The controversial bill on Protection From Internet Falsehood and Manipulation Bill sponsored by Senator Musa Mohammed from Niger East Constituency suffered a major setback during the public hearing on Monday, 9th March, 2020.
The bill seeks to give the Nigerian government unrestricted control over contents and conversations on various social media platforms. Unfortunately, this bill came at a time the government at all levels in Nigeria are becoming irresponsible.
Recently, suspected members of the State Security Service (SSS) started a manhunt for Musikilu Mojeed, the Editor-in-Chief of Premiumtimes, the investigative online newspaper. Also Samuel Ogundipe, the newspaper’s reporter who exposed the rift between Babagana Monguno, National Security Adviser (NSA), and Abba Kyari, Chief of Staff to President Muhammadu Buhari, has been subjected to a relentless hacking attacks while he has been receiving calls from strange numbers to confirm his identity.
The ordeals of Agba Jalingo, the journalist from Cross River State is still fresh in the memory of Nigerians. He was arrested on August 22, 2019, because he questioned the whereabouts of the N500m approved for the establishment of Cross River State Microfinance Bank. The Nigerian Police detained him for 179 before he was released on bail.
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Imagine this present situation when the government can detain a journalist for 179 days in the absence of an anti-social media bill, what will be the fate of free speech if this draconian is passed?
The proposed bill empowers the Nigeria Police to shut down the internet when the government doesn’t like conversations going on social media platforms.
We commend the Executive Vice-Chairman, Nigerian Communications Commission (NCC) for saying that certain provisions in the Bill could be used to violate citizens’ rights, free speech and potentially, our human rights.
When the government becomes irresponsible, opaque, clueless, profligate, unaccountable and rudderless, the last thing they need is demand for transparency and accountability.
Omolere Sowore, the Publisher of Sahara Reporters, asked a very important question during the public hearing, “Is something false because the government does not like it or is it false because nobody wants to accept that it is true?” When the government hates your guts and demands for accountability, the trumped up charges of treason will be hung around your neck. In the midst of Agba Jalingo’s trials, Ben Ayade, the Governor of Cross River State lied that the journalist was trying to overthrow his government. So sad.
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For our society to progress, we have to demand absolute (not less) accountability from our leaders. In every democracy, sovereignty lies with the people. We know there are authoritarian regimes that hide under democracy to brutalize their people. The authority and power that these political leaders are wielding were given to them through the ballot box. In the absence of demands for accountability, unimaginable heists and mindless looting of funds meant for development are carried out through the stroke of a pen.
Politicians like Senator Musa Mohammed want to hide under the ill-prepared bill to resist the demands for accountability from Nigerias. This must not happen. Anti-Social Media Bill
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