Nigerians have united against a draft bill being discussed in the Senate which aims to punish anyone who “propagates false information” on electronic media.
Tweeters have been using #NoToSocialMediaBill to campaign against the proposal which has the backing of Senate President Bukola Saraki who is currently facing corruption allegation at the Code of Conduct Tribunal.
It proposes up to a seven-year sentence or N4 million ($20,000) fine for anyone found to be sending “abusive messages”.
Human Rights Watch condemns the move as an attempt to muzzle free speech.
Millions of social media users in Nigeria, as well as those sending text messages, could be affected, it says in a statement.
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) reported the Senate to the United Nations for attempting to deny freedom of speech and jail critics of the government.
Writing to the UN Special Rapporteur on the Promotion and Protection of the Right to Freedom of Opinion and Expression, the group said, among others: “SERAP also contends that the bill will restrain access to internet and social media, curtail the freedom of the press, and online content in illegitimate, disproportionate, or otherwise unlawful and abusive ways. The real targets of the bill are social media and human rights defenders that might be critical of government policies or report on corruption involving high ranking government officials.”
However, Senator Bala Ibn Na’allah of the governing All Progressive Congress, who sponsored the bill, said the publication of false stories was becoming rampant in the country.
“You can’t write false stories just because it is social media,” he told the BBC Hausa service.
The offences the proposed bill seeks to criminalise already exist under Nigerian laws including those on treason, defamation, and libel, our reporter says.
Nigeria has a vibrant civil society, with many activists who use social media for their campaigns. It has the largest number of mobile phone users in Africa.
This bill is draconian in conception, Napoleonic in draft and as matter of fact it will be tyrannical in practice #NoToSocialMediaBill
— #StubbornGunner (@koyaasad45) December 5, 2015
Don’t sit on the fence on this one. Say #NoToSocialMediaBill — Aremu Sunday Abiodun (@aresunabi) December 5, 2015
This #SocialMediaBill only reaffirms the know fact that our senators are out to represent their selfish interests.I say #NoToSocialMediaBill
— Ola_Theo (@sparkfye01) December 5, 2015
#NoToSocialMediaBill this so called thieves are at it again but dy are already a failure& will continue to fail on this — olawale olajide (@olawaleolajide1) December 5, 2015
Yes, if many had their way, Nigeria would be taken to the dark and stone ages just so they can rule without checks #NoToSocialMediaBill
— Philip Asuquo (@PhilAsuquOtes) December 4, 2015
This is a man one would love to insult but I’m afraid we won’t do as well as nature did. #NoToSocialMediaBill pic.twitter.com/IizjIwQkri — SEGA 唤醒 L’éveilleur (@segalink) December 4, 2015
I propose a mental checkup for some of our senators. This misplaced priority syndrome is getting out of hands! #NoToSocialMediaBill
— Adeola Fayehun (@AdeolaFayehun) December 3, 2015
My people! My people! They must not pass that bill o. Even your business that you are promoting online will suffer #NoToSocialMediaBill — JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) December 3, 2015
You know how backward our leaders are when they actually have time to deliberate on our freedom of expression #NoToSocialMediaBill
— James Silas (@Jarmzone) December 3, 2015
Nigerians we must all come together to unanimously say #NoToSocialMediaBill – this is Africa’s largest economy, not a Banana Republic. — Isima Odeh (@IsimaOdeh) December 3, 2015
The only thing Apc could think of after hearing the cry of the youths concerning #our5k was to kill our voice. #NoToSocialMediaBill
— olori Rookie (@aunty_ifeoma) December 3, 2015
I laughed in Wazobia as I read that Senate is enacting a Social Media Act. Let all those who know it is “IMPOSSICANT” join me to LoL, biko! — Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) December 4, 2015
