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Post Date : June 9, 2021

Twitter Has Reached Out To Us For Negotiation, Says FG

The Federal Government says the management of tech giant, Twitter, has reached out for dialogue. The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed said this on Wednesday while addressing State House correspondents after the Federal Executive Council. He declared that the ban has so far been very effective following reports of Twitter’s huge financial losses running into billions. The Information Minister maintains that Twitter has been a platform of choice for separatists to thrive and would be disallowed from operating until it is duely registered, licensed, and operates within regulations. When the Minister was asked about the law under which Nigerians who violate the Twitter ban would be prosecuted, Lai refrained from answering and asked that the Attorney General of the Federation provide answers. Speaking concerning the discussion at the FEC meeting chaired by President Muhammadu Buhari, Mohammed insisted on the ban and asked politicians to rise beyond various divisions and queue behind the country’s decision to ban the microblogging site. Minister Lai Mohammed also spoke concerning the payment of tax by tech giants in the country. He explained that most of the OTT and social media platforms operating in Nigeria do not have offices either do they pay taxes for the billions earned. Henceforth, the Federal government has resolved to ensure other social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram be registered in the country and adverts have been published to this effect. The information minister, despite criticism by Human Rights groups, insists that freedom of speech has not been stifled as a result of the ban. He maintained that other social media platforms are still available for use. More to follow…

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Post Date : June 9, 2021

Again, gunmen kidnap UNIJOS lecturer

A Senior lecturer with the department of Theatre Art University of Jos Dr Daniel Ella has been kidnapped by some notorious gunmen on a rampage in Jos, Plateau state. It would be recalled that a senior lecturer of the University with the Department of Microbiology Professor Grace Ayanbimpe and her husband was kidnapped recently at their residence and later rescued by combined team of vigilante and police. A source close to Dr Ella told Nigerian Tribune that the gunmen numbering about seven stormed the lecturer residence behind Haske Quarters, Lamingo in Jos North Local Government Area of the state at about 12:15 am on Monday. The family source stated that the gunmen who announced their arrival in the community with sporadic gunshots into the air forced their ways into Dr Ella house and forcefully whisked him away in the presence of his family. Nigerian Tribune further learnt that before the vigilante and those in the neighbourhood could put their act together the gunmen had disappeared from the community. It was learnt that at the time of filling this report the kidnappers were yet to get in touch with the family. A residence of Lamingo who is also one of the community leaders Ibrahim Dan Auta called on the state government and security agencies in the state to come to the aid of the people living in the area adding that there was no week without an incident of kidnapping and other criminal activities. When Nigerian Tribune visited the Department of Theatre Art, no principal staff of the department was willing to talk on the issue while some staff were seen in a group discussing the unfortunate incident in a hushed tone. Attempt to speak with the Spokesman of State Police Command, Ubah Ogaba proved abortive as his phone was not going through.

