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Tag: Hate speeches

  • Labour union rejects bill on hate speeches

    Labour union rejects bill on hate speeches

    …Issues two-week ultimatum to Fed Govt

     

    The United Labour Congress (ULC) has rejected a proposed bill seeking to criminalise hate speeches.

    It said the bill’s intention was to prevent any criticism of public office holders when passed into law.

    This was among demands ULC said must be met by the Federal Government within two weeks or it embarks on a nation-wide strike.

    “The proposed Bill at the National Assembly seeking to control free speech couched under the guise of the Bill Against Hate Speech has the real intention of protecting the ruling elite from being held accountable by the citizenry.

    “We, therefore, demand the discontinuance of that obnoxious Bill by whoever sponsored it,” ULC said in a statement by its General Secretary Comrade Didi Adodo.

    ULC, made up of labour groups including the National Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG), said it has constituted strike committee after the Federal Government failed to meet its demands.

    “It is a large committee made up of 15-members drawn from some industrial Unions who are affiliates of the ULC,” it said.

    ULC issued a fresh ultimatum to the Federal Government which it said must be met on or before September 8, failing which it shall be forced to embark a nation-wide strike.

    Among the demands is that the Federal Government bans the stationing of the soldiers and policemen in workplaces and factory premises.

    It said the Federal Ministry of Labour should set up a task force immediately to carry out factory inspections as most of the factories are death traps.

    ULC called for the immediate inauguration of the national minimum wage negotiating committee.

    The Labour organisation called for the immediate payment of all the arrears of salaries owed workers at all levels of Government without exception.

    ULC also wants an immediate review of the privatisation of the Power Holding Company of Nigeria (PHCN) to save Nigerians the agony of suffering under the suffocating darkness.

    It wants the Federal Government to honour its 2009 agreement with university lecturers so that universities will re-open.

    The statement added: “The roads leading to all the Petroleum refineries and depots nation-wide be repaired to avoid the present carnage of lives, wastage of products and properties on these roads.

    “The withholding of registration certificate of the ULC be stopped and the certificate released forthwith so that the nation’s Industrial Relations clime will be made more inclusive and robust.

    “If these demands are not met within two weeks of this date, the ULC shall embark on Industrial actions to assist your Government respect the interests of workers and the citizenry,” the statement added.

     

  • Hate speeches will be treated as terror acts – Osinbajo

    Hate speeches will be treated as terror acts – Osinbajo

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo said on Thursday that people making hate speeches would henceforth be treated as terrorists.

    He spoke in Abuja during the National Economic Council (NEC) Retreat on National Security.

    The retreat was attended by states’ governors and some ministers.

    Such hate speeches, according to the acting President, are categorised as acts of terrorism under the law.

    Nigeria, he said, has been beclouded with incitements capable of jeopardizing peaceful co-existence in the country.

    He said: “Please permit me a comment on hate speech. The Federal Government has today drawn the line on hate speech. Hate speech is a specie of terrorism.

    “Terrorism as it is defined popularly is the unlawful use of violence or intimidation against individuals or groups especially for political ends. The law, that is the Terrorism (Prevention) Act 2011 (as amended), defines terrorism as inter alia, an act which deliberately done with malice which may seriously harm or damage a country or seriously intimidate a population.

    “The intimidation of a population by words, by speech is an act of terrorism and this government intends to take this matter very seriously. As I have said, we have drawn a line against hate speech. It will not be tolerated, it will be taken as an act of terrorism and all of the consequences will follow it.”

    He also called on all business, religious and political leaders to condemn hate speech in the strongest possible terms at all times.

     

  • Hate Speeches: It’s time to restructure Nigeria — OPC

    Hate Speeches: It’s time to restructure Nigeria — OPC

    The National Coordinator of Oodua Peoples Congress (OPC), Otunba Gani Adams, says it’s time to restructure Nigeria to curb hate speeches currently being experienced in the country.

    Adams in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday said that hate speeches indicated that all was not well with the country politically.

    “With the present hate speeches, it is an indication that all is not well with us politically and we need to do something fast about it before it degenerates into crisis.

