The Social and Economic Rights Accountability Project wants the Nigerian Senate to withdraw the bill seeking to punish people for circulating information on social media.

The Social and Economic Rights Accountability Project wants the Nigerian Senate to withdraw the bill seeking to punish people for circulating information on social media. SERAP is also enlisting the support of United Nations to mount pressure on the National Assembly to stop the proposed legislation that has already passed second reading before the Senate. SERAP has particularly written to the UN Special Rapporteur on the promotion and protection of the right to freedom of opinion and expression, DAVID KAYE over what it described as a repressive anti-media freedom and social media bill. The group also copied the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights; Zeid RA’AD AL HUSSEIN in what it described as an urgent appeal.
According to the letter signed by Executive Director, ADETOKUNBO MUMUNI, SERAP said it was seriously concerned about the move by the National Assembly of Nigeria to pass the bill providing two years jail term and a fine in millions of naira for anybody or group of persons who send alleged false message on the social media. SERAP said it was concerned that rather than increasing universal and inclusive access to the Internet for all Nigerians, the National Assembly of Nigeria was working to undermine access of citizens to the Internet. It said by initiating the bill, the National Assembly was impermissibly restricting the ability of citizens to use social media tools to communicate, connect, and seek independent sources of information.