PERPETRATORS of hate speech would soon be at the receiving end of the long arm of the law as the federal government was determined to halt the evil intent of those behind it. Speaking with newsmen on Wednesday after a closed door meeting with the All Progressives Congress (APC) and National Working Committee (NWC)
Minister of Interior, Lt Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau revealed that a proposed Bill initiated by his Ministry to tackle the menace would soon be presented to the National Assembly after it must have been fine tuned by the office of the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
He said: ‘’First, what we have done now is we have just submitted a draft bill to the Ministry of Justice on hate speech. That draft bill is supposed to go as an executive bill after vetting by the Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation. That draft speech contains the law and punishment for hate speech.’’
He expressed concern over the sinister plot by certain individuals and separatist groups to instigate turmoil in the country through hate speeches but expressed the resolve of the present administration to punish any person found guilty of plot to undermine the peaceful coexistence in the country, once the legislation sails through the National Assembly.
“Hate speech should not be allowed in this country. Everybody is entitled to belong to his religion, the religion he believes in. Everybody is entitled to his faith. When we were born, we didn’t choose the tribe we want to belong to.
“That is how God brought us to the world and there is absolutely no reason for hate speech or to hate anybody whatsoever. So if the national assembly passes that law, certainly anybody who is engaged in hate speech would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.”
Speaking on the activities of his Ministry, he dismissed media reports of recruitment racketeering involving outfits such as the Nigerian Police Force (NPF), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Prisons service (NPS) and the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
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