    “I have been hearing from the government that there are lots of hate speeches in the country from different groups, even from the political players.

    “I believe that under democracy, the government must learn the civil way of addressing such anormally because of freedom of speech as entrenched in the constitution.

    “Also, if anyone says anything that contravenes the law, such an individual is liable to face the full weight of the law but that does not mean government should go overboard,’’ he said.

    Adams said that various groups agitating within the federation are reflection that injustice is prevailing in the country, adding that only restructuring would help douse the tension.

    “We can’t cow people. I am aware of the various interest groups such as Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) and Arewa Youths and other groups.

    “With Arewa Youths giving Oct. 1 as deadline; I believe that in any society, when injustice prevails, they will be experiencing the same situation as ours. This country needs restructuring.

    “The only problem we have is that we are not well structured from the time we had our independence which warrants all these hate speeches flying around.

    “In our society, if the right thing is not done or delayed, it may bring anarchy; I appeal to the Federal Government as a matter of urgency to restructure Nigeria now,’’ he told NAN.

    Adams said that if the country continued without restructuring, many groups will rise to agitate more for their rights.

    “This country cannot continue without restructuring because people will express their rights for liberty and we cannot avoid this. They will continue to agitate.

    “If we consider what happens during the military we will see that we cannot stop agitation from people. We fought the military through agitation and we won.

    “At the end, the wish of the people will prevail, so to reduce all these ugly incidences and to sanitise our society, the government have their responsibility.

    “Government must do the wish of the people because democracy is the government of the people, for the people and by the people. We cannot call the peoples bluff,’’ he said. (NAN)

  • Hate speeches, disinformation, fake news political tools to discredit govt —Minister

    Hate speeches, disinformation, fake news political tools to discredit govt —Minister

    Information and Culture Minister Lai Mohammed has said  that the growing cases of hate speeches, disinformation and fake news in the country are being orchestrated by naysayers and their sponsors to discredit the government, destabilize the polity and make the country  ungovernable.

    The minister made the statement at the Extra-ordinary Meeting of the National Council on Information (NCI), which has the theme“Hate Speeches, Disinformation, Fake News and National Unity’’, in Jos, Plateau State, on Thursday.

    ‘’The campaign (to discredit the government) is a multi-million naira project and the people behind this string of hate speech, disinformation and fake news are not about to stop. In fact, they will become more vicious in the days, weeks and months ahead,’’ he said.

    Alhaji Mohammed blamed the resurgent push for separatism as well as the rising cases of ethnic and religious disharmony on the ‘’growing phenomenon of hate speech, as well as the disinformation and fake news campaign’’, and warned that hate speeches and incitement to violence set the stage for the genocide that left at least 800,000 people dead in Rwanda in 1994.

    He traced the worsening cases of hate speech in the country to the period leading to the last general elections, when the then presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Muhammadu Buhari, was the target of a vicious campaign.

    ‘’Never in the history of electioneering in Nigeria has such a quantum of hate speech been directed at any candidate. This did not stop even when he won the election and became President. For instance, the President had hardly left Nigeria for his vacation in London on 19 January 2017, during which he said he would have routine medical check-up, when these hate and fake news campaigners circulated the news that he had died. Between then and now, they have repeated similar fakes news times without number,’’ the minister said.

    He cited three instances of disinformation and fake news targeted at him, including when he was quoted as saying the government does not know who will sign the 2017 budget, when what he said was that when the budget is transmitted to the presidency, a decision will be taken.

  • Wabba advises workers against hate speeches

    The Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) President Comrade Ayuba Wabba has called on workers not to allow any body or group to use them to disintegrate the country.

    In an interview,  he said persistent hate speeches tend to threaten the foundation and integrity of the sovereignty and unity, saying this do not represent the true feelings of patriotic Nigerians for one another.

    Ayuba warned those threatening the unity of the country, saying that this would not do the nation any good.

    Rather, this, he said, symbolised the intensity of greed, the implacable arrogance and desperation of the elites, some of whom have been funding or sponsoring the hate campaigns that can only lead to the disintegration of our dear nation.

