Femi Falana, human rights lawyer, says Danladi Umar, Code of Conduct Tribunal (CCT) chairman, risks a five-year jail term for using “Biafran boys” to describe persons he had an altercation with.
On Monday, Umar was caught on video hitting a security guard at Banex Plaza, Wuse 2, Abuja.
Ibraheem Al-Hassan, CCT spokesperson, had released a statement saying the security guard was rude and prevented Umar from using a vacant parking space.
Al-Hassan had said the guard threatened Umar, while some “Biafran boys” also harassed him.
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The CCT spokesperson later said it was Umar who asked him to use “Biafran boys” in the statement.
In a statement on Saturday, Falana said the use of the phrase constitutes xenophobia which contravenes the cybercrime law.
“The use of the words “BIAFRA boys” in the statement (produced through a computer system or network) on the instructions of the Chairman of the Code of Conduct Tribunal and distributed to the media last week constitutes a contravention of section 26 of the Cybercrimes Act 2015 which prohibits the use of “racist or xenophobic material” in any written or printed material which advocates, promotes or incites hatred, discrimination or violence, against any individual group of individuals, based on race, color, descent or national or ethnic origin, as well as religion if used as a pretext for any of these factors,” Falana said.
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“The person alleged to have suggested the use of the xenophobic words is liable to be prosecuted for the serious offence. The penalty for the offence is 5 year’s imprisonment and/or a minimum N10 million fine.”
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