Former Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, has called for the regulation of social media to tackle anti-state groups, anarchists, and other “harmful entities” in the country. Mohammed emphasized the need for stricter oversight of social media platforms to prevent them from being exploited by those seeking to undermine the government and incite violence. Riding Motorbike Alone Across Laos – Beautiful Memories from LAOS – Nếm TV He noted that his call was not an attempt to stifle freedom of expression or censor dissenting voices, but a step geared towards ensuring that the social media platforms were held accountable. Mohammed, who is also the Managing Partner of Bruit Cosaud, a policy advisory firm, made the call at the iRepresent International Documentary Festival, which forms part of activities to mark the 90th birthday anniversary of Prof. Wole Soyinka, in Lagos on Friday. The theme of the event was “Disinformation and Misinformation: The Media in the Age of Discontent”. He said: “Let me state here that I support the calls for the regulation of social media. However, regulation of social media should not be misconstrued as an attempt to stifle freedom of expression or censor dissenting voices. “Rather, it should be viewed as a necessary step to ensure that these platforms operate in a manner that is responsible, ethical, and conducive to the well-being of society.” Mohammed further urged the current administration to take action against social media companies that allow misleading information to circulate unchecked. According to Mohammed, the unchecked spread of fake news and hate speech on social media has become a serious threat to national security, with anti-state groups using these platforms to spread propaganda and incite public unrest. He warned that this trend could have dire consequences for the stability of the country and called for decisive action to address the issue. He noted that social media remained a major space for proliferation of fake news, adding that the consequences of disinformation and misinformation were far-reaching in undermining democratic processes, among others. He said: “Social media remains the platform of choice for the purveyors of fake news, anti-state groups, anarchists, secessionists, terrorists and bandits. It’s either on Facebook, Instagram, X, etc. With a smartphone and data, people can broadcast whatever they want with ease. “Similarly, through technology and inventions, the challenge has even become exponential through the use of Artificial Intelligence and deep learning techniques to create highly realistic fake or manipulated videos, audio recordings or images. “These creations often involve superimposing existing images or videos onto other contents, making it appear as though individuals are saying or doing things they never did. This is era of deepfake! “There is no doubt that the proliferation of digital media platforms has transformed the landscape of information dissemination the world over. While these platforms have democratized access to information, they have also provided fertile ground for the spread of falsehoods and manipulation. The rapid circulation of misinformation, fueled by algorithms designed to maximize engagement, has led to a crisis of trust in traditional media institutions. “The consequences of disinformation and misinformation are far-reaching. They undermine democratic processes, sow discord within communities, and pose significant threats to public health and safety. False narratives surrounding elections can trigger legitimacy problems for the winner There were conspiracy theories fueling vaccine hesitancy as witnessed during the COVID 19 pandemic among other consequences of fake news. The impact of misinformation can be devastating, exacerbating existing fault-lines and hindering collective action.” He, however, cleared the air on why ex-President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration suspended the services of Twitter (now X), stating that the move was to check the nefarious activities of some groups bent on promoting anarchy. “We were compelled to suspend the services of Twitter, now X, when it became evident that Twitter had yielded its platform to proscribed groups, who were bent on promoting anarchy and destabilizing the country,” he added.

  In a staggering revelation, the budget allocation for the Office of the Chief of Staff to the President in Nigeria has witnessed an exponential surge, reaching an outstanding ₦21.22 billion in the fiscal year of 2024. This astronomical increase denotes a stark contrast to the relatively modest figures of the preceding years, as disclosed by Statisense, a leading data analysis firm. According to the data provided by Statisense, the budget for the Chief of Staff’s office stood at ₦24.35 million in 2020, experiencing a gradual ascent to ₦76.55 million in 2021. However, the trajectory took a monumental leap in 2022, soaring to ₦526.47 million, and maintaining a high allocation in 2023 at ₦517.95 million which then took a sudden surge to over ₦21 billion in 2024.

  The Islamic State (ISIS) has claimed responsibility for a shooting at the Crocus City Hall in Moscow, the Russian capital. At the time of the attack on Friday night, the death toll stood at 40. The number of fatalities has now risen to at least 60, including children, according to Russian state news agency RIA. No fewer than 145 persons were injured in the attack while the death toll is expected to rise. The terror group took responsibility for the attack in a short statement published by ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq on Telegram but did not provide evidence to support the claim. RIA said the attackers who showed up in camouflage and without masks allegedly fled in a white car that had a Renault symbol with a tinted rear window. Before they fled, they sprayed bullets from automatic weapons on the people at the concert and threw a grenade, setting the hall on fire. The roof of the concert hall was said to have partially collapsed. The Investigative Committee of Russia and the operational units of the ministry of internal affairs said they are investigating the potential terrorist attack. Material evidence, including weapons and ammunition, have been withdrawn from the crime scene and all necessary examinations, including genetic, ballistic, and fingerprinting, are already being carried out, the committee added. The committee also said recordings from video surveillance cameras are being withdrawn and studied and autopsies will be carried out.

