Engage in Hate Speech, False News Risk 10 years Imprisonment - IG Police warns internet users

The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has warned that henceforth, internet users that spread hate messages and false news will be arrested and imprisoned or pay the fine of N25 million.
Disclosing this at a one day roundtable meeting with bloggers, online newspaper and related social media users organised by National Orientation Agency (NOA) on Tuesday in Abuja, Idris noted that cybercrime law of 2015 contains the punishment of spreading hate speech or fake news.
Represented by Kondom Joseph,  the Inspector General of Police stated that, “It is sad to note that the many public 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.”
According to him, “it is high time the attention of Nigerian was drawn to sections 24 and 26 of the Act which provides that, 24 (1) 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 any such message to be send.”
“Or he knows to be false, 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; 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,” Idris stated.
See NIGERIAN TRIBUNE for full details.