The Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi, has highlighted why the hate speech bill should be signed into law in Nigeria.
Abdullahi said if signed into law, the bill would address the dangers of violence in the country which are offshoots of hate speech.
Featuring on Channels Television, the lawmaker, who sponsored the bill insisted that hate speech was the root cause of violence in Nigeria.
He said: “I am still strongly convinced that the problem of hate speech is one that Nigeria must tackle. From what I have studied, both from a lot of scholars that have gone on the subject of violence in the country, there is a conclusion that almost all the violence is preceded by hate speech.
“Yes there may be a crisis between groups, but what will lead to violence is that somebody must have said something that is inciting to violence and that is how people who are innocent will fall victims, losing their lives and livelihood for no just cause because somebody somewhere is irresponsible enough to incite other people to that violence.
“What is the cause of violence? Hate speech is at the root of it. When we talk about hate speech, the issue of incitement comes in.”
