Former lawmaker representing Kaduna Central district at the National Assembly, Shehu Sani has claimed he knows why President Muhammadu Buhari government wants to regulate social media.
Nigeria’s Minister of Information, Lai Mohammed, had said the federal government was working on regulating social media.
Mohammed said Buhari has approved measures to rid the airwaves of fake news and hate speech.
He disclosed that the recommendations approved by the president include the independence of the broadcast regulators from all forms of interference, an upward review of fines for media houses from N500,000 to N5,000,000 for breaches relating to hate speeches, inciting comments and indecency.
But, Sani speaking on the development said Buhari’s government plan to regulate social media is not to checkmate hate speech but to stifle freedom of speech by Nigerians.
On his Twitter page, he wrote: “The efforts to regulate social media is not primarily about checkmating fake news, hate speeches or defamation, but majorly about stifling freedom of speech and expression and the right to question power and hold it to account.”
