The Bill to regulate the use of social media in Nigeria passed its second reading at today’s plenary session of the Nigerian senate.
Senator Mohammed Sani Musa who sponsored the Bill titled “A Bill for an Act to make provisions for the protection from internet falsehood and manipulations and for related matters, 2019,” insisted that there is need to regulate social media as it is now being used to cause disaffection and assassination of character through fake news.
He also recalled how claims of President Buhari being replaced by a clone named Jubril gained a widespread attention on social media.
“The hoax about the death of President Muhammadu Buhari in London and his replacement with Jibril from Sudan was a great threat to the peace and security of this country,” Musa said.
While Senators Ibrahim Gobir, Ishaku Clifford Elisha Abbo, Abba Moro and Bala Ibn Na’Allah publicly supported the Bill, only Senator Chimaroke Nnamani (Enugu East) strongly opposed the Bill.
The Bill was approved for second reading through a voice vote initiated by Senate President, Ahmed Lawan who also referred the Bill to the Senate Committee on Judiciary, Human Rights and Legal Matters for further legislative work.
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