By Bode Olagoke
Abuja
The federal government has revealed that a Bill that will make it difficult for perpetrators of hate speeches is on the way.
Already the proposed Bill initiated by the Federal Ministry of Interior would soon be presented to the National Assembly after it must have been fine-tuned by the office of the Justice Minister and Attorney General of the Federation, Mr Abubakar Malami (SAN).
Minister of Interior , Lt. Gen Abdulrahman Dambazzau (rtd)revealed this while speaking with newsmen after a closed door meeting with members of the Chief John Odigie-Oyegun led National Working Committee of the ruling All progressive congress (APC) at the national secretariat of the party in Abuja.
While decrying the recurring incidence of hate speeches in the polity, Dambazau said that severe punishment awaits any person found guilty of perpetrating the dastardly act once the legislation sails through the National Assembly.
According to him, “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 hate anybody whatsoever. So if the National Assembly pass that law, certainly anybody who is engaged in hate speech would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.”
Dambazzau who briefed the party officials on the activities of his ministry faulted the news making the round that there is recruitment racketeering involving outfits as the Nigeria Police force (NPF), the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the Nigeria Prisons Service (NPS), the Nigeria Security Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), that he oversees.
The Minister said he had been able to make inroads in the ministry since he assumed office, he admitted that scammers use the social media to con desperate job seekers in the aforementioned outfits.
He also assured that his Ministry will ensure that the ongoing recruitment exercise of 1,112 personnel into the NIS is carried out in a just and transparent manner.
