Punishment awaits perpetrators of hate speech as the Federal Government has concluded plans to enact a legislation aimed at curtailing the menace in the polity.
A bill initiated by the Ministry of Interior would soon be presented to the National Assembly by the office of the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN).
The Minister of Interior, Lt. Gen. Abdulrahman Dambazzau, disclosed this to reporters after he had a closed-door discussion with members of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun-led National Working Committee of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
Decrying the recurring incidence of hate speech in the polity, Dambazzau hinted that severe punishment awaits any person found guilty of perpetrating the act once the legislation sails through in the National Assembly.
“Hate speech should not be allowed in this country. Everybody is entitled to belong to his religion, the religion he believes in.Everybody is entitled to his faith. When we were born, we didn’t choose the tribe we want to belong to.
“That is how God brought us to the world. And there is absolutely no reason for hate speech or hating anybody whatsoever. So if the National Assembly passes that law, certainly anybody who is engaged in hate speech would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.”
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