Hate speech may jeopardize national cohesion, NHRC warns Nigerians

By Albert Akota

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), has warned Nigerians against hate speech for the interest of national cohesion as well as other damaging effects.
The Executive Secretary of Tony Ojukwu SAN, who this in Abuja during commemorating of the International Day for Countering Hate Speech which coincided with the Commission’s release of a Policy Advisory on the Role of Media in Countering and Reporting Hate Speech, said hate speech is a threat to national cohesion, peace and security.
The event was jointly organised by the National Human Rights Commission and the United Nations in Nigeria who was represented by
the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mathias Schmali, in pursuance unique mandates to promote and protect human and in recognition of the constitutional roles of the media in shaping national values and advancing the political, social, economic.
According to Ojukwu, “Hate speeches promote discrimination, divisions, incites violence, all of which violate the right to dignity, right to life and belonging to a society.
“Hate speech could, as in recent cases, lead to violation of the right to political participation in the case of elections and political process and impedes voters’ participation and access in the elections.
He noted that the Commission is deeply interested in the issue of hate speech under discussion today, especially in the context of Nigeria’s political, ethnic and religious diversities and heterogeneities.
He enumerated some of the steps already taken by the Commission to checkmate hate speeches such as: Setting up of a National Hate Speech Register to record incidences and reports of hate speech from across Nigeria, Training of its staff on Monitoring and Reporting Hate Speech, Setting up Enforcement Mechanisms on Hate Speeches resulting from the electoral process; among others.