    He said: “Labour is against this because a physical conflict will hurt us all; most particularly workers, Pensioners and their families who will be the most direct and immediate casualties.

    “We must not allow them to use poor Nigerian workers, Pensioners and peasants as cannon fodders for their selfish interests. The desperate but vocal few cannot and should not be allowed to speak for the majority of us.

    “Dialogue remains the most tested and result-oriented form of conflict resolution mechanism and should be given full rein.”

    Ayuba said those fanning the embers of disunity should be discouraged.

    He appealed to Nigerians not to fall for conflict or war as a solution to the country’s crisis.

  • PDP commends Osinbajo on tension-dousing steps

    PDP commends Osinbajo on tension-dousing steps

    The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has commended Acting President Yemi Osinbajo on steps he had taken to douse tension in the country occasioned by “hate speeches’’

    Sen. Ahmed Makarfi, Chairman, PDP National Caretaker Committee, said at a news conference on Wednesday in Abuja, that Osinbajo deserved to the commended.

    Makarfi, however, called on government to build on the effort by making all sections to be viable and operate an inclusive government.

    He advised the government to ensure that its programmes, policies and steps were tailored in a manner that no section of this country would have the impression that it didn’t count.

    Makarfi also called on leaders and governments at all levels to handle emerging challenges confronting the nation in best way possible.

    According to him, the emerging challenges include insecurity in the North-East, herdsmen/farmers’ clashes, kidnappings as well as agitations and counter-agitations for secession.

    He said that PDP believed that human and national development normally had challenges, but that “handling of such challenges determines the direction that the development takes’’.

    “As a country and a people, we have faced several developmental challenges; some have been resolved while many others are yearning for resolution.

    “Even after such resolution as it’s typical of the evolution of human societies, we should expect to be confronted by new and emerging challenges.

    “It is thus the responsibility of each generation of our leaders to grapple with and handle such emerging challenges in the best way possible. It is always a work in progress,’’ Markafi.

    On herdsmen and farmers’ clashes, he said that while both groups had constitutionally guaranteed rights to existence, government needed to come up with measures that would once-and-for-all address the issue.

    “We must, however, be able to differentiate between the business of peaceful cattle rearing and criminal activities and take appropriate steps to protect lives and property.

    “We must also secure our borders in order to prevent the influx of foreigners who may not respect the laws of our land.

    “Of concern also is the issue of cattle rustling, which is also taking an altogether unprecedented dimension.

    “This unlike the pastoralists/farmers problem, is clearly an issue of criminality, which governments and security agencies need to wake up to, to reassure victims that the state is there for them also.’’

    On kidnappings, Makarfi said it was worrisome that school students and teachers were had become targets of the criminal act.

    He said that the development underscored the urgent need for security agencies to “up their ante’’ in the fight against the scourge.

    “Apart from additional funding, equipping and intelligence gathering, capacity of the security agencies must be improved as a matter of priority as this will enable the nipping of this criminal activity in the bud.

    “We, however, wish to commend the security agencies for the bursting last week, of a criminal gang of kidnappers which had brought untold hardship and anguish to several Nigerian families.

    “It is our hope that this feat is just the start of series of efforts to not only bring this criminal enterprise to an end, but also bring the perpetrators to justice. ‘’

    Makarfi also urged the security agencies and the judiciary to ensure that criminals faced the full wrath of the law.

    He said that PDP believed that in any democratic space, allowance must be made for people to express grievances and agitate for the redress of such.

    He added that while PDP had no problem with agitations, those calling for succession should respect the rights legitimate rights and dignity of other citizens.

    The chairman described recent altercation which degenerated into the issuance of ultimatum and counter-ultimatum for some Nigerians to leave certain parts of the country as an ill-wind that blew no good.

    “Hate speeches either coming from the North, South, East or West must be avoided and be condemned by all of us.’’

    Makarfi, however, prayed for President Muhammadu Buhari and wished him quick recovery.

     

  • Stop Beating Drums of War – Lai Mohammed

    Stop Beating Drums of War – Lai Mohammed

    Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed has admonished those beating drums of war through hate speeches and divisive statements to desist in the interest of the nation’s unity and safety.

