2023 elections: UN warns Nigerian political actors against hate speech, discrimination, fake news

The UN Resident & Humanitarian Coordinator in Nigeria, Mr. Matthias Schmale on Thursday urged all political actors and supporters in Nigeria to desist from upsurge of hate speech, discrimination and misinformation and fake news as Nigeria prepares for the 2023 general elections.

Mr. Schmale who gave the charge in Abuja, during the Media engagement on the International Day of commemoration in memory of the victims of the Holocaust, affirmed that six million Jewish men, women and children, as
well as the Sinti and Roma, the people with disabilities, and the countless others, who were killed by the Nazis and their collaborators.

While noting that genocide usually starts with hate speech, discrimination and misinformation, Mr. Schmale said: “Today, we are witnessing an alarming resurgence of xenophobia and hate. No society is immune to irrationality or intolerance. In Nigeria, with national elections imminent, we must be watchful for any upsurge in hate speech and disinformation, particularly if tensions were to rise between political, regional, or ethnic groups.

“We must be vigilant because words can be weaponised and lead to physical harm. From historical experience, we know that atrocities have been preceded by hate speech. The Holocaust is, of
course, the starkest example of this. But the 1994 genocide against the Tutsi in Rwanda and the 1995 genocide in Srebrenica also serve as warnings to us.

“Hate speech is a threat to our cherished values, to the cohesion of our societies, and to the lives of our most vulnerable, especially Women and Girls. Undoubtedly, the internet and social media have supercharged such risks. We need to strengthen the resilience of
our young people against the ideologies of hatred and educate them on the dangers of disinformation.

“I call on all stakeholders in Nigerian society to stand up and speak
out against instances of hate speech and discrimination. Each of us can play a role in countering this scourge and ensuring that all people enjoy the protections and rights for which the United Nations stands,” he said.

Mr. Schmale disclosed that the UN office in Nigeria has been working with the National Peace Committee with a view to ensure peaceful election campaigns, adding that the engagement was part of the recent meeting held with the political parties and candidates where evidence of hate speech were presented to them during closed door session, as part of the feedback.

Speaking further on the UN General Assembly towards security of lives across the world, he noted that: “In this dark shadow of the Holocaust, the United Nations was established to save succeeding generations from the scourge of war and its untold sorrows. The UN Charter, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, and the Genocide Convention enshrined a commitment to peace, dignity, and rights. These principles remain essential today.”

On his part, the Israeli Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr. Michael Freeman, underscored the need to protect the Minorities and the weaklings in the society.

While condemning all forms of oppression across the world, he maintained that the UN member states should be unanimous in halting bilateral relationships in forms of trade agreement, among others with erring nation(s) that use State apparatus aimed at promoting genocide.

To this end, he called for intensive education at all levels with a view to avert future occurrence across the world.