Like most of us already know, the failed anti social media bill, which was previously kicked out by the 8th Senate has been repacked and reintroduced as Hate speech bill.

The bill proposes death penalty for anyone found guilty of spreading a falsehood that leads to the death of another person. The bill also seeks the establishment of a National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speech to help investigate and prosecute offenders.

Meet the Senator that proposed the bill

His name is SEN. ALIYU ABDULLAHI from Niger North Senatorial district. He has been an APC senator from 2015 till date. He is presently in the Senate leadership as Senate deputy chief whip.

Senator Aliyu, who has an educational background in Veterinary research seems very inactive as a senator- his records show that since the 9th Senate, he has proposed one bill on education with no specifics, no supporting document and no details on what the bill was meant to achieve, the bill barely made it into second reading.

Senator Aliyu in the news-

On Friday, 3rd November, 2017, Dr. Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi was assaulted and stoned in Kontagora,  head quarters of Niger North Senatorial District where he represents. He called for a town-hall meeting almost one year to the next general elections and his constituents were not having it

Its also been alleged by another unconfirmed reports from Nairaland that he bought a twin duplex at Maitama worth 650Million Naira

Could the Nigerian senate have been inspired by Ethiopia who recently passed a bill against hate speech three days ago

Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers recently approved a bill drafted by the Attorney General to combat fake news and hate speech.

The bill’s official name is the Computer Crime proclamation. Despite approval by the council, the bill is yet to be sent to the Ethiopian parliament for approval.

But Ethiopia’s Anti hate speech in geared towards stopping ethnic tensions.

Last month 86 people were killed in ethnic conflicts which are believed to have been fueled in part by divisive, inflammatory videos shared on social media.The Ethiopian government says it doesn’t currently have the legal framework to deal with the issue.

This development in Ethiopia could have inspired Nigerian’s 9th National assembly to rephrase social media bill as Anti hate speech bill- (cant imagine they are capable of figuring it out on their own). But unlike Ethiopia, they are probably not concerned with Ethnic tensions- Twitter intellectuals they are coming for you…