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Post Date : June 9, 2021

Continue tweeting, National Assembly minority caucus tells Nigerians

The joint minority caucus of the Senate and the House of Representatives has called on Nigerians to ignore the ban placed by the Federal Government on Twitter and continue to use the social media platform. The National Assembly caucus, which described the ban as draconian, decried that many Nigerians are losing their sources of livelihood to the action. The Minority Leader of the Senate, Senator Enyinnaya Abaribe; and Minority Leader of the House, Ndudi Elumelu, stated this in a statement issued on Wednesday, titled ‘NASS Joint Minority Caucus Asks Nigerians to Continue Using Twitter.’ According to the statement, the joint caucus met over the ban by the All Progressives Congress government and “restates its condemnation of the embargo as draconian and unacceptable.” The opposition lawmakers also dismissed threats by the government to arrest and prosecute Nigerians for using twitter, calling on Nigerians to “go ahead and use their Twitter (handles) as they would not be contravening any law in Nigeria or any international statute.” The lawmakers said they recognise the provisions of Articles 19 and 20 of the United Nations Charter on Fundamental Human Rights, which Nigeria is a signatory to, as well as provisions of Sections 39 and 36 (12) of the 1999 Constitution (as amended), stating that “by these provisions, no one will be violating any law for using twitter in Nigeria. The statement partly read, “As lawmakers, the joint caucus is pained by the anguish Nigerians, especially the youths, who find the use of twitter as a means of livelihood and genuine social interaction, are passing through just because the APC-led Federal Government feels slighted that an individual’s post, was deleted by Twitter for ethical violation. “The joint caucus, therefore, calls on Nigerians to use various opportunities offered by technology and continue making use of twitter since such does not violate any law in our country. It is agonising that Nigeria and Nigerians have been losing billions of naira on a daily basis since the ban on Twitter. This is completely unacceptable as it is worsening the already biting economic hardship and frightening unemployment level in the country. “Moreover, the ban on Twitter in Nigeria appears to be in favour of criminal and terrorist elements, whose activities fester in an environment of suppressed information flow.” The caucus sympathised with the organised private sector, manufacturing and service providing companies; Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises; online businesses owners and other hard working entrepreneurs across the country, “whose genuine business and means of livelihood have been crippled by the unwarranted ban on Twitter by the APC Federal Government.” The minority lawmakers also identified with students, research-based organisations, media houses, the organised civil society, faith-based organisations and community groups, among others, whose information-based activities have been violently disrupted by the ban. “In the same vein, the joint caucus sympathises with regional, states, local government as well as members of the international community, whose genuine and constructive activities have been crippled by the prohibition of twitter in Nigeria. “It also identifies with traditional rulers, who have even found Twitter as a means of communicating with the constituents, especially in this era of insecurity in the country,” the statement added. The Joint Caucus vehemently berates the APC-led government for abandoning its duty of addressing the serious economic and security problems confronting our nation to rather focus on dissipating energy victimizing Nigerians over their disagreement with Twitter for deleting a post by an individual. The Caucus counsels the Federal Government to swallow its pride, accept its misdoing and go and settle whatever issue it has with Twitter instead of this resort to inflicting pains on Nigerians.

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Post Date : June 9, 2021

Buhari receives made-in-Nigeria mobile phone in Aso Rock

President Muhammadu Buhari received a made-in-Nigeria mobile phone at the presidential villa on Wednesday in Abuja. The phone called ITF mobile was presented to Buhari by Niyi Adebayo, minister of industry, trade and investment. Adebayo said the phone was one of the 12 produced, using locally sourced components, by the electrical/electronics technology department of the Industrial Training Fund’s (ITF) Model Skills Training Centre.

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Post Date : June 9, 2021

8 Months After, Onochie Still On Nominee List For Senate Screening

The Senate is to begin screening of Lauretta Onochie and five others named national commissioners of Independent National Electoral Commission, eight months after they were nominated. Onochie (Delta), President Muhammadu Buhari’s special assistant on social media, and the other five were nominated in a request to the Senate eight months ago by the presidency. The others nominated on October 12 are Muhammad Sani Kallah (Katsina), Kunle Cornelius Ajayi (Ekiti), Saidu Babura Ahmad (Jigawa), Sani Muhammad Adam (north central) and Baba Bila (north east) as national commissioners of the INEC. Onochie’s nomination sparked controversy. Opposition senators had said that by nominating Onochie, Buhari had “wilfully gone against the constitution he swore to uphold,” and urged him to withdraw it. Her name is still on the list to be considered by the Senate committee on INEC While “reluctantly” seconding the motion that the nominations be referred to the Senate Committee for action, the Minority Leader, Enyinnaya Abaribe, expressed surprise that Onochie’s name resurfaced again as INEC national commissioner nominee after the widespread opposition against her nomination. “We shall meet in the Philippines”, Abaribe added.

