Hate Speech, A Threat To National Cohesion, Says Ojukwu As NHRC Releases Policy Advisory

The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Chief Tony Ojukwu SAN, has decried the destructive consequences of hate speech, noting among other damaging effects, that it threatens national cohesion.

He spoke on Tuesday at a briefing commemorating the International Day for Countering Hate Speech, which was marked on the 18th of June 2023. The event coincided with the Commission’s release of a Policy Advisory on the Role of Media in Countering and Reporting Hate Speech.

The briefing was jointly organised by the National Human Rights Commission and the United Nations in Nigeria who was represented by
the UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator, Mathias Schmali, in pursuance unique mandates to promote and protect human and in recognition of the constitutional roles of the media in shaping national values and advancing the political, social, economic and cultural objectives enshrined in Chapter 2 of the 1999 Constitution of Nigeria (as amended).

According to Ojukwu, “Hate speeches promote discrimination, divisions, incites violence, all of which violate the right to dignity, right to life and belonging to a society.

“Hate speech could, as in recent cases, lead to violation of the right to political participation in the case of elections and political process and impedes voters’ participation and access in the elections.

“Hate speech is a threat to national cohesion, peace, security and the attainment of sustainable development and the achievement of human rights. We need to work together to combat hate speeches in political, social and cultural spheres”.

The NHRC Executive Secretary stressed that the Commission is deeply interested in the issue of hate speech under discussion today, especially in the context of Nigeria’s political, ethnic and religious diversities and heterogeneities.

He cited that “Hate speech is intricately related to human rights, either in its form or outcome. To the person spreading hate speech, it is about right to freedom of expression, opinion, speech or belief.

“To the recipient of hate speech, it is a violation of the rights to dignity of human person and the freedom from discrimination based on religious belief, political, ethnic, gender, cultural or other affiliations, amongst many other human rights.

“In the build up to the elections, we witnessed heavy traffic in the spread of hate speeches across many media platforms, often leaving Nigerians and voters deeply divided and maligned.”

However, he said the Commission in exercise of its mandate launched the the “Mobilising Voters for Election (MOVE)” Project which has a broad mandate to promote access, participation and accountability in the 2023 general elections in Nigeria.

He enumerated some of the steps already taken by the Commission to checkmate hate speeches such as: Setting up of a National Hate Speech Register to record incidences and reports of hate speech from across Nigeria, Training of its staff on Monitoring and Reporting Hate Speech, Setting up Enforcement Mechanisms on Hate Speeches resulting from the electoral process; among others.