Hate speech: No society will allow crime go unchecked - Malami

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami, has reacted to the Social Media Bill and Hate Speech Bill which were introduced to the Senate.

According to Malami, no society will allow hate speech without measures to checkmate it as a crime.

The minister made this known while delivering a speech at a town hall meeting in Abuja tagged “Social Media and anti-Hate Speech Bills”, which was organised by Daar Communications PLC.

Represented by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Umar Gwandu, the minister lamented the rate of vilifying statements on Nigeria's social media.

“The rate at which the proliferation of acrimony and vilifying statements dominate the social media space is alarming. The consequence of which will be dangerous. No society will fold its arm and allow such ominous crime to go unchecked,” he said.

He, however, said he had tried in entrenching democratic governance and upholding the rule of law in line with Section 22 of the 1999 Constitution.