi and his collaborators, I state that this is a recipe to gag Freedom of Expression, as well as Press Freedom in Nigeria. The opposition will be muzzled into submission. Take this to the banks.

FLASHBACK: ANTI-SOCIAL MEDIA BILL

If Nigerians are not suffering from National Amnesia, it should be recalled that Senator Balla Ibn Na’Allah, the current Senate Leader, while he was Deputy Leader of the Senate, sponsored the controverisial Frivolous Petitions Bill also known as the Anti-Social Media Bill in 2015. That controversial bill was met with resistance by Nigerians online and offline.

Na’Allah, an APC Senator, represents the good people of Kebbi South Senatorial District.

That controversial bill of Na’Allah passed for first reading on November 24, 2015 and second reading on December 2, 2015, in spite of widespread agitations by Nigerians.

But in a dramatic u-turn on May 17, 2016, the Senate threw out the bill to avoid the hammers of Nigerians.

The Senators it was said, took the decision following the report of the committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters on the bill.

Delivering the report, Chairman of the Committee, Senator David Umaru (APC, Niger East) said the bill was opposed by almost all stakeholders during the Public Hearing on it. He therefore said, his committee recommended its withdrawal.

Deputy Senate President Ike Ekweremadu, who presided over the plenary, also backed the withdrawal.

See link: more at: https://www.vanguardngr.com/2016/05/senate-throws-anti-social-media-bill/

SENATOR SABI AT IT AGAIN?

Note, Senator Sabi, was elected on the platform of the All Progressive Congress (APC), based on the popularity he garnered through President Muhammadu Buhari and the support of the late Emir of Borgu, Sen. Dr, Haliru Dantoro.

The Senator was allegedly humiliated by APC party executives in Kontagora, the headquarters of Niger North Senatorial District, where he was stoned, disgraced and insulted.

It was reported that the Senator having called the executives for a meeting at the town hall in Kontagora, which would be the first time he was having such a meeting, since his election in 2015, could not give a satisfactory answer to why he wanted to meet, a year away from the 2019 general elections.

Those at the meeting asked him to give a list of projects he had done/ attracted to Kontagora since he was senator. He was also asked what financial support he had rendered to students of his constituency.

In response to these questions, the Senator in his defense, said that the Buhari led administration, had not given him any funding for constituency projects.

It was said that his answer provoked members of the executives at the meeting and they became hostile, asking him how other elected members of the National Assembly got funding to execute projects and empower the youths in their constituency.

Save for his security details, it was said that the Executives couldn’t physically assault Senator Sabi, but he was chased out of the town hall, as his security team surrounded him and he was quickly taken away in a Peugeot 406 car, which was smashed by a hail of stones. The Civil defense truck did not fare any better either.

The cars in his convoy were also said to be wrecked by a hail of stones, as they drove out of the premises.

That was the humiliation Senator Aliyu Abdullahi Sabi suffered at the hands of his Kontagora constituents on November 3, 2017.

It will also be recalled that earlier in 2017, Senator Sabi faced a similar attack in the town of Babanna, Borgu local government and Rofia in Agwara local government as well.

Could this be the ANGER of Senator Sabi? Sincerely, only him could answer this question.

Without much ado, it is quite unfortunate that since the present administration came on board, there have been several attempts to gag Nigerians from critically assessing the government.

Even President Buhari himself has said that social media is particularly his problem. Why the Fear?

It’s imperative for well-meaning Nigerians at home and in the Diaspora to kick against this anti-peoples bill.

What even determines Hate Speech, a discerning mind would ask?

No doubt, this bill is a recipe for anarchy, if it scales through as an Act with a Presidential Assent.

I reieterate well-meaning Nigerians should rise up to the ocassion, and not allow Senator Sabi and his collaborators succeed with this anti-peoples bill.

Like the 2015 Anti-Social Media Bill of Senator Bala Ibn Na’Allah was thrown out of the Senate in 2016, it is certain that this cup would pass too.

Ikenna Asomba, a Social Commentator writes from Atlanta, Georgia.