Saraki Disown Anti-Social Media Bill

From: Bamidele Fasube

The Senate President, Sen. Bukola Saraki on Monday disown the controversial social media bill.

Saraki said there was‎ nothing like anti-social media bill but bill to prevent frivolous petitions capable of promoting un-necessary litigations.

He spoke at the Youth Arise public dissemination of implementation guidelines on GBV in Abuja.

The Senator assured Nigerians of running an open Senate, stressing that inputs from the public would engender better legislation for the benefit of all.

He insisted that the Senate does not have any intention to gag the social media.

“The issue that has been very popular these days which Senator Dino Melaye did mention, this is another opportunity and I don’t think one can get tired of trying to say the right thing. I want to reassure you, there is no bill called the anti-social media bill,” he said.‎

Chairman, Senate Committee on Federal Capital Territory, Senator Dino Melaye also disclosed that youths in the country remain highest perpetrators of Gender Based Violence (GBV).

He said yet the young persons are mostly survivor of the scourge.

He said, “‎in addressing the issue of GBV and young persons, attention needs to be paid to the fact, that they are not only survivors, but also perpetrators.

“For instance, in 2010, Nigerians were shocked by 3 reported incidents of gang rapes that occurred in different parts of Nigeria – the gang rape which went viral on the internet; the gang rape of a female corps member; the 10 gang rape of a young woman; and the young female undergraduate that was lured through the social media, gang raped and murdered by two young men in 2012.

“All the assailed were young women, and the perpetrators, were young men – all youths.”

However, he called for ‎massive advocay to prevent sexual assaults and other related offences in the country.