  Batik Air plane in Indonesia went off track on it’s flight path after both the pilot and the co-pilot fell asleep for nearly half an hour. The incident, which happened in January, saw the pair in the cockpit getting some shuteye, as the aircraft drifted off it’s planned path – something that could have led to a fatal disaster for all 153 passengers on board. It is vital for pilots to keep an aircraft on the right flight path as it is carefully mapped out by air traffic controllers to ensure the plane doesn’t cross any other aircraft’s paths.   The plane was flying from South East Sulawesi to the capital Jakarta. It has been reported that one of the pilots had not rested adequately the night before the flight. About half an hour after the plane took off, the captain asked permission from his second-in-command to rest for a while and he said yes. The co-pilot took over command of the aircraft but then fell asleep himself. A few minutes after the last recorded transmission by the co-pilot, the area control centre in Jakarta tried to contact the aircraft. It received no answer. Twenty-eight minutes after the last recorded transmission, the pilot woke up and realised his co-pilot was asleep and that the aircraft was not on the correct flight path. He immediately woke his colleague up, responded to the calls from Jakarta and corrected the flight path, the report said. The incident resulted in a series of navigation errors, but the Airbus A320’s 153 passengers and four flight attendants were unharmed during the two-hour-and-35-minute flight. The transport ministry ‘strongly reprimands’ Batik Air over the incident, air transport director-general M. Kristi Endah Murni said, calling on airlines to pay more attention to their air crew’s rest time. ‘We will carry out an investigation and review of the night flight operation in Indonesia related with Fatigue Risk Management for Batik Air and all flight operators,’ Kristi said in a statement. Batik Air said in a statement on Saturday that it ‘operates with adequate rest policy’ and that it was ‘committed to implement all safety recommendation’. The pilots involved in the January 25 incident had been temporarily suspended, the statement added. The plane landed safely after the incident. Investigators did not identify the pilots, but said they were both Indonesians and were aged 32 and 28. Indonesia’s transport ministry said Saturday it would open a probe into the airline.

  The Debt Management Office (DMO) says Nigeria’s total public debt rose to N97.34 trillion in the fourth quarter (Q4) of 2023. In a statement on Friday, DMO said the latest figure represents a 10.73 percent or N9.43 trillion increase compared to N87.91 trillion recorded in the third quarter (Q3) last year. The country’s public debt consists of domestic and external debt stocks of the federal government of Nigeria (FGN) and the subnational governments — the 36 states and the federal capital territory (FCT). According to DMO, the increase was primarily due to new domestic borrowing by the federal government to partly fund the deficit in the 2024 budget as well as disbursements by multilateral and bilateral lenders. “At N59.12 Trillion, Total Domestic Debt accounted for 61% of the Total Public Debt Stock while External Debt at N38.22 Trillion accounted for the balance of 39%,” DMO said. “Consistent with the debt management strategy, Nigeria’s External Debt Stock was skewed in favour of loans from multilateral (49.77%) and bilateral lenders (14.02%) or total of 63.79% which are mostly concessional and semi-concessional.” DMO said while it continues to use best practices in public debt management, the fiscal authorities’ recent and ongoing measures to shore up revenue will support debt sustainability.

