Nigerian Senate seeks 7 year jail term for social media critics?

Is this story for real? According to a report by Daily Trust Dec. 4, 2013, the Nigerian Senate has reached an advanced stage to pass a bill that seeks seven years jail term for social media critics found guilty of inciting the public against the government.

The proposed legislation which has scaled second reading in the upper legislative chamber is also proposing a stiffer punishment for internet fraudsters and scammers in Nigeria as those convicted will face a seven years imprisonment.

The joint Senate Committees on Judiciary, Human Rights and legal matters, Drugs, Narcotics and Financial Crimes led by Senator Umaru Dahiru (PDP, Sokoto), yesterday organized a one day public hearing on the bill for an act to provide for the prohibition and punishment for electronic fraud and crime in all electronic transactions in Nigeria.

“Section 13 subsection 3 of the bill proposes that: “Anyone who intentionally propagates false information that could threaten the security of the country or that is capable of inciting the general public against the government through electronic message shall be guilty of an offense and upon conviction shall be sentenced to seven years imprisonment or N5 million (fine).”

Can they be serious??

Electronic fraudsters pose a great danger to the country.

True talk, we all know that, no argument on it.

But this bill is will pose a greater danger to the country, in Nigeria we have rights that we get deprived from; we maintain our stand and are patient. For example, the ongoing ASUU strike; these lecturers have being patient enough, there is no doubt, and they know their rights and are fighting for it.

Freedom of Speech is what I speak for; we have being deprived of many things but this is going be a NO NO. The chilling effect of this bill if passed into law will be unprecedented. Nobody will be spared, if one speaks out against a perceived government indiscretion, they may be deemed to have incited the Nigerian public.

One man once threatened another in a chat group exchange, that his “handcuff is waiting for him anytime he shows up in Nigeria.”  This time around, the handcuff is waiting for any keyboard happy Nigerian who gets frustrated by the massive corruption going on and utters a word in frustration on any social media.

This is Pure Injustice