BY VICTOR OGUNYINK
Human Right Activist, Professor Chidi Odinkalu, has stated that people close to the government make hate speeches with impunity and some persons not guilty have been punished for less. Odinkalu, while speaking with Vanguard on a Twitter post, calling for the execution of Ahmad Salkida, Farooq Kperogi, the activist said that while it is okay for anybody to abuse his person, wishing one dead is way out of proportion hence, his decision to report the account to Twitter.
Professor Odinkalu, had, on 1st of November, tweeted that he would request Twitter to take down the account of a Twitter user, @Witan17 and @Ishakaa, for advocating for the killing of some persons and he also revealed he had also notified “Nigeria’s security authorities.”
“There are different rules guiding the different social media platforms, they have their Dos and Donts. When you violate those rules, they take their actions. It is okay for anybody to express their freedom to speak anywhere, but for someone to wish me dead and others is not acceptable. “Yes, I reported that account to Twitter for them to do the needful. The government said recently that they are going to control and prevent hate speech on social media.
“Some of the people violating and promoting hate speech on social media are people close to power, but the government is not doing anything about it. “Some of the people that have been arrested are not people that didn’t violate hate speech rule; take Agba Jalingo for instance. Those that indeed violate those rules are left to walk scotfree.” Professor Odinkalu included that he would not “join issues with people attacking him on social media for various reasons, but for someone to go as far as wishing another dead is the height of hate speech and it is not pardonable.”
Vanguard
