Group cautions Nigerians on hate speech

A inter-governmental organisation, Alumni Fellows of King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID), has cautioned politicians and other interest groups on exploiting the country’s diverse ethnic and religious identities to perpetrate hate speech.

 The group stated this at the end of their social media campaign against hate speech in Abuja on Monday, to checkmate the rising cases of hate speech in the country.

Speaking at the meeting, the director, Research Training, Islamic Education Trust, Nuruddeen Lemu, said hate speech when left unaddressed could lead to violence or hate crimes against marginalised groups.

 He said, “In Nigeria, our well-distinguished religious groups and wide ethnic identities have created distinctiveness easily tagged with physical attributes.

“The exploitation of this reality by political and other interest groups has continued to create and cultivate division among us, which sadly manifests through hate speech.”

On her part, Media Focal Point Nigeria Fellows Alumni, Stella Francis, was particular about issues around the herdsmen and farmers, Boko Horam, Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), and the recent movements of Alamjirai which has continued to fuel hate speech online and off-line.

According to her, hate speech creates division in society, and calls on Nigerians to avoid reposting and sharing content that contains hate speech on social media.

“While our independent freedom of speech is respected, as a society, we must encourage ourselves to reflect on the exercise of our freedom of speech and how it endangers this beautiful place we call home.

“Hate speech does more harm than the underlining issues fueling it because it sows seeds of violence. Hate speech has destructive impacts on our society. It promotes violence, leads to conflicts that destroy lives and properties, and promotes hate crimes against marginalised groups.

“Avoid making or spreading posts with hate statements on your social media platforms. Disregard social media post which spread rumors and promote hate speech,” she said.

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