  On March 14, 17 officers and men of the 181 Amphibious Battalion, Bomadi, were killed at Okuama community in Ughelli South Local Government Area of Delta State on account of the land dispute between Okuama and Okoloba communities. According to Vanguard, the 17 soldiers including one lieutenant Colonel, two majors and a captain met their Waterloo during alleged botched peace talks in the community. The murder of the military men has led to a military siege to Okuama in which houses had been razed and no fewer than 50 people reportedly killed. The 67 reported souls lost to the Okuama crisis are among the 6,931 people killed across the country in 10 months since President Bola Tinubu assumed power, last May. In immediate past President Muhammadu Buhari’s first 10 months in office, May 2015 to March 2016, Nigeria lost 8,356 people to insecurity. In former President Goodluck Jonathan’s first 10 months as elected head of state, May 2011 to March 2012, insecurity claimed 2,059 lives. The figures under Jonathan and Buhari were got from the records of the Nigeria Security Tracker, NST, a project of the Council on Foreign Relations’ Africa programme, which documented and mapped violence in Nigeria motivated by political, economic or social grievances. However, the death toll under Tinubu is based on media reports. In all, the figures are conservative because some killings are under-reported or not reported. In January 2024, troops killed 266 terrorists and bandits in operations across the country. In February 2024, troops neutralised 974 terrorists. In the last two months, the Chairman of Benue Ethnic Leaders and President General of Mzough U Tiv, MUT, worldwide, Chief lorbee Ihagh, claimed that herdsmen militia had killed no fewer than 147 persons in various attacks on Benue communities. As of March 21, no fewer than 432 lives had been lost to insecurity in the third month of the year Recurring bandits’ attacks in Zamfara, Niger, Kaduna, Katsina, Niger, Kebbi and many North-East and North-Central states have led the deaths and kidnap of thousands of people. The South-East states where unknown gunmen are wreaking are not spared. So also states of South-South and parts of South-West where criminal gangs and armed herdsmen operate. How 2,059 were killed in Jonathan’s first 10 months May 2011 – 29 June 2011 – 59 July 2011 – 94 Aug 2011 – 131 Sept 2011 – 109 Oct 2011 -72 Nov 2011 – 254 Dec 2011 – 348 Jan 2012 – 418 Feb 2012 – 226 Mar 2012 – 319 Total———2,059 Death toll in Buhari’s first 10 months May 2015 -767 June 2015 -808 July 2015 -1,299 Aug 2015 – 790 Sept 2015 – 514 Oct 2015 – 826 Nov 2015 – 510 Dec 2015 – 809 Jan 2016 – 484 Feb 2016 – 1,076 Mar 2016 – 468 Total ———8,356 How 6,931 persons were killed under Tinubu in 10 months May 2023 – 587 June 2023 – 690 July 2023 – 620 Aug 2023 – 682 Sept 2023 – 527 Oct 2023- 621 Nov 2023 – 869 Dec 2023 – 837 Jan 2024 – 666 Feb 2024 – 1,374 Mar 2024- 432 Total————6,931@~£ Northern Senators kick Senators from the 19 Northern states and the Federal Capital Territory, FCT, Abuja under the aegis of Northern Senators Forum, NSF, on Wednesday decried the raging wave of killings and kidnapping in the North and urged decisive action to stop the trend. In a statement by their Chairman, Senator Abdulaziz Yar’Adua, APC, Katsina Central, the Northern senators said they would not rest until the security situation was brought under control and the perpetrators brought to justice The statement read in part: “The distressing state of affairs concerning the recent wave of violence and kidnappings in the North is a major concern to the Northern Senators Forum. The series of events that have unfolded in Kaduna State, beginning with the kidnapping of 286 students and staff from a school on March 7th, the despicable attack on worshippers in a mosque on March 8th, the abduction of 61 more persons on March 12th, followed by 14 individuals on March 17th, and a staggering total of 87 individuals in Kajuru on March 18th, among others, are not only reprehensible but demand urgent and resolute action.” Disturbed by the killings, the National Assembly has held many meetings with the security chiefs and President Tinubu had repeatedly ordered the security chiefs to halt the trend. It is to be seen if these moves would yield desired results in terms of security of lives and property of Nigerians.

  Saturday 23 March 2024 Okuama Massacre: The Untold Story Constitution can be amended quickly to create state police — Gov Sani Three university students feared dead in stampede over rice Alleged Terrorism: FG docks Miyetti Allah’s leader, Bodejo on 3-count charge Tinubu may announce new minimum wage on Workers’ Day Blighted by rising food prices, Lagosians find succour in discount markets Follow Otti’s step, scrap ex-govs, deputies’ pensions, Obasanjo tells govs Buy Made-In-Nigeria Goods To Strengthen Naira, Presidency Tells Nigerians Gun Attack At Moscow Concert Leaves At Least 40 Dead Submission Of Memoranda For State Police Waste Of Time, Says Makinde Kate, Princess Of Wales, Announces Cancer Diagnosis Rivers Assembly Overrides Fubara, Enacts Service Commission Law Bandits Kill Village Head, 20 Others In Niger Community NEC Approves $617m Investment In Digital, Creative Enterprises Security Agencies Rescue 16 Almajiri Children In Sokoto Makinde Gives Free Shops To 700 Traders In Ibadan Uzodimma Appoints Brother, Others As Aides, Reappoints Iwu As SSG Banditry: Newly Married Butcher Killed In Niger Market Attack 31% pass as WAEC releases 2024 CBT exam results for private candidates Customs suspends 25% penalty on improperly imported vehicles Obi loses grip on LP as party files petitions against NLC, Ajaero Police raid gunmen’s hideout in Ebonyi, kill three, arrest five NAFDAC bursts syndicate producing fake Eva water in Rivers Police arrest eight suspects for killing suya seller in Imo Visit a newspaper stand this morning, buy and read a copy for yourself…