    The minister gave the advise on Saturday at the “Lai Mohammed 10th Annual Ramadan Lecture” held in his country home, Oro, Kwara.

    Lai Mohammed expressed concerns over the rate of inflammatory statements capable of causing division and war in the country in recent times.

    He urged Nigerians to disregard those who were engaged in hate speeches as well as their purveyors.

    “In the last couple of months, we have witnessed the increase inflammatory and hate speeches.

    “Hate speeches have been responsible for wars. Rwandan genocide where more than 800,000 people were killed was started by hate speeches.

    “Like people say, wars are not really started by bullets, they are started by words of mouth.

    “Nigeria is too big and God has a purpose for making us one and we shall remain united.

    “There will be differences, but like the Yoruba says, “Ori bibe ko ni ogun ori fifo” (beheading is not antidote to headache).

    “We have been living together peacefully and we will continue to live together, because we have a lot to gain by being united.

    “If there is war today, none of us will escape whether you are young or old whether you are Yoruba, Igbo of Hausa ,” he said.

    The Minister recounted a story he said Acting President Yemi Osinbajo narrated on the dire consequences of the Rwanda war on two judges from that country.

    “The Acting President told us a story that in 1982, he was a young lecturer in the University of Lagos and two Supreme Court Judges came visiting from Rwanda.

    “He said ten years later, in 1992, he went to work in Rwanda and on the street with a bowl in hand looking for food were the Supreme Court Judges that he saw in Lagos.

    “This shows that when there is war, the young, the old, the rich and the poor, we are all victims,” he said.

    The Minister stressed that Nigerians must work together, understand their differences and must never pray for war.

    Mohammed thanked those who attended the lecture noting that their presence was key to its success.

    He said the Ramadan lecture, the tenth in the series, was unique because it’s attendance cuts across religions and denomination.

    The Minister explained that the presence of Christian faithfuls at the event was an indication that Nigerians, irrespective of their religious leaning, could work and live together.

    The Special Guest of honour at the event, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola of Osun said he was impressed with the turn out of people in their diversity at the event.

    The governor urged Muslim faithfuls to remain pious in the remaining days of Ramadan and pray for the unity of the country.

    Gov. Abdulfatah Ahmed of Kwara commended the Minister for organising the annual lecture.

    The governor, who was represented by the Commissioner for Information, Mahmud Ajeigbe said it was a great feat for the minister to have sustained the Ramadan lecture for 10 years.

    Earlier, the Guest Speaker, Sheikh Ibrahim Gidado from Lagos preached on piety especially during the Ramadan period.

    He charged the gathering on the need for people to have the fear of God in all their dealings and to be compassionate and show love to the less privileged.

    He also called for the support of Nigerians for the Administration of President Muhammadu Buhari as well as their prayers for the President’s quick recovery.

    The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Chief Imam of Oro, Mohammed Sanusi led other clerics at the event on prayers for the country, the President and his cabinet as well as the
minister and his members of families.

    The lecture was attended by traditional rulers from Kwara, including Oloro of Oro, Oba Abdulrauf Oyelaran, Clerics, Muslim and Christian faithfuls, politicians, students and people from other walks of life

  • Quit notice: Ag. President meets Northern leaders

    Quit notice: Ag. President meets Northern leaders

    • Okorocha slams Biafra agitators

    Acting President Yemi Osinbajo yesterday read the riot act to purveyors of hate speeches, saying they won’t be allowed to destabilise the country.

    The Federal Government, he said, would ensure the country’s unity, adding that nobody would be allowed to get away with seditious speeches.

    “As a government, we are determined to ensure the unity of the country along the lines of our constitution and I want to say that hate and divisive speeches or divisive behaviour where it is illegal will be met with the full force of the law,” the Acting President said at a meeting with some elders from the North at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    Some members of the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) and the Northern Elders Forum (NEF), among other groups, were at the meeting.

    It was the first in the series of meetings with leaders from the six geo-political zones over the brewing discontent between the North and the Southeast.

    Last week, the Coalition of Northern Youths (CNY) gave easterners in the North 90 days to quit.

