Nigerian Protesters lock down National Assembly

The National Assembly complex was this morning, December 9, taken over by protesters and social media activists standing in staunch opposition to the infamous “social media bill”, demanding that the senate immediately discontinue its consideration of the Bill.

The controversial Bill was sponsored by the Senate’s Deputy Leader, Bala Ibn Na’Allah and has consistently drawn the ire of Nigerians across the nation.
The Bill is seen as one engineered to muzzle the freedom of expression of Nigerians on social media more than anything else.
It proposes up to four years in prison or N2m to N4m in fines for “anyone who intentionally propagates false information that could threaten the security of the country or that is capable of inciting the general public against the government through electronic message.”
The Bill also proposes up to two years in prison or N2m and N4m in fines or both for anyone disseminating via text message, Twitter, WhatsApp, or any other form of social media an “abusive statement.”

According to one of the protesters,

“We are here to say No to social media bill. We need our distinguished Senators to come down to be with us. We voted you all in and you all used the social and conventional media. Now you are in the house you now feel the same medium should be clamped down.

“There are so many things spanning across health and educational breakdown to attend to rather than wuru wuru ‎bill. People are dying on a daily basis because of the poor medical and health facilities.

“We shall call them back if this is their plans for us and replace them with people who can defend us. We are disappointed with the likes of Ibn N’allah and Dino Melaye. We are disappointed in our senate, they promised us open NASS now they want to shut us up.