HATE SPEECH BILL, HUMAN RIGHTS AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION IN NIGERIA: PERCEPTIONS AND CROSS BORDER OVERVIEW
Ikenna Ukam · 2021
Freedom of expression is one of the genres of fundamental freedoms that have suffered perennial abuse in Nigerian. Notwithstanding that international human rights law and other relevant human rights instruments stipulate standards and thresholds of freedom of expression which are in tandem with common sense and civility, the controversial hate speech bill recently proposed in Nigeria to check social media activities is perceived as one of such instruments of abuse on freedom of expression. This article explores the international standards of control on freedom of expression. It also conducts an overview of what is obtainable in some other jurisdictions that operates within the limits of civility and respect to fundamental freedoms. It argues that Nigeria is bereft of this civilised standard of control on foul conducts and finally concludes that, to measure up with these standard norms, a cross-sectoral input which demands the efforts of the bar, the bench and the general civil society groups in Nigeria are essentially required.