The surge in hateful speech throughout the nation, which is being fostered by politicians looking for political influence, has drawn the attention of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). The NHRC executive secretary, Chief Tony Ojukwu, SAN, in Abuja, prior to the gubernatorial and state assembly elections, voiced concern that some religious leaders had joined the cruel activity of disseminating hate speeches, allowing this danger to permeate places of worship. According to the commission, this has allowed people to use ethnic and religious tensions to advance their own agendas of fear, hatred, and separation.
He pointed out that utilizing and abusing social media to promote messages filled with racial and religious bigotry is harmful to the society, with far-reaching and complicated consequences. According to him, these instances can result in conflict and hostility between various religious and ethnic groups involved, it can also undermine social, cultural, and religious unity, and impair freedoms to associate, gather, freedom of movement, and the freedom to reside in any region of the nation.
Nigeria is a member of a community that supports human rights endeavors.
To emphasize this, he said that Nigeria is a member of regional and international human rights agreements that safeguard and strengthen people’s freedom of association, gathering, residence, speech, opinion, conscience, and religion. According to the Commission, these liberties are safeguarded by sections 38 and 39 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999) as amended. He also stressed the serious penalties that might result from engaging in hate speech online, using the Nigerian Cybercrime (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act 2015 as an example.
Furthermore, he urged the government to do all in its power to restore the secular character of the Nigerian state as established in Section 10. His primary idea was that everyone should be able to vote for whoever they want, wherever they are, regardless of where they live. This includes protecting people’s right to freedom of residence, the autonomy of relationships, assembly without restrictions, freedom of political party or alliance of choice, liberty of speech, conscience, and religion.
Portraying the superiority of a tribe or religion over another is a crime.
All parties concerned are urged by Nigeria’s chief human rights official to take immediate action to halt these dangerous tendencies. As spreading ideas that portray the superiority of one tribe or religion over another, or instigate assault on one tribe or faith against others, is illegal and violates the 2022 Electoral Act, he said the Commission is worried about the influence this could have regarding the 2023 General elections and even beyond, and it is thus vital that they address this promptly.
Moreover, he noted that the Commission affirms the rights of individuals to freely create and join political parties, labour unions, and other organizations for the purpose of promoting and protecting their interests, as guaranteed by Articles 40 and 43 of the Constitution. In Nigeria, everyone has the constitutional right to purchase property and keep it as their own, and no one may be forced to give up possession of their movable or other non-movable property without compensating the owner.
Anyone engaging in hate speech will face repercussions.
Lastly, they cautioned that this condition might result in a collapse of law and order, raising vulnerabilities and risks such as fatalities, internal displacements, kidnappings, drug usage, onboarding into terrorist operations, and other human rights as well as humanitarian issues. As this is a serious concern regarding the use of hate speech in the nation. Therefore, they caution that anybody engaging in it would face severe repercussions under the law while reiterating its commitment to respecting human rights and defending everyone’s freedom to express themselves freely.
Related Link
NHRC: Website
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Use of Hate Speech rise in Nigeria – NHRC. – Politicians now propagate the use of hate speech to gain political influence. – Express your point of view.
We need to stop this hate speech. I know it’s the politicians that are fuelling this notion and making it difficult to stop. I hope we don’t indulge in it any longer.
The act of hate speech is getting increasing everyday in the country because most people involve are not punish which is very bad for the development of the country.
The hate speech in Nigeria is getting out of hand. Politicians are the cause of it. This hate speech is causing problem between tribes, many people are now taking it serious. Something need to be done
We should monitor words that will coming out of our mouth hate speech should be stopped and this politician are the cause, punishment should be lay down for hate speech
Hate speech is rise in our country that we need to stop people are getting involve in it much which can cause bad things to happen in the society we have to back from hate speech
This was caused mainly by ethnicity and religious discrimination that was among the people in social media.
Widespread use of hate speech was definitely instigated by those that purposely want to create uproar among the people.
The use of ethnic and religious tensions to advance their own agendas of fear, hatred, and separation is not a good at all. It will result in conflict and hostility.
This hate speeches has fueled up tribalism, bigotry, religious wars and the rest. All these are unnecessary, we need to be united. We shouldn’t let all these divide us from the reality of we being all Nigerians
The way people speak hurtful to others is why I don’t like getting to political or religious conversations because it irritates me so much . People should desist for it it’s not good.
It is unfortunate that this has given certain people the opportunity to exploit racial and religious divisions in order to forward their own objectives of fear on our people.
This is increasing and creating a gap different in the country. It is more obvious in this election we just did. Nigerians should let live prevail and leave the devil’s work.
Why certain religious leaders would partake in the horrible activity of spreading hate speeches is beyond me; don’t they see it will lead to issues for the country?
Social media has made hate speech strive so well. Since, there’s nobody to put anyone in check. However we need to learn to curtail our words
Social media use and abuse that promotes messages full of racial and religious intolerance is bad to society, and people should recognise this.
It’s time for the government to step in and stop the abuses and discrimination that are plaguing the Nigerian internet.
There has been an uptick in hate speech in the United States, and it’s important that we put an end to it before it spreads and causes irreparable harm to our society.
Truly, the use of hate speed is on the rise in Nigeria simply because we are in the electioneering period. I think this should be controlled to avoid unnecessary religious, ethnic and political clashes.
National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) should please, call to order all our political leaders who uses hate speech to incise religion and political violence otherwise it can lead to clashes.