THE REGULATION OF HATE SPEECH IN NIGERIA

Abstract

Hate speech refers to a wide range of utterances that encourage, provoke, legitimize, or support animosity, violence, prejudice or discrimination against an individual or a group of individuals on the basis of gender, race or ethnicity. Hate speech poses serious risks to the rule of law, the preservation of human rights, and the fabric of a democratic society. Also, it can result in larger-scale acts of violence and conflict if not addressed like mass killings or even genocide the “crime of all crimes”. The aim of this study is to identify how hate speech can be regulated in Nigeria as well as to sensitize the populace on the differences between freedom of expression and hate speech. The objectives of this work are to ascertain legislation that could regulate the occurrence of hate speech in Nigeria, to study the legislation on hate speech in other jurisdictions while identifying the best approaches and practices that could improve Nigeria’s position on the regulation of hate speeches. This study also identifies the meaning of hate speech and distinguish it from freedom of expression. In the course of this work reliance was made solely on primary and secondary sources. This method is generally referred to as the doctrinal approach also known as the library- based research method. This approach makes use of predominantly written works. The primary sources used were the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, laws of international bodies, case laws and treaties. The secondary sources used were online journals, textbooks, articles and Newspapers. . The strategy used in this work is a comparative analysis amongst various jurisdictions on their legislation on hate speeches. The findings arrived at in this work showed the difference in the laws and mode of regulations of hate speeches in different jurisdictons and the approaches used in these countries that could be applied in Nigeria to strengthen the legislation on hate speech. This study also provides some recommendations beneficial to the regulation of hate speeches in Nigeria. For instance, there should be a redraft of the bill of hate speech in Nigeria.This includes clearly defining the meaning of hate speech and explaining how it differs from the right to freedom of expression and opinion as well as defining measures that would be taken to avoid encroaching into the realms of freedom of expression.