The nation news reported that a coalition of rights groups has expressed strong disapproval of a recent statement made by Dele Alake, a ministerial nominee and spokesperson for President Bola Tinubu. Mr. Alake had suggested the need to strengthen social media regulations during his ministerial screening, citing concerns about potential threats to the country’s internal security.
The NetRights Coalition (NRC), a pan-African group of Internet freedom practitioners and activists, jointly signed a statement with about 18 members, criticizing Mr. Alake’s stance as a danger to freedom of expression in Nigeria. They highlighted the significance of freedom of expression in democratic societies, especially for the media, and called for careful consideration of any attempts to regulate social media.
The coalition emphasized the importance of upholding human rights, in line with the Nigerian Constitution, the African Charter, and the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. They stressed that any support for social media regulation should not be done hastily but should involve extensive consultations with various stakeholders to protect the civic space and adhere to international standards for human rights obligations.
Source: the nation news
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