BREAKING: Nigerians should learn to respect each other and be civil - Sultan Says

The Sultan of Sokoto, Sa’ad Abubakar III has declared that a bulk of Nigerias current problems are as a result of lack of understanding among its component groups

The Sultan made the observation in Kano on Friday while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of the Inter Tribal Traditional Leaders Association of Nigeria

The Sultan maintained that it is better for Nigerians to understand one another than to tolerate one another arguing that people who tolerate themselves rarely give room to work together and attain their common objectives

The Sultan confessed that the assembly of traditional leaders and criss section of Nigerians at the event is yet another effort aimed at bringing Nigerians of different backgrounds together as one big family.

He observed that, ” Definitely, we may not agree on all the issues but lets respect one another, lets be civil in the way we address issues with one another….lets discuss and by the time you get to know the reason why I hold such views, you might be persuaded to understand me”

 

The Sultan acknowledged that the nation is made up of people of diverse backgrounds, urging all to tap the nation ‘s diversity as a source of strength instead of letting it serve as weakness.

He counseled Nigerians aldo to see themselves as equal partners of one family, saying none is a subordinate to the other and none is better than the other.

The Sultan charged the steering Committe headed by Sarkin Kano, Igwe Boniface Ibekwe to incorporate traditional leaders from the minority tribes adding that the richer is their spread of membership, the better for the country..

in his remarks to the association, Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje of Kano State said thst by forming the Association, they have demonstrated their commitment to unity and sustenance of one Nigeria at a time of great national challenges.

 

The governor said thst it is imperative for all to realize thst we need one anothee to survive while stressing that no part of the country can do it alone.

Igbos will not leave Nigeria for strangers, Buhari radicalized Igbo youths – Southeast Group

Ndigbo would not leave Nigeria for outsiders, according to the World Igbo Peoples Assembly (WIPAS).

In a statement signed by Mazi Chuks Ibegbu, Chairman of the WIPAS Board of Trustees, and distributed to journalists in Aba, the WIPAS also stated that landlords do not leave their homes for tenants.

The organization said, “What we need now is Biafra of the mind and not physical Biafra.

“There could be Biafra in Daura, Sokoto, Kano, Ibadan, yenegoa or any part of Nigeria. Biafra means ingenuity and Never say Never spirit.”

Ndigbo have the largest stake in Nigeria, according to the WIPAS, and have developed all parts of the country.

The Igbo Assembly has asked for prudence in the prosecution of Nnamdi Kanu, pointing out that the federal government of President Muhammadu Buhari has previously radicalized several Igbo youths.

Impunity at all levels of government in Nigeria, according to the report, is the fundamental cause of the insecurity that exists in many parts of the country.

Breaking News: Avengers Returns, Sends Strong Message Codenamed 'Operation Humble'

Niger Delta Avengers (NDA), a deadly militant group in Niger Delta region, has threatened an imminent return with ‘Operation Humble,’ which is similar to its ‘Operation Red’ of 2016, designed to destroy oil installations.

In a statement released on its website on Saturday, the NDA threatened to crash the country’s economy and send it in to a permanent recession.

A statement sighted on the group’s acclaimed website at the weekend stated that they would attack politicians working and collaborating with the Federal Government “to undermine the interest of the Niger Delta region.”

The group bemoaned the fact that the region has remained neglected despite its rich resources, stressing that its fresh violent onslaught against oil installations will shake the economy.

Findings by The Guardian revealed that the acclaimed NDA website that released the statement is different from that which the group used in its build-up to disrupting the oil industry in 2016, with the last statement on that NDA website issued on Wednesday, January 17, 2018.

However, in its fresh statement, the group recalled that it suspended its famous, operation ‘Red Economy‚’ which bled the Nigerian economy into a recession about four years ago not because it was lazy but for the love, it had for the people and out of respect for the voice of the elders of the region. The group lamented the underdevelopment of the region and the undermining of the collective interests of its people.

The NDA also stated that it had lost confidence in all socio-cultural groups like the Pan Niger Delta Forum (PANDEF), the elders and “the bunch of so-called ex-agitators frolicking with the government at our detriment.”

The statement read in part: “This operation shall be coded ‘Operation Humble’ aimed at bringing down targeted oil installations in the Niger Delta capable of humbling the economy into permanent recession. This mission is also targeted at political actors, who are collaborating with the Nigerian government to undermine the interest of the Niger Delta people.

“There is no doubt that the Nigerian Government has continued to pay deaf ears to our demands and the rising challenges in the country because the pipelines that crisscross our lands are left untouched, allowing dollars to flow into the federal treasury on a daily basis for mismanagement.

“We shall spare no single oil installation within our range of strategic targets marked for destruction in the coming days and we bet the Nigerian Government will be humbled to return to the drawing board and chart an all-inclusive course by the time we are done with our action plan. 

