TheNewsGuru

Tag: Hate Speech

  • Hate Speech: IBAN kicks against NBC’s N5m fine

    Hate Speech: IBAN kicks against NBC’s N5m fine

    The Independent Broadcasting Association of Nigeria (IBAN) has kicked against the N5million fine, imposed by the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission (NBC) on one of its members, Nigeria Info FM, for allegedly promoting hate speech.

    IBAN in a statement issued yesterday after its emergency board meeting held on Monday, which was signed by its Chairman, Mr. Guy Murray-Bruce, described the commission’s fine as excessive.

    It argued that the fine was a creation of the now disputed amendments to the 6th broadcasting code.

    According to the statement, “While we concede the right to regulate broadcasting in Nigeria to the NBC, we wish to point out some cogent issues that must not be ignored in this instant case.

    “The five million Naira (N5m) fine imposed is excessive, as it is a creation of the now disputed amendments to the 6th broadcasting code.

    “We feel that in the absence of a universal buy into the amendments of the code, it is premature for the management of the commission to implement any aspect of the disputed amendments.”

    IBAN stated that it also believed that the omnibus authority the NBC had arrogated to itself of being the accuser, judge and executioner in these matters fly in the face of the principle of fair hearing.

    It added that the commission’s determination of what amounts to hate speech ought to be verified by an independent body before sanctions were imposed.

    IBAN said: “As it stands now, the commission could on a whim label anything hate speech and then go ahead to impose a fine without the accused having the benefit of a fair hearing.

    “Information available to us points to the existence of the Nigerian Press Council with the mandate to uphold ethical and professional standards in the media, investigate complaints against the press, monitor activities of the press, research on contemporary press development, investigate obstacles to the flow of information, protect the rights and privileges of journalists.

    “In our view, the Nigerian Press Council which is made up of representatives from the following institutions, the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Nigerian Guild of Editors (NGE), Newspaper Proprietors’ Association of Nigeria, the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria, News Agency of Nigeria, the Federal Ministry of Information, and the general public, is best suited to determine what might amount to a media infraction.”

    However, IBAN recommended that the NBC should refer any alleged infraction of a broadcasting entity to the council for determination before sanctions are imposed.

    It further called on the management of the commission to hold off on imposing any sanctions until the above-stated issues are addressed.

    It also recommended that stakeholders and the management of NBC should enter into another round of consultations and discuss the amendments to the 6th Broadcasting Code as a way forward.

  • N5m Fine: FG explains what constitutes hate speech

    N5m Fine: FG explains what constitutes hate speech

    The Federal Government says “any speech, broadcast or publication that denigrates a person, a group of people on the basis of their sex, religion, political belief or origin is hate speech”.

    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, gave the explanation on Thursday when he appeared on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum held at the agency’s headquarters in Abuja.

    “Any broadcast or publication that tends to erode social cohesion that is an attack on our inclusion and common value is hate speech.

    “Those who go to television and denigrate one person or the other with a view to cause social disharmony have breached the hate speech code.

    “They know what they are doing and they must be made to pay for it,” the minister said while justifying the increase of hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5 million in the amended National Broadcasting Code.

    The minister said the fine was raised for national security and to serve as deterrent to those bent on destabilising the country through the use of fake news and hate speech.

    “No country is going to sit down and fold its arms and be destroyed by fake news or hate speech especially in Nigeria where we are divided along ethnicity, religion and culture.

    “In practice what we found was that when the fine for hate speech was just half a million, people were reckless because they could easily pay the half a million fine.

    “As a matter of fact, our findings shows that when people take advert to broadcast houses and the broadcast houses refused the advert on ground that if they air them they will be fined half a million Naira, the purveyor of hate speech will say, don’t worry, we will pay you N1 million extra.

    ‘With the N5 million we want to see whether they will add another N10 million to their advert rate.

    “For us, it is very practical and for those who said it is primitive, we disagree with them because we want to safe Nigeria from purveyors of hate speech,’ he said..

