The Executive Secretary of the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), Mr Tony Ojukwu has urged users of the Social Media to be more responsible in how they go about its usage.
Speaking recently in Abuja, Ojukwu while reacting to a question on their position on the purported Social Media Bill noted that much as they do not subscribe to the idea of gagging the media through such bills, they are also not supportive of the abusive use of the Social Media.
You may want to recall that the said Bill, which is still pending at the National Assembly has generated heated debates since it was introduced, sponsored and scale through the second reading at the upper legislative chamber of the National Assembly.
The NHRC boss urged social media users to show commitments to responsibility and ensure that the rights of others are not breached.
“On the media space, as you all will recall, there was similar Bill, promoted in the 8th National Assembly, and the commission came out vehemently against it, that the Commission will not support any legislation that will impinge on free speech in this country.
“We stand with Nigerians and we believe that the media space should be free, people should be able to air their views, in doing so, and we urge those who exercise their rights to be mindful of the rights of others.”
“In exercising our freedom to express ourselves, we believe that those freedoms should be expressed and utilized responsibly and we will not encourage irresponsible conduct by Nigerians but we don’t support the gagging of Nigerians in any way possible.
“But Nigerians must be mindful of the use of their freedom because where your freedom stops, is where another person’s own starts.
“We urge social media users to show commitments to responsibility and if they exceed their bounds, the laws are there. There are laws of defamation for anybody who feels aggrieved can use.” He stressed.
On Omoyele Sowore, Mr Ojukwu was quick to reiterate his earlier condemnation of Sowore continuous detention by men of the Department of State Security, the DSS as earlier reported by this medium.
“Even on the detention of Sowore, the commission has also made a comment on that, in view that all law enforcement agents are made to obey the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, and they protect the right of the people and respect rule of law.
“I will always enjoin all security agencies to abide by the decision of courts”. He added.
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