“Members of our strike teams across the Niger Delta are commanded to be on red alert awaiting precise strike plans as mapped by the high command of the NDA. The command has promoted and appointed one of our finest operatives, Field Commander Tu-ere aka Queen of the Creeks, to the rank of Brigadier General. She is an experienced field agent who before now was the head of the counterintelligence unit of the NDA, using her connections with top government and security officials to deliver on her assignment.”

The statement continued: “She was part of our elite Strike Teams that attacked and took down the Chevron Valve platform on the 4th of May, 2016; the Shell Forcados 48-inch Export line on the 3rd of June, 2016; and the Exxon Mobil Qua Iboe 48 Crude Oil Pipeline on the 11th of July, 2016.

“Brig. Gen. Tu-ere is the first female to ever attain this level and it is solely out of merit, and she is placed in charge by our High Command to execute ‘Operation Humble’ to the letter.”

Meet Igbo Businessman Chief Tony Ifeanyichukwu Ezenna, 'Orange Drugs' From Imo State

This is Chief Tony Ifeanyichukwu Ezenna, born on 21 April 1957. He is a Nigerian businessman and philanthropist from Akokwa in Ideato South LGA, Imo State. He founded Orange Drugs Nigeria Limited, a company that specializes in the distribution of pharmaceutical and beauty products from Indonesia, Germany, Italy, and the United States to Nigeria. He is estimated to be worth over $430 million.

Tony's Success story started as an ordinary Intern in his father's Chemist Shop. As an astute entrepreneur, he has nurtured the Orange Drugs Company to an enviable height. According to him, his foray into Pharmaceutical Industry was fired by the need to clean up the pollution in the Industry.

The Company Orange Drugs Limited was first registered on July 20, 1988 and with its first office located in Ikenegbu, Owerri Imo State in the eastern part of Nigeria.

Some of his products are Delta Soap, Sudrex, Boska, Mixagrip, Mixanal, Laris, Medikk-55, Forpain, Procold and many others.

SSS Didn’t Arrest Me; I Have Gov't Backing To Meet Bandits— Sheikh Gumi

Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has denied that he was invited or arrested by the State Security Service (SSS), adding that the government was aware of his rapport with the bandits in the forests.

The cleric was invited by the SSS after he alleged that security agents collaborate with bandits to engage in killing and kidnapping for ransom while speaking on Arise TV earlier in the week.

Mr Gumi after Jumaat prayer at Sultan Bello Mosque in Kaduna State, however, denied claims that he was invited or arrested by the SSS.

“Nobody invited me for questioning or any arrest, I can say that categorically,” Mr Gumi told Channels TV. “Since I ventured into the forest, I went there with full security, the police, with the knowledge of the DSS, traditional rulers, the Fulani leaders, I never went alone.”

Mr Gumi added that all along he and government officials have been engaging the bandits and their is no cause for alarm from the public.

“All along, I have been doing it with the government and there is no difference between us and the authority. So people should have their peace,” the cleric said.

We Want To Leave A Legacy Of Transparency And Fairness For APC To Survive— Buhari To Nigerians

President Muhammadu Buhari has said that he wants to leave behind a “legacy of transparency and fairness” as they are crucial to the survival of the All Progressives Congress (APC) after he leaves office. 

Mr Buhari made this statement while meeting with the APC Caretaker/Extraordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) in the State House Abuja on Friday, his spokesperson Garba Shehu said in a statement. 

“We want to leave behind a legacy of transparency and fairness, which the party needs to survive,’’ Mr Buhari said. 

The president further said that the All Progressives Congress has “bounced  back to life”, adding that the crisis that rocked the APC portrays “division and selfishness” in the party.

“I have listened with great interest the remarkable job you have done so far,’’ he said. “We are all witnesses to the crisis that engulfed the party leading to litigations and presented a picture of selfishness and division.’’

Prior to meeting with the APC CECPC on Friday, Mr Buhari had said he is working to ensure that the All Progressives Congress (APC) continue to rule Nigeria “for as long as possible”.

Just In: Selfish Elites Promoting Division In Our Country— Lai Mohammed

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, on Friday said some selfish elites are giving the impression  that Nigerians are divided and do not want to stay as one united country.  

Mr Mohammed made this remark at a meeting with Advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) on Friday, a statement published on Ministry of information and culture said. 

“We must resist the temptation of some very selfish elite, who are giving the impression that Nigerians will not want to stay as a nation,” Mr Mohammed said.

While commending the AAAN for its planned national unity campaign, Mr Mohammed said the federal government is interested in partnering on the project. 

“What has really impressed me most today is your readiness to partner with the Federal Government to actually run a campaign on national unity.

I think this is a very patriotic move, we commend it and we are very eager to partner with you.

George Floyd Killer Sentenced To 22 And Half Years In Jail By US Court

Derek Chauvin, the former Minneapolis police officer who murdered George Floyd, has been sentenced to 22 years and six months for murder.