    Mohammed said that hate speech had a long history and government had been proactive in addressing the menace because of its potential threat to national security and cohesion.

    He recalled in 2017, that the ministry devoted an entire National Council of Information meeting to discuss the effect of fake news and hate speech.

    The minister said he equally launched national campaign against hate speech and fake news and embarked on advocacy visits to media houses across the country on its dangers.

    Speaking on the effects of hate speech, Mohammed said it led to genocide in Rwanda where over 800,000 lives were lost as well as the killings in Bosnia and Cambodia.

    “What we are doing in terms of sanction is minor when compared to what have been done in other countries like Iceland, Norway, UK, Germany and South Africa where hate speech is criminalised.

    “Hate speech attracts either fines or jail term or both in many countries, including the UK and South Africa,” he said.

    The minister added that the social media has aggravated the menace of hate speech and fake news and the government will not relent in its resolve to control the medium without stifling freedom of speech.

  • Why we increased hate speech fine to N5m – Lai Mohammed

    Why we increased hate speech fine to N5m – Lai Mohammed

    The Federal Government says it increased the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to N5 million in the ammended National Broadcasting Code to deter people who are willingly violating the provision to destabilise the country.
    The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed gave the explanation on Friday when he featured on a TVC live Programme, “This Morning”” monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria in Abuja.

    NAN recalls that the minister in 2019 announced the approval of President Muhammadu Buhari for the increase of the fine which was later stipulated in the ammended Broadcasting Code.

    “What motivated the ammendment was that when the fine was N500,000 we saw the provision being violated at will because the amount was very easy to pay,” he said.

    The minister explained that some desperate people, who know that their broadcast content contains hate speech, will insist that the broadcast stations should air it while they bear the cost of the fine.

    The minister noted that those attacking the government over the increase, must remember that hate speech had destroyed many countries.

    He recalled that Rwandan lost 800,000 lives to hate speech while Bosnia and Cambodia equally lost thousands of lives to the menace.

    Mohammed said that Nigeria is not the only country to impose sanction on hate speech, adding that some nations have more stringent provisions.

    “Chad has today slow down the speed of its internet service to slow down the growth of hate speech.

    “Iceland has a provision in its penal code against hate speech and the punishment is up to five years in jail.

    “The sanction in Norway is up to two years imprisonment while South Africa separated hate speech from the protection their citizens can get from the constitution,” he said.

    The minister said that hate speech is not new but the social media and its wildfire capacity to spread information made it to be more problematic.

    He, therefore, reiterated the resolve of the government to regulate the social media without stifling the freedom of speech.

  • BREAKING: FG increases hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5m

    BREAKING: FG increases hate speech fine from N500,000 to N5m

    The Federal Government on Tuesday raised the fine for hate speech from N500,000 to 5 million naira.

    The government also mandated broadcast stations to devote airtime for public education on emergencies such as the Covid-19 pandemic.

    The Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, made this known in Lagos on Tuesday while unveiling the Reviewed Broadcasting Code.

    This was contained in a statement by the Federal Ministry of Information and Culture, titled, ‘Remarks By The Hon. Minister Of Information And Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, At The Unveiling Of The Reviewed Broadcasting Code In Lagos On Tuesday, Aug. 4th 2020’.

    According to the statement made available on the verified social media platforms of the ministry, Mohammed said the amendments were necessitated by a Presidential directive in the wake of the 2019 general elections for an inquiry into the regulatory role of the National Broadcasting Commission as well as the conduct of the various broadcast stations before, during and after elections.

    The minister noted that the recommendations were approved by the President, Major General Mohammed Buhari (retd.), to reposition the NBC to better perform its regulatory role in the areas of political broadcasting, local content, coverage of emergencies, advertising, and anti-competitive behaviour.

