President Bola Tinubu has decried the high level of false narrative and misinformation in the country, saying that the trend is threatening the fabric of Nigerian society. Speaking while declaring open the 19th Nigeria Editors Conference 2023 held at Ibom Icon Hotel, Uyo Akwa Ibom State, with the theme “Stimulating Economic Growth, Technological Advancement: The role of the media” on Wednesday, the president appreciated the Editors for their role in the fight for Nigeria democracy The president who was represented by the Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, said that the Federal Government is working to change the systemic moral decline in the country through the implementation of a sustained mass reorientation campaign aimed at fostering unity, patriotism and promotion of positive values among Nigerians. He therefore called on the Nigeria Editors to support the campaign for moral rectitude among Nigerians. He said, “We are faced with the proliferation of misinformation and false narratives which threaten the fabric of our society. It is our collective duty to combat this menace through fact-checking, responsible reporting, and promoting media and digital literacy with which we can fortify our defences against the corrosive effects of a false narrative. “Against the background of imminent systemic moral decline over a long period leading to the erosion of our national values, it’s my pleasure to inform you that the Ministry of Information and National Orientation is working to change the narrative in our country through the implementation of a sustained mass reorientation campaign that aims to foster unity, patriotism and promotion of positive values among Nigerians “We seek to collectively reorientate ourselves as Nigerians in the direction of a stronger sense of national identity and shared values. I will therefore appeal to all our Editors to support this campaign for national rectitude among Nigerians. Governor of Akwa Ibom State Umo Eno, in his remarks, urged the Nigerian Guild of Editors to engender good governance in their reportage to promote the country’s democracy. He said “I want to plead that you use the media, to engender a new template of reportage, one that is developmental-oriented, where our leaders are called to account without being overly obtrusive. “No one desires a pliant media that acts like the cheerleaders to the government, but in trying to break the news, we should be careful not to break the fabric of the society. You need the nation first to freely practice your profession,” Eno said. While commending the media for the support received from his administration from the Nigeria Union of Journalists Akwa Ibom Council, the governor said his administration was open to constructive criticisms and committed to driving a narrative of governance focused on making the rural dweller reap the dividends of democracy and build trust in government. Earlier in his welcome address the president, of the Nigeria Guild of Editors, Eze Anaba said the conference was part of Editors’ contributions to the growth and development of not only the media industry but the country in general. Anaba tasked colleagues with balanced, accurate, factual, and fair reports and implored them to make use of fact-checking tools, in disseminating editorial products to the people adding that was the only effective and efficient way to discharge their constitutional duty under Section 22 of holding power to account and upholding human rights, the rule of law, good governance, and democratic principles. He also urged political actors not to suppress the press saying, “Always remember that a free press is like oxygen to a democracy. Let nothing be done to stifle the press or shrink freedom of expression and media freedom under any guise.” Chairman of the conference and publisher of Vanguard Newspaper, Sam Amuka Pemu, who lamented the critical economic situation in the country reminded the Editors to always remove unwanted items in disseminating information to the public.

  Thursday 16 November 2023 NLC, TUC suspend strike, ask FG to reciprocate gesture 40% IGR deduction sets FG, varsities on collision course NNPCL flags currency crisis as barrier to investment Umahi canvasses timely completion of Lagos-Abidjan highway Lagos dislodges, arrests street traders in Oshodi, others FG reduces charges against Emefiele, strike stalls arraignment LP welcomes Atiku’s merger proposal, NNPP gives condition Police nab traffic robber posing as beggar on Lekki expressway Misinformation threat to Nigeria, says Tinubu Imo Elders, Ajaero Meet Over NLC Leader’s Rift With State Govt Sanwo-Olu Hails Appeal Court Ruling, Recommits To ‘Greater Lagos’ Agenda How DSS Arrested Me As NLC President, Dragged Me On Tarmac – Oshiomhole Saudi Embassy Addresses Cancelled Visas, Says Deported Nigerians Submitted ‘Incorrect Information’ There’s No Place In Gaza We Won’t Reach – Netanyahu Four Stowaways Hiding On Dubai-Bound Ship Arrested – Navy Visas of passengers airlifted from Nigeria verified by Saudi Arabi – Air Peace Abia restricts movement of heavy-duty vehicles from 7am to 8pm Israel Wants To Turn Gaza ‘Unlivable City’ – Palestinian Envoy Stop buying costly phones for students, don counsels parents in Ilorin

  Members of the Imo Elders council have paid a scheduled visit to the President of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) Joe Ajaero in Abuja to intervene in the ongoing impasse between the state government and the NLC. This is as the nationwide strike declared by the leadership of the NLC and the Trade Union Congress of Nigeria (TUC) continued into its second day. Speaking to journalists in Owerri, the Imo state capital, upon arrival from Abuja, the Chairman of the Imo State Elders Council, Cletus Iluomuanya, said the meeting with Ajaero was successful. Reacting to the ongoing strike, he said there was light at the end of the tunnel, while maintaining that Ajaero is an Imo son and would surely respect Imo elders.