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Post Date : June 9, 2021

Insecurity in Imo: All the indigenes are culpable, says Maurice Iwu

Maurice Iwu, former chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), says all indigenes of Imo are to blame for the security challenges in the state. In recent months, there have been attacks on security operatives and government property in Imo. On May 30, the violence reached a crescendo when groups of gunmen unleashed four different attacks on strategic locations and government buildings in the state. Ahmed Gulak, a former aide of ex-President Goodluck Jonathan, was one of the victims of the violence. Reacting to the insecurity in the state, Iwu, an Imo indigene himself, said the blame for the security crisis should be put at the feet of all residents of Imo. He said the silence and complicity of Imo indigenes allowed the insecurity to fester. “Imo is a place where many people come to. No matter who’s causing the problem from outside, there must be some participation by Imo people for that to happen,” the former INEC chairman said in a chat with Arise TV on Wednesday. “A situation where we are killing people that have come to protect us is stupid. We can’t be killing policemen that are here to protect us. We can’t have our young people being molested because of our own excesses. We Imolites are part of the cause. We can’t exonerate ourselves completely but yet we’re also part of Nigeria. “We’re guilty, all of us in Imo state, are guilty for allowing such things to happen. For not shouting early enough, we are all guilty.” Iwu added that the situation is also a fallout of the high unemployment rate in the state. “Right now, what is happening, we are having our own share of national insecurity. We’re also having some local players and the situation which is inherent anywhere you have a very low employment rate and poverty manifests. We don’t know what is the main trigger. But whatever is the trigger, if we don’t have our people who are ready to be used, then it would not happen,” he said.

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Post Date : June 8, 2021

Northern traders threaten to cut off food supply nationwide

The Amalgamated Union of Foodstuffs and Cattle Dealers in Nigeria (AUFCDN) has threatened to resume its strike and cut off food supply nationwide to protest failure of the Federal Government to pay the N4.75 billion compensation agreed with them. The Northern traders gave the government a three- week ultimatum to implement the signed agreement that led to the calling-off of their strike in March this year. The union alleged its members were still being extorted by security agencies and harassed in the South – East. The Northern traders had blocked food supply to South to demand the payment of N475 billion compensation for lives of members and properties lost during the #EndSars protest and Shasha market chaos. The traders had also demanded the dismantling of all road blocks on Federal highways and an agreement with state governments to withdraw services anytime their members were subjected to attack. Following a meeting brokered by Kogi Governor Yahaya Bello on behalf of the Federal Government, the Northern traders agreed to call – off their strike. But addressing reporters on Tuesday after an emergency meeting in Abuja, President of AUFCDN, Comrade Muhammad Tahir, said three months after the union suspended the strike, the government was yet to meet their demands. He said at the expiration of the three weeks ultimatum, the traders will ensure a nationwide blockage of food supply. The AUFCDN president said: We have agreed to resume our strike. We sent all our documents as a reminder to the leaderships of the National Assembly, IG of Police, and all security agencies. We will wait to see what the government will say. If the government calls us about the issue then we will suspend action. “We have not called strike. We are waiting on the government for this our reminder. We will wait for the government from now to two – three weeks about our agreement that made us to call-off our strike. Since we called it off nothing has been done.” National Legal Adviser of AUFCDN, Saleh Magama, said: “We called an emergency meeting because of what is happening in the South – East to our members. We called them also to brief them on the previous strike we embarked upon two – three months ago on the aftermath of the strike. “As AUFCDN, we have written to the Federal Government, to the ministries concerned, to the security agencies telling them of the promises of previous strike taken upon by the union; to remind them that they have not done anything. “If nothing is done probably in the next three weeks we will come back, discuss and take a final resolution. The strike will be nationwide. We will cut – off food supply nationwide in the next three weeks if nothing is done.”