    Mohammed, who explained that section 2h of the NBC Act empowers the commission to establish and disseminate a National
    Broadcasting Code, said, “There are many desirable provisions in the new Broadcasting Code:

    “The provisions on Exclusivity and Monopoly will boost local content and local industry due to laws prohibiting exclusive use of rights by broadcasters who intend to create monopolies and hold the entire market to themselves. It will encourage Open Access to premium content.

    “The law prohibiting backlog of advertising debts will definitely promote sustainability for the station owners and producers of content.

    “The law on registration of Web Broadcasting grants the country the opportunity to regulate negative foreign broadcasts that can harm us as a nation. Such harms could be in the area of security, protection for minors, protection of human dignity, economic fraud, privacy etc.

    “The provision on responsibility of broadcast stations to devote airtime to national emergencies mandates terrestrial and Pay TV channels to make their services available to Nigerians at time of national emergencies – like the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic – for their education and enlightenment.

    “The provision raising the fine for hate speech from 500,000 Naira to 5 million Naira.”

    He added, “The Broadcasting Code is not a static document. As we often say, broadcasting is dynamic. Therefore, even the 6th Edition of the Code shall be reviewed at the appropriate time. But, as it currently stands, the 6th edition and the amendments, which we are unveiling today, remain the regulations for broadcasting in Nigeria.

    “For those who still have misgivings about the amendment to the 6th Edition of the Code, we expect you to meet with the regulator and present your views. As I said, there are opportunities for constant review of the Code, but please note that this latest amendment is signed, sealed and delivered, and we are committed to making it work for the good of the country.”

  • Bishop Oyedepo has strong words for Buhari’s govt, says no direction, worst ever in Nigeria’s history

    Bishop Oyedepo has strong words for Buhari’s govt, says no direction, worst ever in Nigeria’s history

    The Presiding Bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide also known as Winners Chapel, Bishop David Oyedepo, has described the regime of the President Muhammadu Buhari as the worst in the history of Nigeria.

    Oyedepo said this on Sunday while delivering a sermon during the second service of the church at the Faith Tabernacle, Ota, Ogun State.

    He said the hate speech bill being sponsored by Senator Sabi Abdullahi was the most ridiculous bill anyone could think of.

    The cleric said while the government was seeking to criminalise hate speech, those who kill others at will were left to walk free.

    Oyedepo said, “The government in this country is making a draconian law – hate speech. They said if you speak hatefully, you have committed murder. Out of someone who says I will kill you and the one who kills, who has committed a crime? I don’t understand which kind of animal farm we live in.

    “I said stop stepping on my toes and you said that is hate speech but somebody kills and he is walking free on the streets. This is the most stupid and nonsensical ideal anybody can think of.

    I said you are bad and you said that is a crime. Must I say you are good when you are bad?

    “In my view you are bad and you shouldn’t be a leader. I have the right to say so. As far as I am concerned, I am a true born and thoroughly-bred Nigerian, an intelligent one. In my view this is the worst thing that has happened to Nigeria — this government. It is the worst and in fact it is like a curse.

    “I have been here for some time and I led the first prayer and fasting for Nigeria in 1979. I am not a baby in the affairs of Nigeria. This is the worst government, a government with no direction. Their days are numbered. I can tell you as a prophet that their days are numbered.”

  • [[BREAKING]Hate Speech Bill: Oyedepo tackles Buhari-led govt: You can’t silence Nigerians

    By Emmanuel Bagudu

    David Oyedepo, the founder and presiding bishop of Living Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners Chapel, has just declared the Hate Speech Bill before the Nigerian Senate as “dead’.

    TNG correspondent monitored the opening sermon of the church’s annual convention, Shiloh, holding in Canaanland in Otta, Ogun State- Bishop Oyedepo, in the course of his sermon criticised the Buhari government for its repressive policies and bad governance.

    Oyedepo who expressed his displeasure over the ongoing legislative process to enact the anti hate speech law stressed that Nigerians can be silenced by the ruling government.

    At about 9pm, Tuesday, December 3, 2019, Oyedepo who seemed angry over the state of affairs of the country prayed for Nigeria but couldn’t hide his reservations for the proposed hate speech bill after praying.

