Amnesty International has condemned social media regulation proposed by Nigerian leaders, saying the government can jail its critics for three years if such becomes a law.
Furthermore, “if the government is successful in controlling social media, it has the power to block or restrict access to the internet.” This was announced on Saturday by Amnesty International in a series of tweets on its X account.
Social Media Law May be Interpreted Wrongly
The statement read, “The social media regulation law, which Nigerian politicians have vigorously pushed, is likely to be interpreted broadly and vaguely and will impose extremely harsh punishments for the simple act of criticising the authorities.”
“Those who use social media to freely voice their thoughts will face consequences. Government control over social media access and internet shutdowns are both arbitrary.
“A person who criticises the government faces a maximum three-year prison sentence. The human rights organisation made this statement in response to the Chief of Staff of President Bola Tinubu.
Social media control is being called for by Femi Gbajabiamila. Former House Speaker Gbajabiamila once declared, “Social media has become a societal menace and must be regulated.”
Jerrymusa.com reports that Nigerians have long utilised social media to promote national dialogue, voice their opinions, organise protests, and critique public officials and policies.
Under previous President Muhammadu Buhari, a measure to regulate social media was presented, but it failed because Nigerians opposed it, claiming it could be used to censor free speech.