Ibrahim Idris

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris has warned that internet users who spread hate messages and false news will henceforth be arrested and jailed 25 years or made to pay a fine of N 25 million.

He gave the warning on Tuesday at a one-day roundtable meeting with bloggers, online newspaper publishers and related social media users organised by the National Orientation Agency (NOA) in Abuja.

The IGP, who was represented by Kondom Joseph stated that the Cybercrime Law of 2015 contains the punishment for spreading hate speeches or fake news.

According to Idris: “It is sad to note that the many officers who have been threatening to deal ruthlessly with the excesses of social media operators have not familiarised themselves with the provisions of the two-year-old law.

“It is high time the attention of Nigerians was drawn to section 24 and 26 of the Act which provides that: Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes such message to be sent for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, danger, obstruction, insult, injury, criminal intimidation, enmity, hatred, ill will or needless anxiety to another or causes such a message to be sent, commits an offence under this Act.

“In the case of paragraphs (a) and (b) of this subsection, to imprisonment for a term of 10 years and/or a minimum fine of N25,000,000.00.”

The Director-General of NOA, Garba Abari in his remarks, noted the giant strides made by the media in building Nigeria and assured the IGP that the agency will establish effective platforms that will curb the rising spate of hate speeches and fake news which are capable of heating up the polity.