STATEMENT BY THE SENATE TO CLARIFY THE CONTROVERSY ARISING FROM THEIR BILL ON SOCIAL MEDIA CRITICS.

The earlier news was that the senate was to pass into law a bill that seeks a two year jail term for social media critics, found guilty of inciting the public against the government. The bill also proposes a stiffer punishment for internet fraudsters  and scammers in Nigeria as those convicted will face a seven years imprisonment. The proposed bill which emanated from Senator Na'Allah, invoke a lot buzz by the Nigerian masses, who took the social media to air their grievances.

PART OF THE BILL

Where any person in order to circumvent this law makes any allegation and or publish any statement, petition in any paper, radio, or any medium of whatever description, with malicious intent to discredit or set the public against any person or group of persons, institutions of government, he shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment term of two years or a fine of N4,000,000.00” the bill specified.

On social media, the bill reads;

“Where any person through text message ,tweets, WhatsApp or through any social media post any abusive statement knowing same to be false with intent to set the public against any person and group of persons, an institution of government or such other bodies established by law shall be guilty of an offence and upon conviction, shall be liable to an imprisonment for two years or a fine of N2,000,000.00 or both fine and imprisonment.”

The office of the senate president later released a statement of clarification, stating that the bill seeks to make illegal, the common act of individuals sponsoring frivolous petition to tarnish and black mail public servants or political office holders for selfish purposes. it went ahead to state that petitioners will have to depose to an affidavit in court which must be attached to any petition. where such petition is discovered to be frivolous, mischievous or false, the proposed bill makes it a case of perjury which is an offence under the law.

STATEMENT OF CLARIFICATION