    The ultimatum followed the May 30 sit-at-home observed by the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) in the east to mark the 50th anniversary of Biafra.

    Similarly, Imo State Governor Rochas Okorocha described as nonsensical agitations for Biafra.

    Osinbajo said those pushing for disintegration by ordering other Nigerians in their domains to quit would face the law.

    The government, he said, would not fold its arms and allow peace and order to be disrupted in any part of the country.

    The Acting President said: “Every form of violence, every form of hate speech, any stone that is thrown in the marketplace will hit targets that are going to be deadly. So I need us to be fully conscious of that and the Nigerian people must be made to be fully conscious of that so that we do not create a crisis that is not intended.

    As part of living together I know that misunderstandings and frustrations will always arise and people will always want to get the best part of the deal but we must be careful to recognise that we can only begin to talk about any part of anything if we are together in peace – Osinbajo.

    “These days, wars do not end and I am sure that those who have seen or experienced war in any shape or form will not wish it on their worst enemies.

    “This is not a time to retreat behind ethnic lines, moments like this are not for isolating ourselves, I want to urge all of us here and the entire Nigerian populace to come together and work together.”

    He added: “And I want to ensure that there is no doubt at all that it is the resolve of the government that none will be allowed to get away with making speeches that can cause sedition or that can cause violence especially because when we make these kinds of pronouncement and do things that can cause violence or destruction of lives and property we are no longer in control. Those who make those speeches are no longer in control.

    So, I want to emphasise that government will take very seriously any attempts to cause violence or disrupt the peace of this country. And that is very important because you cannot control violence once it begins.”

    At the meeting were ACF leader Ibrahim Coomassie, NEF leader Prof Ango Abdullahi, who gave his backing to the Arewa youths’ threat, former Sokoto State Governor,  Aliyu Wamakko, former Plateau State Deputy Governor Pauline Tallen,  Second Republic Minister and Benue State elder  Dr. Paul Unongo, Leadership publisher Sam Ndah-Isaiah, Liberty Radio/Television Chairman Tijani Ramalan and Editor-in-Chief of Daily Trust Dan Ali, among others.

    The acting President was supported by the Senate President Bukola Saraki, House of Representatives Speaker Yakubu Dogara and Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Gabriel Olanishakin.

    Today, Osinbajo will meet with leaders from the southeast; the region’s traditional rulers will take their turn on Friday. On Sunday, the acting president will meet with traditional rulers from the North.

  • Hate speeches: Okorocha cautions Arewa youths, pro-Biafra groups

    Hate speeches: Okorocha cautions Arewa youths, pro-Biafra groups

    …Says call for secession nonsensical

     

    Imo State Governor, Rochas Okorocha, Tuesday cautioned Arewa youths and members of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) for spreading hate and inciting speeches that is capable of causing disaffection among the various ethnic groups in the country.

    The Imo state Governor, also warned those hoping to benefit from the current agitations by the different separatist groups across the country to jettison such ambitions and work for the unity of the country instead, adding that the secessionist calls “is an ill wind that will blow no one any good”.

    Governor Okorocha who was reacting to the quit notice served on the Igbo living in North by the Arewa youths and consequent reactions by pro-Biafra groups, while briefing journalists at the Government House, stated that the so called sit-at-home order by IPOB, which may have triggered the controversial quit notice, was not observed by the Igbo as generally believed.

    According to him, “we never supported the sit-at-home as believed. What happened was that the sit-at-home order came a day after the May 29 public holiday and knowing our people who also love to extend their holiday over any slightest opportunity decided to stay at home for one extra day. Then most of the traders closed their shops for fear of hoodlums who may want to take advantage of the situation to loot their goods”.

    He continued that, “these secessionist agitations are sponsored for personal aggrandizement. At a point, it was believed that the Yoruba got the presidency because of the agitations of the Oduduwa youths, while it was also believed that former President Goodluck Jonathan, became President as a result of the agitations of the Niger Delta militants. So people think that the Igbo presidency can be achieved through IPOB and MASSOB agitations.