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Post Date : June 8, 2021

Uncertainty over invitation of Mbaka by DSS

There is an indication the Department of State Services (DSS) may have rescinded its decision to invite fiery Catholic priest and spiritual director of Adoration Ministry Enugu, Nigeria, Rev. Fr. Ejike Mbaka to Abuja for interrogation. Mbaka had last Sunday told worshippers at the Adoration Ground that operatives of the DSS visited the church to deliver the letter of invitation but did not meet him. The operatives were said to have been told to come on Monday when they would meet the priest. But checks at the Adoration Ground by The Nation on Tuesday showed the secret security operatives did not show up on Monday neither did they come on Tuesday to deliver their letter. This, it was learnt, is fueling speculations that the DSS may have dropped the summons. One of the security men at the Emene ground, who preferred anonymity, told our correspondent that Fr. Mbaka was in office on Monday and Tuesday but did not see anyone with such invitation letter. “I have been here since yesterday and I have not seen anyone coming to deliver any letter. Father (Mbaka) has been in his office. He is not running away. “So, anyone who wants to see him is free. But, we have not seen anyone coming to deliver any letter to him,” the man said. Details of why the intelligence unit had wanted to summon the priest were not stated but it might not be unconnected with Mbaka’s criticism of President Muhammadu Buhari’s administration in recent times. The priest recently said God had rejected the President and unhappy with his leadership. But the Catholic Diocese of Enugu has said that it would only react to the invitation by the DSS if it sees its contents. Spokesman of the diocese, Rev. Fr. Benjamin Achi, said: “Mbaka is our priest and we would do anything to protect him. But in this case, we cannot talk about people we don’t know and didn’t see. “All we know about it was what Fr Mbaka said that the DSS came. He didn’t see them. “Since that time, we have not seen them. I was with Fr Mbaka throughout Monday and nobody came to give him any invitation. “So, we have nothing to say for now because we need to know who those people really are because Fr Mbaka didn’t see them. If they had come again, we would have insisted on seeing them”.

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Post Date : June 8, 2021

Insecurity: People are deliberately trying to pull down Buhari’s government, says Uzodimma

Hope Uzodimma, governor of Imo state, says there is a deliberate attempt by some persons to pull down the government of President Muhammadu Buhari. Speaking on Tuesday after a meeting with Buhari, Uzodimma said everyone should be involved in contributing their quota to the unity of the country, instead of blaming the president. The governor added that he is doing his best to ensure that insecurity in Imo state is addressed. “We are doing our best. So far, the situation is relatively okay in Imo state than it was. Imo is okay now. People can come around and do their businesses. The normal life and activities have resumed in Imo state; security agencies are on top of the situation,” Uzodinma said. “It is not only in Imo state that we have had the challenges of insecurity; there is insecurity in other states. In fact, I can even tell you that Imo’s case is better apart from one or two cases that involved very important personalities. “There has never been a time that 20 persons died at a time, or school children were kidnapped, and all that. We have been doing our best to see that cases of security breaches are reduced to the barest minimum if not eliminated. “This is not the society we used to know about our country. We should all be worried and not only be worried, or to sit down and begin to blame government or blame Mr. President. We should all get involved. “You’ve seen that his government, part of the problem of this government is the deliberate attempt by some group of people to pull down. Because nobody is telling me that this government is not performing, that salaries are not being paid, or that the roads are not being constructed, or the railway is not going, or the various intervention funds to empower our youths are not being given out. Nobody has come in concrete terms to accuse this government of one failure or the other.” The governor added that some aggrieved politicians and leaders have been fanning the embers of insecurity in the country.

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Post Date : June 8, 2021

Kaduna University Shut Down Amidst Students Protests Over Tuition Hike

The management of Kaduna State University (KASU), on Tuesday, shut down the institution amidst students’ protests over tuition fee increment. It would be recalled that the state government, a few weeks ago, hiked the students’ fees which the students rejected vehemently. The management announced the shutdown through a statement issued by the university’s Registrar, Samuel S. Manshop, saying activities in the institution have been closed indefinitely. According to the management, Postgraduate programmes, College of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Part-Time programmes are to continue with their activities. The statement reads: “The Management of Kaduna State University wishes to notify staff, students and the general public that academic activities for undergraduate students have been suspended indefinitely. “Postgraduate programmes, College of Medicine, Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Part-Time programmes are to continue with their activities,” he said. The statement further reads that staff are also expected to report to work as usual as the management would communicate any development to them soon. Daily Trust gathered that the closure of the institution followed weeks of protests by the students.

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