    His words: “Hate speach law (he exclaimed!!), they want to silence the people…” You can silence men, but you can’t silence a prophet of God, I don’t think anybody love Nigeria the way I do….. ” OYEDEPO said. Hate speech….!!!!, You can’t shut Nigerians Up”

    He asked the congregation, “These are people that promised change, where is the change? Where is it? Why are you not saying anything? Why are you keeping quite…That Hate Speech Bill is dead,” he thundered. “It is not going anywhere.”

    He declared his love for Nigeria and assured his followers that God’s agenda for Nigeria must come to pass.

    This year’s Shiloh, a 5-day programme, is tagged “Breaking Limits” and is participants are expected from more than 70 countries in the world.

    In November, the Senate has introduced a bill which seeks to establish a federal government agency to check hate speech in the country.

    The bill, sponsored by a former senate spokesperson, who is now the deputy senate whip, Sabi Abdullahi, passed first reading on the floor of the red chamber on Tuesday, November 12, 2019.

    It is titled National Commission for the Prohibition of Hate Speeches (Estb., etc) Bill 2019.

    A similar bill sponsored by Abdullahi in the 8th Senate prescribed among others, death by hanging for anyone found guilty of the offence.

    The controversial bill has received widespread condemnation from Nigerians for its anti-democratic nature. Professional media organisations have kicked against the bill as well.

  • Segun Onibiyo explains alleged hate speech made against Buhari, el-Rufai

    Segun Onibiyo, Presenter and Producer at Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria (FRCN), has explained alleged hate speech made against President Muhammadu Buhari and Kaduna State Governor Nasir el-Rufai.

    TheNewsGuru (TNG) reports Segun gave the explanation in a statement lodged at a Kaduna Police station, following his arrest last week for allegedly making malicious posts on Facebook about the late Agom Adamawa curfew in Kaduna state.

    He denied making any malicious posts against President Buhari, Governor el-Rufai or any other persons, stressing that he understands full well the implications of attacking public figures.

    Segun’s statement to the Police reads: “My name is Onibiyo, Segun Mike Gbenga, born on the 20th of August, 1974 in Ife-Olukofun, Yagba East Local Government Area of Kogi State. I am the 3rd in a family of 7. I grew up in Kaduna where I went to school – Kaduna Polytechnic and studied Mass Communication.

    “I am married with 2 children and I currently work as a presenter/producer with the Federal Radio Corporation of Nigeria from 2012 till date. My parents are late Elder Jeremiah ABoyomi Onibiyo and Mrs. Roseline Onibiyo.

    “I have read line for line the malicious, injurious (allegations) post made against me about posts on the late Agom Adamawa curfew in Kaduna and others attacking the person of his excellency, the governor of Kaduna State, Mallam NAsir El-Rufai, the President of the federal republic, general Muhammadu Buhari and others.

    “I wish to state categorically that I have nothing to do with the post. My Facebook account with the name SMG Onibiyo was hacked pre-2015. I had since reported same to Facebook and while I could not recover the account, I opened another in the name Segun Onibiyo, which was equally hacked. I had since stopped using Facebook in those aforementioned names and instead continued the use of 2 other accounts – MrJejeSupreme and Miongs Communications – as medium of facebooking.

    “I am a journalist and understand full well the implication of attacking public figures or individuals in private or public space. I may have my opinion on issues but I will never in any way attack anyone in such injurious manner, especially on Facebook or anywhere else.

    “I want my name cleared for any form of attack on personalities as I do not have access to the FB account where these allegations were posted. Family members and friends have always called to ask if I sent them pictures and even pornographic image, which I have always explained I did not. I am an upright individual and family and friends can attest to my character, even on my program on radio – Oga Jeje.

    In conclusion, once again, my account SMG Onibyo was hacked pre-2015 and I have since then moved on and not on Facebook in that name. I reported the hack to Facebook but not to any security agency as I did not envisage the threat it could pose”.