    “These agitations are nonsensical and I condemn it in its entirety. We should not be talking about another state within a sovereign state, all we need to do instead of talking about Biafra and MASSOB is to push for the economic emancipation of the Southeast. I know what they will expect me to do as a Governor, is to encourage the Biafra agitation and ask our people to prepare for war. But I will never do such thing. I will never support any call to divide Nigeria.

    “What we should not forget is that the Igbo paid the greatest sacrifice for the unity of this country. The Igbo has the highest investments across the country. The Igbo developed Lagos and other parts of the country and that makes them the highest investors in the Nigeria project”.

    The visibly agitated Governor, however blamed Nigerian leaders for the growing spread of hatred among youths across the country, “we have failed as leaders to instill love in our children. It is about time we took responsibility as leaders to end this threat to our unity. We should not transfer this hatred to the next generation”.

    He also appealed to Ndigbo to have a rethink about the agitation to secede.

     

     

  • FG cautions clerics on hate speeches

    The Federal Government (FG) through the Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) has cautioned clerics against hate and insightful speeches.

    The institute in a statement said it is concerned about the ugly and reprehensible trend of inciting preaching and hate speech, it adds that the negative potential which these practices portend for the peace, social cohesion and good governance in the country.

    Media Assistant to the Director General, Abu Michael in a press statement Monday, added that the Institute has observed with deep regret the inciting sermons by some preachers in places of worship across the country.

    He added that the emerging phenomenon of irresponsible preaching and unwarranted utterances by some clerics is one which every responsible Nigerian must work hard to discourage.

    He stated, “The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR), the apex research agency and think-tank of the Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), on peace, conflict prevention, and management is concerned about the ugly and reprehensible trend of inciting preaching, hate speech and irresponsible use of the social media going on in the country.

    “The IPCR is worried about the negative potential which these practices portend for the peace, social cohesion and good governance of our great country. The Institute is particularly disturbed that religion as an important institution and age-long guarantor of peace is being deployed by some preachers to undermine the peace and stability of the country. This is a total negation of the sacred books, which propagate peace and good neighbourliness. The Institute is urging Nigerians to resent actions and utterances that could jeopardize the demonstrated commitment of the Federal Government to secure the lives and properties of the citizenry. While government continues to do everything to ensure citizens’ security, winning the peace in our communities remains a collective responsibility of all Nigerians.

    “The Institute has observed with deep regret the inciting sermons by some preachers in places of worship across the country. The emerging phenomenon of irresponsible preaching and unwarranted utterances by some clerics is one which every responsible Nigerian must work hard to discourage. History has shown that the spinning of hate speeches by people who should be leaders and custodians of peace in the society is a recipe for social catastrophe that does no one good.

    “All religions, and especially Christianity and Islam are founded on the principles of peace, love and charity. Therefore, any preacher who incites his or her congregation to violence negates the principles of religion. Religion emphasizes peace, love, tolerance and respect for the sanctity of human lives. The Institute appeals to all leaders, temporal and spiritual, to be cautious in their pronouncements at all times.

    “In exercising our constitutional rights to the freedom of speech we all owe the larger society the duty of restraint by abhorring the use of inflammatory expressions capable of undermining public safety and the security of lives and properties. The Institute enjoins Nigerians to appreciate the significant progress made by the Government despite being confronted with challenges associated with insurgency, terrorism and other conflict disorders. The economic recession, notwithstanding, the Federal Government continues to confront insurgency and the resultant humanitarian crisis in the Northeast with uncommon courage and determination. The IPCR commends the Nigerian Armed Forces and other security agencies for their commitment and sacrifices, which led to the restoration of the territorial integrity of the country.

    “While acknowledging the positive role of the media in sustaining democracy in Nigeria, the Institute advises against the publication of provocative information capable of fuelling centrifugal tendencies in the society. IPCR thus calls for the media to embrace the constructive path of peace journalism and conflict-sensitive reportage. It also advises social media practitioners and users to promote harmonious living and positive mobilization of the masses. Consequently, IPCR calls on all Nigerians to think and act responsibly in order to strengthen and consolidate the peaceful relations in communities across the country. It is only under conditions of Peace and tranquillity that the economy can grow jobs for the teeming youths of Nigeria for sustainable development.”