Senate getting set to pass anti-social media bill as it scales through second reading
The social media bill, which seeks to regulate information carried by Nigerians across social media platforms, has passed through the second reading at the Senate.
The senators passed the bill after taking it for a second time on Wednesday, November 20, before committing it to a committee. The bill was sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa, the representative of Niger East at the National Assembly. According to Musa, it is important that the bill is passed to curb the excesses of those using the social media to cause disaffection and destroy people through fake news. “The hoax about the death of President Muhammadu Buhari in London and his replacement with Jibril from Sudan was a great threat to the peace and security of this country,” Musa said. While some of his colleagues spoke in favour of the bill, Senator Chimaroke Nnamani representing Enugu East opposed it. The Senate president, Ahmad Lawan, later referred the bill to the committees on judiciary, human rights and legal matters. Mean the senate has come out to distance it self from the hate speech bill being sponsored by the deputy chief whip, Sabi Abdullahi. Senator Godiya Akwashiki, acting spokesperson for the red chamber, made the Senate's position known. He said the bill is being solely pursued by Sabi Abdullahi and not the entire senate as is being circulated in the media.
Related News