  The President of Turkey, Tayyip Erdogan, tagged Israel a terrorist state during an address before the Turkish Parliament on Wednesday. Erdogan is one of the world leaders who has been vocal against Israel’s bombardment of Gaza since the conflict started in October. “With the savagery of bombing the civilians it forced out of their homes while they are relocating, it is literally employing state terrorism. I am now saying, with my heart at ease, that Israel is a terror state,” he said in the televised address. He also regarded Hamas as a political party that was voted in by the Palestinian people, Reuters reports. “We will never shy away from voicing the truth that Hamas members protecting their lands, honour, and lives in the face of occupation policies are resistance fighters, just because some people are uncomfortable with it,” he continued. His statement is in sharp contrast to the rhetoric of several other world leaders, especially in the West. Britain, the United States, and the European Union all regard Hamas as a terrorist organisation. In his speech, Erdogan tackled the Western allies, especially the United States, stating that they were still seeing the conflict in “backward” terms. He has also called for the trial of Israeli leaders for war crimes before the International Court of Justice in The Hague. The Israel-Hamas conflict began on October 7, after Hamas fighters broke through Israel’s borders, killed over 1,200 people, and took 240 others hostage. Retaliatory attacks began on October 8 after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared war on the group. According to Gaza’s Hamas-run Ministry of Health, Israel’s bombardment and ground offensive have resulted in the deaths of 11,320 Palestinian civilians. Countries like Turkey, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia have continued to call for a cease-fire, while the Western allies have cautioned Israel to minimis

  The management of Air Peace has said that the visas of all the 264 passengers that it conveyed to Saudi Arabia recently were verified, despite the revocation of the visas of 177 of them by authorities in foreign nations. The visas of the 177 passengers were cancelled after all the 264 travellers from Nigeria landed in Jeddah on Monday. Their flight started from Kano on Sunday. Commenting on the issue on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said the passengers provided incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that doesn’t apply to them. But in a swift reaction to this, Air Peace in a statement issued by its Chief Operating Officer, Oluwatoyin Olajide, on Wednesday, said, “For the avoidance of doubt, Air Peace is a scheduled operator between Nigeria and Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, and the said flight was indeed a scheduled flight and not a chartered/UMAR/HAJJ or any special flight “This scheduled flight means we are allowed to airlift all categories of passengers with different types of visas as long as their visas are valid and approved by the Saudi Arabian authorities. We are not limited to UMRAH or HAJJ visas alone on a scheduled flight. “The visas of all passengers on the said flight to Jeddah in Saudi Arabia were checked and verified through the requisite procedures and were vetted to be valid before departure. “The visas were verified using the visa confirmation platform provided by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Saudi Arabia, which confirmed the validity of each passenger’s visa before passengers were allowed to check-in for the flight.” The airline went further to state that all the visas of the 264 passengers were duly verified, confirmed, and accepted as authentic for the trip through the visa portal provided by the Saudi Arabia authorities, adding that “if not, no passengers would have been able to depart from Nigeria. “This is just one of two steps required before a passenger is accepted on the flight to Saudi Arabia.” The airline stated that the next step was the use of the Advanced Passenger Information System. “We equally use this system to determine the admissibility or otherwise of each passenger on that flight. “The APIS was live between Air Peace’s reservation system and the Saudi Arabia National Travel Security Centre Carrier Portal to transmit passenger details before departure, to the Saudi authorities to determine the admissibility or otherwise of the passengers. “No form of cancellation from the Saudi authorities was received against these passengers despite the live transmission of their details,” Air Peace stated.

  It was a nightmare for the people of Madakiya village in Zangon Kataf Local Government Area of Kaduna when a 20-year-old man, David Felix killed his father for allegedly appearing to him in his dream as a bird. According to a source who pleaded for anonymity posited that the young man took the decision when he was interrogated by his kinsmen before handing him over to the police. The source told newsmen on Wednesday that “Felix told us that his late father recurrently manifested in his dreams as a bird with a human face, attempting to harm him. It was gathered that during interrogation at the headquarters of the police, the suspect admitted to committing the crime. He, however, expressed regret over his actions, saying, he took the action after waking up from sleep and hit his father with a pestle while the father was asleep. It was gathered that the action of his son eventually led to his death. Presenting the suspect before newsmen, the police spokesman ASP Mansir Hassan contended that formal charges would be filed in competent court once investigation is concluded.