     

  • Arrest hate speech makers henceforth! – Buhari oders security agents

    Arrest hate speech makers henceforth! – Buhari oders security agents

    President Muhammadu Buhari has warned Nigerian elites to stop misleading the people through their unguarded utterances.

    Buhari, who is the visitor to the University of Uyo, according to the News Agency of Nigeria, gave the warning at the 24th convocation ceremony of the institution on Saturday.

    The President, who was represented by the Director of Corporate Communications, National Universities Commission, Mr. Ibrahim Yakasai, said development and progress could not thrive in a hate-filled and divisive society.

    He said universities as home of great thinkers, should give guidance to the communities to enable the people to make informed decisions as the nation approached the 2019 general elections.

    He said that the Federal Government would not condone or tolerate incendiary remarks capable of causing fear and spread hatred among the people, from any person or group of persons.

    Buhari said that the Federal Government would continue to do its best to ensure security of lives and property in the country.

    The President said, “At this point, I want to be very clear and equivocal, that the Federal Government will never condone or tolerate incendiary remarks from any person or group of persons, which are meant to harass, intimidate, cause fear and spread hate, no matter how highly placed such a person is.

    “Law enforcement agencies should fish out people who make inciting statements, instigate civil disobedience, broadcast hate speeches or stir strife, riot and rebellion and bring them to book.

    “We should continue to live together as brothers and sisters.”

    The President called on the new graduates to look beyond leaders who had failed themselves and the nation but should choose their heroes from among those who believe in the progress of Nigeria and emulate those honest and hardworking in their professions.

    Buhari said there was a need for the curriculum of Nigerian universities to be diversified to include entrepreneurial skills to help graduates to employ themselves and others after graduation.

    The Vice-Chancellor, University of Uyo, Prof. Enefiok Essien, said 32 students from the institution graduated with first class honours in the 24th convocation.

    Essien said that 4,539 graduands convoked; 631 postgraduates, 3,678 undergraduates and 230 sub-degrees.

     

  • ‘Lifeless Buhari’ statement: Trump’s ‘hate speech,’ disregard for world leaders worrisome – Group

    ‘Lifeless Buhari’ statement: Trump’s ‘hate speech,’ disregard for world leaders worrisome – Group

    …says statement won’t stop PMB’s reelection in 2019

    The Buhari Media Organisation ( BMO ) has said that President Muhammadu Buhari will not be distracted by the derogatory remarks credited to President Donald Trump of the United States of America, but will remain focused on his mandate to deliver on his promises to the Nigerian people.

    The group was reacting to a report by the Financial Times that the American President told his aides after a meeting with the Nigerian Leader in April that he never wanted to hold such a life less meeting again.

    While describing the comment as disrespectful, Chairman of the group, Niyi Akinsiju and Secretary, Cassidy Maduekwe said in a statement whether it was indeed said or in fact unsaid, Buhari would in his character continue to remain focused on his mandate to deliver on his promises to the Nigerian people.

    The group said that “President Muhammadu Buhari is fit and capable to run for the 2019 elections and oversee the affairs of the country for four more years President Donald Trump’s hate speech notwithstanding.”

    They stressed that this was not the first time the US President was heard to make such derogatory remarks about World leaders, and thus President Buhari would not be distracted by such.

    They said: “We are aware that President Trump’s disrespect for World Leaders is not new; his comments on Canada’s Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, calling him ‘meek and mild’; his reference to Germany’s Leader, Angela Merkel’s actions as ‘insane’, or his outlandish Tweet at the UK’s Theresa May, and more recently, the alleged remarks he made after meeting President Buhari.

    “It is indeed not the first time President Trump would be heard to lower the standards of respect for his colleagues on the world stage. We are not surprised, we know that this age-long character of the US President would not change anytime soon. But it is important that we put it on record that President Buhari remains fit and sprightly, even for the next decade.

    “We recall that during President Buhari’s visit to Trump in the White House, the US President commended the successes that the Buhari administration had recorded especially in the fight against insurgency and the war on corruption.

