Gbemi Saraki: Cybercrime Act takes care of hate speech

The Federal Executive Council (FEC) presided over by Vice President Yemi Osinbajo has approved N1.7 billion for the construction of jetty at the Bonny Island in Rivers State.
Minister of State for Transportation, Senator Gbemisola Saraki, made the disclosure while briefing State House correspondents on Wednesday after the FEC meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
On the bill proposing death penalty for hate speech at the National Assembly, Saraki said the Cybercrime Act already covers hate speech.
“Today, the Ministry of Transportation presented a memo for the approval of award of contract for the construction of jetty at Bonny Island in Rivers State.
“This approval was sought and was duly given.
“Some years ago, we had a jetty at Bonny Island; it collapsed and now creating a huge problem for tug boats and pilotage.
“So, what happened is that the pilot’s lounge is actually in Bonny; so boats used come all the way from Port Harcourt to pick up the pilots.
“It was advertised in late 2017 and today, the council gave approval in the tune of N1.7 billion and it will be completed in 15 months.’’
On the bill proposing death penalty for hate speech at the National Assembly, Saraki said it had not yet become a law, adding that hate speech was also in the Cyber Crime Act.
She said that the sponsor of the bill might have put the death penalty there, but it had not become an Act.
“ I think we are jumping the gun a bit, like you said he is proposing the bill; it is not yet an Act.
“Be that as it may, there is a law already in Nigeria, the Cyber crime Act that has the hate speech aspect in it.
“I stand to be corrected; I think it was passed 2014/2015; I am not particularly sure but there is a law that takes care of that.
“Because cyber crime is now a major issue and as your know internationally, world over, everybody is concerned about it being the new frontier to fight crime.
“So hate speech is within that cyber crime aspect,’’ she said.