#EndSARS
Northern governors back social media regulation
The Northern Governors Forum on Monday expressed support for proposals to regulate the social media to check the spread of fake news in the country. The Forum expressed its support in a communique issued by its Chairman and Governor of Plateau, Mr Simon Lalong. This followed the governors meeting in Kaduna, which was attended by traditional rulers and other key stakeholders in the region. The meeting took note of the devastating effect of the uncontrolled social media in spreading fake news and called for major control mechanisms andcensorship of social media practice in Nigeria. It also expressed support for the reform of the police to strengthen their capacity. “Forum appreciates the major reforms going on in the Police Force and pledges to support Mr. President on this course. “The meet...
#EndSARS: Groups embark on reconciliatory visit to affected states
African Children Talent Discovery Foundation (ACTDF), an NGO, in Collaboration with Nigerians in Diaspora Mentoring Corp (NidMeCorp) have began nationwide reconciliatory visits to some states affected by the EndSARS protest. Founder of the foundation, Mr Noah Dallaji made the disclosure while addressing newsmen on Monday in Abuja, Dallaji said that the visit was for the sake of nation and collective wellbeing and to avoid further damage to lives and properties. He said the group visited to Lagos State due to the Lekki Tollgate incidents and met with various groups to find a lasting solution to the issues that were played up as aftermath of the #Endsars protest. He also said that the group met with stakeholders in the entertainment industry focusing on social media influencers to with vario...
#EndSARS: Why Nigerian government didn’t shut down social media during protests – minister
File Photo Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Sunday Dare, has said the Federal Government had the option of shutting down the social media space during the #EndSARS protests but chose not to tread the path. Dare, who spoke on Monday while featuring on Channels Television’s programme Sunrise Daily, said the government did that to allow freedom of expression. He said other countries had taken certain measures to exercise some level of restraint over the cyberspace but Nigeria has not done so. The minister, however, said the internet and the social media have tremendous benefits but “as a country, we must start to think of how to curtail fake news. There must be some level of responsibility and some level of punishment to those that create chaos out of mischief in our country.” He sai...
#EndSARS: MURIC kicks amid allegation of mosque burning in South East
The Muslim Rights Concern has raised the alarm over the alleged burning of mosques in the South East following the #EndSARS protest. The Islamic human rights body, which raised the alarm in a statement on Monday, said the mosques were burnt on October 31, 2020, with threat to invade the Islamic School, Afikpo, Ebonyi State. The statement said the mosques were burnt in Enugu, Enugu State amid reports that 11 Muslims were killed during the #EndSARS protests in Port Harcourt, Rivers State and Orlu in Imo State, while the Orlu Central Mosque was completely destroyed about two weeks ago. The statement equally said markets belonging to Muslims in the region were also attacked and properties worth millions of naira destroyed, including whole trailers with goods. MURIC, in the statement by its Dir...
Lagos APC, PDP bicker over calls for governor’s resignation
The ruling All Progressive Congress (APC) in Lagos State says Babajide Sanwo-Olu remains undaunted and could not be distracted from delivering on his social contract with the people. Lagos APC spokesman Seye Oladejo said this while reacting to calls by the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to Sanwo-Olu to consider resignation in view of what PDP called “the collapse of good governance in the state, particularly in the last 10 days”. Oladejo said the PDP call is an invitation to anarchy, saying “the call for resignation remains the wish of a frustrated opposition battling its permanent implosion”. The dream of PDP to govern Lagos through the back door after persistent rejection at the polls remains a nightmare. Oladejo said that the fact that the wanton destruction of public propert...
#EndSARS: PDP asks Lagos governor to resign
The Peoples Democratic Party, (PDP), Lagos State chapter, has asked Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, to resign as he no longer enjoys the confidence of the people. Publicity Secretary of the party in the state, Taofik Gani, on Sunday, said Gov Sanwo-Olu can no longer be trusted in the wake of the Nigerian Army’s disclosure that it was the governor that invited them to quell and disperse the #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll-Gate, where an unspecified number of people were either killed or injured. He said, “The PDP is of the view that it is more expedient for Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to step aside now that the Nigerian Army has revealed him as the person who invited the soldiers to go quell the Lekki protests which have led to unfortunate fatalities and grievous injuries. Obviously, Lag...
