By Danlami Nmodu
Nigeria’s Inspector General Of Police, , IGP Suleiman Abba has ordered a cracksown on political thugs on the heels of growing attacks on leaders and the incidence of hate speech during political campaigns.
“The Nigeria Police will apply the full weight of the law on any political actor, sponsor, associate or foot-soldier who resorts to hate speech or the use of violence to advance his or her political agenda. The unity, peace and orderly progress of this nation cannot be mortgaged to suite or oil the ambitions of a few ” a statement signed by Ag. CP Emmanuel C. S. Ojukwu, Force Public Relations Officer on Saturday said.
“Consequently, the IGP has directed all Zonal AIGs and Command Commissioners of Police to thoroughly investigate all acts by political actors, their sponsors and agents that contravene the provisions of the laws enumerated above,”the statement said .
According to Ojukwu , “The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Suleiman Abba is seriously concerned that despite several warnings to political actors, their sponsors and collaborators against the recourse to violence and the use of thugs in furthering political interests, there have been reports of untoward activities in political campaigns and meetings.
“The IGP notes that it is particularly worrisome that, of recent, thugs and miscreants have been employed by some political parties to disrupt and truncate the political campaigns of their opponents. In some instances, stones and missiles have been hauled at the nation’s highly respected citizens and leaders.
The IG noted that “Abusive and demeaning words, and in some instances, offensive vituperations bordering on the macabre, have been hauled at opponents. We have also received disturbing reports of the pulling down and defacing of campaign posters.
“These conduct definitely do not speak well of the maturity of aspiring leaders. Such acts contravene section 227 of the 1999 constitution (as amended) and sections 94 and 95 of the Electoral Act. Besides, they grossly negate sections 5 – 8 of the Public Order Act and Article 3 of the Political Parties Code of conduct commonly agreed to and adopted by all political parties.
“Let it be restated that the law is not a respecter of persons.
Newsdiaryonline.com can report that the growing cases of hate speeches and inciting utterances have become sources of concern among local and international stakeholders as Nigeria moves toward the 2015 general elections.
The National Human Rights Commission NHRC held an interactive session with journalists within the week to examine ways of tracking and checkmating the perpetrators of hate speech.The Commission has announced its resolve to keep an eagle eye on the political actors henceforth with view to identifying the perpetrators and indicting them afterwards.
Click Here for highlights of CITAD’s International Meeting Held in Abuja on Dangerous Speech
Also within the week, specifically on Thursday and Friday,the Centre for Information Technology and Development ,CITAD with support from MacArthur Foundation and Nigeria Stability and Reconciliation Programme,(NSRP) held an international meeting on Dangerous Speech at the YarAdua Centre ,Abuja.The keynote address was delivered by Prof Susan Benesch.The speakers include Kagonya Awori ( Dangerous Speech Monitoring;The Kenyan Experience) and Sidney Ochieng ( on UMATI 2).
Participants at the CITAD meeting outlined a series of actions that need to be taken before, during and after the elections in order to tackle the growing threats of dangerous speech to the country.
