Freedom
#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...
French president says he ‘understands’ Muslims shock over Prophet Muhammad cartoons
French President Emmanuel Macron said he can understand why Muslims were shocked by caricatures depicting the prophet Muhammad. But in an interview with Al Jazeera broadcast on Saturday, he said he could never accept the issue being used to justify violence. “I understand and respect that we can be shocked by these caricatures,” Macron said. “I will never accept that we can justify physical violence for these caricatures and I will always defend in my country the freedom to say, to write, to think, to draw.” Tensions flared with some Muslim majority countries who have held anti-Macron protests and called for a boycott of French products after he publically promised France would not “renounce the caricatures”. Macron made the comments following the October 16 murder of French school teacher...
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...
#EndSARS: SERAP condemns shooting of protesters at Lekki toll gate
Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has condemned “reports that security agents are shooting at #EndSARS peaceful protesters at the Lekki Toll gate, Lagos. This must stop immediately.” SERAP said: “Under the Nigerian constitution, 1999 [as amended] and human rights treaties to which Nigeria is a state party, the authorities are obligated to respect and protect the right to life and security of the person, the rights to freedom of expression, association, and peaceful assembly of everyone, including peaceful protesters.” “We call on the Nigeria authorities to order a prompt, independent and impartial inquiry into the reports of shooting of #EndSARS protesters at the Lekki Toll gate by security agents, identify suspected perpetrators and ensure that they are brought to j...
Tens of thousands in Belarus protest President’s 6th term re-election
Demonstrators massed in central Minsk on Sunday after opposition leaders called for a huge rally to demand the resignation of Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko, the latest in a wave of protests against his disputed re-election. The authoritarian leader dispatched his notorious riot police to disperse spontaneous rallies that erupted after he claimed a sixth presidential term in an election two weeks ago that critics say was rigged. Tens of thousands of demonstrators draped in the red-and-white flags of the opposition flooded Independence Square and marched through the capital chanting “freedom” and “we will not forget, we will not forgive” as passing cars honked in support. “We have just two demands: fair elections and stop the violence,” 32-year-old Igor told AFP. Officials issued...
Okwesilieze Nwodo: Igbo elites have turned down Nnamdi Kanu’s rhetoric’s to achieve restructured Nigeria
The former National Chairman of the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Dr. Okwesilieze Nwodo, yesterday, said Igbo elites have been trying to tune down the rhetorics of Nnamdi Kanu to achieve a restructured Nigeria. The post Okwesilieze Nwodo: Igbo elites have turned down Nnamdi Kanu’s rhetoric’s to achieve restructured Nigeria appeared first on TODAY. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
NANS gives DSS Monday to free #RevolutionNow protesters
The National Association of Nigerian Students, South-West Zone, has given the Department of State Services till Monday to release detained #RevolutionNow protesters. The post NANS gives DSS Monday to free #RevolutionNow protesters appeared first on TODAY. You Deserve to Make Money Even When you are looking for Dates Online. So we reimagined what a dating should be. It begins with giving you back power. Get to meet Beautiful people, chat and make money in the process. Earn rewards by chatting, sharing photos, blogging and help give users back their fair share of Internet revenue.
Police dismiss four officers, penalise eight in Kwara
The Kwara State Police Command, on Saturday, dismissed four officers for misconduct and sanctioned eight others for related offences. According to the state Police Commissioner, Kayode Egbetokun, the officers were found guilty of serious offences bothering on indiscipline in the command. A statement by the spokesman of the command, Ajayi Okasanmi, on Saturday, read, “The police commissioner has ordered the retrial in one of the cases involving the four officers. “One of the cases tried, reviewed and in which punishment of dismissal was upheld involved the duo of ex-Sgt Sola Akano, and ex- Cpl Babatunde Glorious. “They were alleged to have illegally arrested a suspect, booked the suspect already in their custody out on enquiry, but took him to his bank at Zenith bank, Unity road, Ilorin, wh...
IGP: Video in circulation of maltreatment of man not Nigerian
The Inspector General of Police (I-G), Mohammed Adamu, says a video in circulation, credited to “NigeriaDream”, showing a security officer meting inhuman treatment on a man, did not happen in Nigeria. The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Mr Frank Mba, disclosed this in a statement on Monday in Abuja. He said the maltreatment meted on the man in the video was in clear violation of his rights, dignity and freedom. According to him, in the video, the security officer was seen stamping his feet on the neck and head of a man lying helplessly on the floor. Adamu added that the force had fact-checked and discovered that the incident did not take place anywhere or at any time in Nigeria. “A critical look at the video indicates that the vehicles on the scene are neither common vehicles used i...
Google Doodle celebrates the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth
In celebration of the 155th anniversary of Juneteenth, Google has produced a video Doodle set to the first verse of the poem “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” often called “The Black National Anthem.” It’s a 90 second piece of rousing animation that honors the end of slavery in the US. The video features art from artist Loveis Wise, music produced by Elijah Jamal, and the poem is read by LeVar Burton. Although slavery officially ended with the Emancipation Proclamation in 1862, it wasn’t until June 19th, 1865 that the federal order reached Galveston, Texas on the western edge of the Confederacy. Juneteenth is shorthand for “June Nineteenth.” “This is an American story about freedom, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and I hope that in these brown faces many Americans can see themselves,” s...
ICC allows Ivory Coast ex-president Laurent Gbagbo to leave Belgium
Ivory Coast’s former president Laurent Gbagbo can leave Belgium under certain conditions, the International Criminal Court said on Thursday, following his acquittal last year over post-election violence that killed 3 000 people. Gbagbo, the first head of state to stand trial in The Hague, and his deputy Charles Ble Goude were cleared in early 2019 of crimes against humanity – eight years after the former West African strongman’s arrest and transfer to the court. Belgium had agreed to host Gbagbo after he was released under strict conditions, including his return to court for a prosecution appeal against his acquittal. An ICC spokesperson said Gbagbo could travel provided the country he was going to agreed to receive him. It therefore remains uncertain if Gbagbo can return to Ivory Coast, w...
Canadian court disappoints Huawei over CFO’s case
A Canadian court ruled against Huawei’s chief financial officer, Meng Wanzhou, on Wednesday in her extradition case to the US on fraud charges. However, the company said it has faith her innocence will ultimately be maintained. Meng, the CFO of the telecom giant and eldest daughter of its founder is wanted by the U.S for alleged fraud. The US authorities alleged that she lied to HSBC Bank about Huawei’s relationship with its Iran-based affiliate Skycom, putting the bank at risk of violating US sanctions against Tehran. In a statement posted on Twitter, Huawei Canada said; “Huawei is disappointed in the ruling today by the Supreme Court of British Columbia, we have repeatedly expressed confidence in Ms Meng’s innocence”. “Huawei continues to stand with Ms Meng in her pursuit for justice and...
