Daniel Kanu
Ahead of the public hearing in Abuja tomorrow, Monday, March 9 for the Social Media Bill (SMB), over 60 rights advocacy groups under the aegis Action Group on Free Civic Space have asked the nation’s lawmakers to throw out the bill.
The bill, Protection From Internet Falsehoods, Manipulations and Other Related Matters Bill 2019, is sponsored by Senator Mohammed Sani Musa (APC, Niger East).
But the groups contend that the bill contains provisions that run contrary to the constitutional guaranteed freedom of speech and fair comment protected under national laws.
Also, they insist that the bill reproduces rules and regulations already covered by existing laws like the Cyber Crime Act 2015, Terrorism (prevention) Act 2011, Penal Code, National Human Rights Commission Act, etc., just as they noted further that numerous law enforcement mechanisms for curbing cyber crimes already exist.
Addressing the media at the weekend, Victoria Ohaeri, legal practitioner and coordinator Spaces for Change asked Nigerians to bluntly discard the bill for its obnoxious nature in stifling freedom and rights of individuals and organisations, arguing further that the language used in framing offenses is overbroad with the potential to criminalise vast swaths of honest expressions, services, and conduct.
The group expressed apprehension about the real reasons behind the bill, disclosing that so far not less than 279 cases of clampdown on human freedoms in Nigeria from 2015 till date, with 75 incidents of journalists arrested and assaulted on account of their journalistic duties have been recorded, including 9 media houses either attacked or shut down for publishing or airing content critical of government activities.
The group wants the government to strengthen the capacities of existing law enforcement agencies statutorily as well as accelerate the implementation of existing cyber crime laws and policies.
“In the light of all the well-founded fears, the Action Group on Free Civic Space, says a big ‘No’ to this bill and urges the Nigerian Senate to reject this bill in its entirety. Doing so is not only in public interest, but also promotes an enabling environment for citizens to freely engage governance in democratic conversations.
“Our group represents a loose network of 66 organisations, student unions, social movements and active citizens across Nigeria, working on different thematic issues, but committed to ensuring that government regulation in the name of national security does not shrink the civic space in Nigeria.” The group submitted.