Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, has decried the level of acrimony and slander that currently dominate the nation’s social media space.
Speaking on Monday at a town hall meeting in Abuja on ‘social media and anti-hate speech bills’ organised by Daar Communications Plc, Malami said Nigeria needed social media more in the areas of enhancing national unity, patriotism, human capacity development including entrepreneurial skills.
He was represented by his special adviser on media and publicity, Umar Gwandu.
“The rate at which the proliferation of acrimony and vilifying statements dominate the social media space is alarming,” Malami said.
“The consequence of which will be dangerous. No society will fold its arm and allow such ominous crime to go unchecked.”
The AGF, however, said the media had tried vigorously in the entrenchment of democratic governance and had been instrumental in the process of ensuring good governance through the fight against corruption and upholding the rule of law in line with Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution.
Senate President Ahmad Lawan, who declared the forum open, said the issues had become topical because of the new realities.
Chairman of Daar Communications, Raymond Dokpesi (Jnr), said the forum was aimed at contributing to a wider understanding of the concept of two bills before the National Assembly.
The bills are the Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill or the Fake News Bill and a Bill for an Act to Provide for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches and other related matters otherwise known as the Hate Speech Bill collectively referred to as the anti-social media bills.
