Protest at n’assembly over ‘social media bill’

Hundreds of protesters on Tuesday besieged the national assembly complex over the “anti-social media bill” introduced by Bala Na’Allah, deputy senate leader, which passed second reading at the senate on December 2.

The bill, among other things, prescribes a two-year jail term for anyone who makes false allegations against or offensive remarks about other people on social media.

Many Nigerians have interpreted the bill to be an attempt by the senate to curb their freedom of expression on social media.

In a frenzied atmosphere, the protesters chanted songs of solidarity, calling on the national assembly to suspend the bill.

‎Enyinnaya Abaribe, a senator representing Abia state, and Shehu Sani, who represents Kaduna state, sought to pacify the protesters by assuring them that the senate would look into their case, but they did not budge as they re-echoed their demand.

One of the leaders of the protest, Ahmad Isa of Brekete family, a popular radio talk show in Abuja, did not spare any words to express his dissatisfaction with the senate.

“We voted you all in and you all used the social and conventional media, now that you are in the house, you now feel the same medium should be clamped down,” he said.

“There are so many things spanning across health and educational breakdown to attend to rather than wuru wuru ‎bill. We shall call them back if this is a plan… and replace them with people who can defend us.

“We are disappointed with the likes of Ibn Na’ Allah and Dino Melaye. We are disappointed in our senate. They promised us an open national assembly, now they want to shut us up.”