Nigerian government clarifies position on social media regulation
File Photo The Federal Government says it has no intention of shutting down social media. It said its plan is to regulate social media to be responsible and refrain from being purveyor of fake news and hate speech. The Minister of Imformation and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, made the clarification on Saturday in Lagos when he inspected the headquarters of The Nation newspaper and TV Continental (TVC) that were attacked during the #EndSARS protest. Newsmen report the minister was accompanied on the inspection by heads of parastatal agencies in his ministry. Speaking at the premises of The Nation, the minister said the Muhammadu Buhari administration has high regards for freedom of the press. He said his recent call for the regulation of the excesses of the social media should not be miscon...
Lagos government lifts curfew
Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos State has lifted the curfew he imposed on the state after the #endsars protest was hijacked by looters and hoodlums. Lagos residents are now free to go about their businesses without any restriction or hindrance. The Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to the Governor on New Media, Jubril Gawat announced this in a statement posted on Twitter on Saturday, October 31, 2020. However, the 12 am to 4 am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. The statement reads, “The curfew imposed on Lagos State after the hijack of the peaceful #EndSARS protests has been lifted immediately. The 12 am to 4am curfew imposed by the Federal Government to curb the spread of COVID19 remains. “Lagosians are free to go about their businesses with...
#EndSARS: CRAN commiserates with NPF/civilians over attack
The Crime Reporters Association of Nigeria (CRAN), a body of journalists covering the security beat nationwide, has commiserated with the Inspector-General of Police Mr Mohammed Adamu, the entire Nigeria Police Force and Nigerians on their loss during the EndSARS protest. CRAN has described as unfortunate the loss of both human and material resources during the period of violence as a result of #EndSARS protest hijacked by hoodlums. In a statement, signed by Chairman, Public Communications and Ethics Committee, Mr Emmanuel Edom, he noted that ”Like all right thinking members of the society, CRAN strongly frowns at police brutality, but also notes that the unethical actions and inactions of a few should not be the yardstick to measure the entire force. We outrightly condemn the widespread k...
#EndSARS: No plan to dismiss police officers who fail to resume work – PSC
The Police Service Commission (PSC) says contrary to media reports, it has no plans to dismiss any police officer who fails to return to work after the #ENDSARS protests which turned violent following the hijack of the otherwise peaceful protests by hoodlums, leading to wanton looting as well as the destruction of lives and properties across the nation last week. Recall that near breakdown of law and order in some parts of the country last week led to the gruesome murder of 22 policemen with 26 others critically injured while a total of 205 police stations and formations were also attacked and razed by hoodlums who hijacked the protests. Many police officers across the country, fearing their lives and those of their families and loved ones, stayed away from their duty posts to avoid becomi...
Enugu governor commiserates with fatal accident school children’s families
Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi of Enugu State has expressed the deepest commiserations of the state government to the families of the school children from Awgu Local Government Area, who died and sustained injuries in a fatal road accident that occurred in the council area. In a statement by the Commissioner for Information, Nnanyelugo Chidi Aroh, Gov. Ugwuanyi who received with sadness the news of the unfortunate accident, also commiserated with the Catholic Bishop of Awgu Diocese, His Lordship, Most Reverend John Okoye, the Chairman and good people of Awgu LGA, over the tragic incident. Aroh disclosed that the governor assured the good people of the Awgu LGA of the solidarity and support of the state government and directed the State Commissioner for Health, Dr. Ikechukwu E. Obi and the counc...
Governor Okowa begs Nigerian government to revive Warri port in order to decongest Lagos
Delta Governor Ifeanyi Okowa, has called on the federal government to quickly resuscitate the Warri port, in order to curb unemployment in the state. The governor made the call at a town hall meeting with youths, including #ENDSARS protesters, civil society groups, students, social groups, community leaders and stakeholders across Delta South and Delta Central Senatorial Districts in Warri this week. He said that with the congestion of the ports in Lagos, the federal government should revive Warri port and other seaports in Delta State to boost the nation’s economy and create employment for the youths. He stated that the rate of unemployment in Nigeria is very high, and that checking unemployment is not just about employing people into public service. Okowa disclosed that to tackle the une...