  Oladokun Ayomide, a final-year student at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, has been arrested for allegedly poisoning his lover and her friend. The victims, identified as Ugbokwe Mmasichukwu and Odumosu Semilore, were said to have been poisoned with a harmful substance, believed to be an admixture of brownie cakes and alcohol, at his residence in Surulere, Camp area of Abeokuta, last Friday. The duo were said to have lost consciousness after taking the drink and were rushed to an undisclosed hospital for medical attention. The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Omolola Odutola, confirmed the incident and that the victims were responding to treatment. She explained that the command has swung into action to unravel the circumstances surrounding the incident. Odutola said, “The victims were believed to have been fed brownie cake, and they immediately lost consciousness after eating it and were taken to the Osiele Medical Centre for treatment. “A foil paper pack used for the brownie cake was found when our officers visited the crime scene. The suspect was handed over to the police division by the Chief Security Officer of the school.”

  The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has explained why the visas of 177 Nigerians were revoked and denied entry into the country on their arrival in Jeddah aboard an Air Peace plane on Monday. The Saudi government said the affected passengers out of a total 264 aboard the plane didn’t fulfill the entry conditions and requirements in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom, as they submitted incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that doesn’t apply to them, which was discovered upon their arrival in Jeddah. The federal government of Nigeria had on Monday said it was investigating the cancellation by the Saudi Arabian authorities of visas of the 177 Air Peace passengers, who were airlifted to Jeddah from Lagos and Kano on Sunday. Saudi Arabia had initially cancelled visas of all the 264 passengers airlifted by Air Peace on arrival in Jeddah from Mallam Aminu Kano International Airport (MAKIA) Kano, insisting that the airline should return them back to Nigeria. However, 87 passengers were later allowed entry into the country and the country’s airport officials insisted 177 should follow the Air Peace flight back to Nigeria. The flight took off from the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA) Lagos via MAKIA on Sunday night and arrived Saudi Arabia’s major city, Jeddah, on Monday morning without issues. But on landing, the Saudi Arabia authorities announced that all the passengers’ visas were cancelled. However, reacting to the development on Wednesday, the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abuja via a statement posted on its verifed X handle (formerly Twitter), said the action was not targeted against Nigerians as the rules apply to citizens of other countries, emphasising the need to always abide by established rules and regulations by all visitors to the Kingdom. “The Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Abuja would like to make a clarification about the media reports and Social Media releases concerning the deportation of Nigerian citizens at the point of entry into the Kingdom. The passengers whom were denied entry, and subsequently deported to their initial destinations, didn’t fulfill the entry conditions and requirements in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the Kingdom, as they submitted incorrect information to obtain a category of visa that doesn’t apply to them, which was discovered upon their arrival. “The Royal Embassy would like to stress the importance of following the procedures and laws enacted by the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for all visitors. Furthermore, all passengers should review all the documents to determine their conformity with the conditions prior departing from their countries to the Kingdom. “This procedure was not limited to Nigerian citizens only, but rather to citizens of other countries,” the Embassy stated.

  The National Executive Council of the Nigeria Labour Congress and the Trade Union Congress on Wednesday night suspended the ongoing strike. The unions said the suspension followed the intervention of the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu. Our correspondent gathered that the meeting which commenced at a few minutes past 7 pm lasted for close to one hour during which various affiliates and state chapters reviewed the outcome of the meeting held between the leaders of the organised labour and Ribadu. The National Deputy Vice-President of the TUC, Tommy Etim, made this known in an interview with our correspondent in Abuja. “The NEC of the NLC and the TUC have suspended the strike. We did this based on our trust for the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, who gave us his words,” he said. The PUNCH reports that the labour leaders met with Ribadu alongside the Minister of Labour, Simon Lalong, at the Office of the NSA on Wednesday afternoon. The NSA had announced that the individuals responsible for the brutalisation of Ajaero had been arrested. The organised labour is protesting against the alleged brutalisation of its National President, Joe Ajaero, and the failure of the government to implement some of the agreements reached on October 2, 2023 effectively.

  A lecturer of Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife Osun state was reported to have slumped and died in his office. The deceased, Dr Ayo Ojediran lectured at the Department of Science And Technology Education, Faculty of Education in the school.   It was gathered that the lecturer was found dead in his office on Tuesday, November 14 by some of his colleagues. Some of his colleagues described his death as unfortunate, having described the deceased as a “complete gentleman”. A close ally of the deceased, Ayodeji Obisesan on his Facebook page, described the deceased as someone willing to help at any time. “Such a very nice and humble man to the core. Always willing to help. God will give us your students, friends, colleagues, associates, and family members the fortitude to bear this great loss. May your soul rest in perfect peace Dr Ojediran Isaac Ayodele”, stated When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of the University, Abiodun Olarewaju said the incident was a very sad one, hence, the decision of the school not to issue an official statement.