    “The US President was full of admiration for Nigeria’s President during the visit, thus such outlandish remarks as reported by the Financial Times are not just to be taken with a pinch of salt but are untrue in themselves.

    “President Buhari has continued to show fitness and capacity to run the country post-2019; it went further to highlight that though the President’s 800 metre walk, where he acknowledged the cheers of members of his constituency, was not intended at showboating, it was an unscripted reference point that further proves a fit and lively President.”

     

  • NBC to sanction Ondo TV over hate speech against Fayose

    The National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) says it will sanction the Ondo State Television Service (OSTS) for broadcasting hate speech against Ekiti State Gov. Ayodele Fayose during the governorship elections in the state.

    The Director-General of the commission, Mr Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Friday in Ilorin that NBC would not tolerate impunity as the 2019 general elections approached.

    He assured that the commission would be neutral and apolitical in the discharge of its statutory duties including the enforcement of the National Broadcasting Code.

    “From the Ekiti elections, one interesting thing played out.

    “We discovered that in a neighbouring state, Ondo, a broadcast station there, the Ondo State Television Service, was broadcasting hate speech against Ekiti Governor, Ayodele Fayose

    “For us in NBC this is against the national broadcasting code and we are going to be sanctioning that particular station.

    “We do not pick and choose which station to sanction. We monitor all radio and TV broadcasting stations in the country, and when you flout the code you are going to be sanctioned.

    “On a quarterly basis, we will bring out the list of those we had sanctioned and the reasons, and post it in our website and distribute to media houses,” he said.

    Modibbo-Kawu said the commission recently studied the contents of live broadcast of political rallies and discovered that politicians from both the ruling party and the oppositions were guilty of hate speech.

    He said broadcast stations would, henceforth, be held liable for such infractions against their practice code.

    “Politicians tend to just say anything on air, they demonise the opponents, they profile them and say the most horrendous things.

    “The political parties are not our licensees, so we cannot hold them liable. However, the TV stations that broadcast the rally live has an obligation.

    “We are issuing the report on the studies to the government, political parties and broadcast houses that if you broadcast live materials that flout the national broadcasting code, you are going to be held liable.

    “They have to get their acts together and begin to discuss with the people who come to pay heavy sum of money to do live broadcast, that there are certain things you cannot say,” he said.

    The director-general said ahead of the 2019 general elections the NBC had become particularly visible, sensitising its licensees to their responsibilities to the nation and the need to respect regulatory code.

    “For instance, elections are coming very soon in Osun state. Two weeks ago, we were in the state, met the stakeholders – all the broadcast stations, political parties and security forces.

    “We held a one-day workshop to emphasise the importance of adherence to the code.

    “We have a responsibility to our country, to help to use broadcasting to assist the Nigerian people to make informed choices among the different political parties.

    “But, we should not use broadcasting to cause confusion in our country. One of my pet phrases is that we must first have a country, before we have broadcasting,’’ said Modibbo-Kawu.

    The director-general recalled that in the lead to the Ekiti state governorship election, the commission ended up sanctioning a couple of stations especially the state owned broadcast stations there.

    “We were forced by the circumstances of the actions taken there to close the Ekiti Broadcasting Services (EBS).

    “First of all, the state government had appointed the DG of the EBS as the DG of Campaign of one of the political parties.

    “The appointment was not in consonance with the objectives of the NBC, so we wrote a letter to the broadcaster and the governor of the state, but they ignored us.

    “Secondly, when President Muhammadu Buhari visited the state, the governor made a broadcast that the people should not turn out to receive the president.

    “This was beyond politics, so we sanction the station,” he said.

    “Soon after the elections, before INEC announced the results, the state governor went to radio and television to begin to announce his own results.

    “We felt that was the point we had to act and we closed another station”.

    Modibbo-Kawu said NBC also closed down a station which was on test transmission, but engaged in political broadcasting against the national broadcasting code.

    NAN