Criminalize Hate Speech And Fake News - Sultan To FG

The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar has called on the federal government to criminalized hate speeches and fake news.  He made this statement while speaking at the Annual Lecture Series and 25th Anniversary of the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC), which took place in Abuja on Thursday, August 24.


The monarch explained that he was a victim of fake and poor reportage recently during the NLC  organized program on restructuring where a popular TV station reported that he was against restructuring.

Clarifying his position, the Sultan stated that he was misquoted and that he was only against restructuring if it would lead to the break-up of the country. He also expressed alarm when he said he heard that people were quoting that he was at an event where there was some sort of commotion. He stated:

“Shortly after the event, many people were calling me that what was I doing at the event where there was fracas.

“There was nothing like fracas at that event as reported by a popular TV station which I will not name here.

“A former comrade governor who was at the event canvassed a position which did not go down well with the audience and people were shouting.

“The President of NLC waded into the situation and the comrade Governor continued with his speech. At the end of the speech the former Governor was given a loud ovation.

“So how can that be described as fracas?’’ The Sultan stated that he was shocked to see a headline later which stated, “Restructuring: Sultan kicked, Oshiomole booed’’.

According to the monarch, freedom of speech does not give anyone the right to violate the rights of