Mr. Floyd, a 46-year-old black was killed last year May during an arrest over allegation that he spent a counterfeit $20 bill.

A viral video of Mr Chauvin kneeling on Mr Floyd’s neck for over nine minutes until he gave up, triggered global outrage and massive Black Lives Matter protest across the United States.

Mr Chauvin appeared in court on Friday, after a jury found him guilty on three charges related to the murder in April. The jury ruled that Mr Chauvin was guilty of second-degree murder, third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter, after three weeks of the televised trial.

Judge Peter A. Cahill of Hennepin County District Court, delivered the judgment on Friday, sentencing Mr Chauvin, 45, to 22 and a half years in prison.

Mr Cahill commented shortly before delivering the sentence, saying “The sentence is not based on is emotion or sympathy, but at the same time, I want to acknowledge the deep and tremendous pain that all the families are feeling, especially the Floyd family “

Mr Cahill explained in a 22-page sentencing memorandum released by the court, that: “Part of the mission of the Minneapolis police department is to give citizens “voice and respect. Here, Mr Chauvin rather than pursuing the MPD mission, treated Mr Floyd without respect and denied him the dignity owed to all human beings and which he certainly would have extended to a friend or neighbor.”

The civil rights attorney Benjamin Crump, who represents the Floyd family, described the punishment as a “historic sentence [that] brings the Floyd family and our nation one step closer to healing by delivering closure and accountability.”

 

Under Minnesota “good behaviour” law, Mr Chauvin could serve only two-thirds of the sentence in prison with the rest under licensed release.

At the sentencing hearing, Mr Chauvin offered his “condolences” to Floyd’s family before the entire court but did not apologise for his actions. He said he was unable to speak further due to other ongoing litigation.

“Very briefly though, I want to give my condolences to the Floyd family, there’s going to be some other information in the future that would be of interest, and I hope some things would give you some peace of mind,” he said.

Nigerian Government, My Teammates Abandoned Me— Siasia

Former Super Eagles coach, Samson Siasia has expressed disappointment in how the Nigerian government and his Super Eagles teammates all abandoned him during his life ban case. 

In 2019, Siasia was banned  for acceding to fix match in exchange for bribe. But Siasia denied the allegations, appealing FIFA sanctions. 

Earlier in the week, Peoples Gazette reported how Siasia’s life ban from football was reduced to a five-year ban by the Court of Arbitration for Sports (CAS). A fine of CHF 50,000 (US$50,000) imposed by FIFA on Mr Siasia as part of the sanctions was also “set aside”.

Siasia, however, said in spite of his sacrifice for Nigeria as a player and a coach, he was abandoned by the Nigerian government, while his teammates showed no concern during his ordeal. 

“The minister for sports came in few weeks after my ban.

And the minister called me and said, ‘coach, I know about your problem, but we don’t have money,” Siasia told journalists in Abuja on Friday. 

“That was it.

I think what he could’ve done was to go to the president because I’m a legend – I’ve played, broke my legs, coached for this country.

 

But, unfortunately, the government has not done well when it comes to my case. So I’m not happy.”

“The most disappointing moments were when your colleagues that you played with never called you to ask you how you’re doing.

Even the legend games – I don’t know what FIFA ban had to do with legend games – they don’t even invite me or put me amongst whatever they are doing.

So I’m very disappointed with that,” Siasia said. 

In 1994, Siasia won the Africa Cup of Nations with the  Nigerian Super Eagles. Under his watch, Nigeria’s under-20 emerged runners-up at the 2005 World Youth Championships. 

Winning a silver medal at the Beijing Olympics in 2008 and a bronze at 2016 Olympics at Rio, Siasia is rated the most decorated football coach at the Olympics in Africa.

Herdsmen: Benue Now Facing Unprecedented Food Shortage, Farmers Can’t Access Farms― Ortom

Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State has raised the alarm that the state is currently facing an unprecedented food shortage as a result of the persistent herdsmen attacks on communities in the state.

He lamented that the situation was made worse by the sacking of several farming communities, forcing the residents to flee their farms and ancestral homes to take refuge in Internally Displaced Persons, IDPs, camps.

The Governor who spoke while flagging off the distribution of improved seedlings of various crops including rice, water melon, cassava corn among others to farmers, procured by the Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs in Makurdi, regretted that the development had already taken its toll on the people who were facing untold hardship and hunger.

While calling on the Federal Government to put an end to the invasion of Benue communities by armed herders, the Governor urged the people of the state not to despair assuring that the challenge would soon be a thing of the past.

“As a Government we are doing everything possible to ensure that our communities are safe with the inauguration of the Community Volunteer Guards, CVG. And we believe that with the CVG working closely with the people the herdsmen challenge will be a thing of the past soon.”

The Governor stated that the essence of distributing the farm inputs was to help the benefiting farmers record bumper harvests and by so doing improve their livelihoods.

“Aside distributing these inputs we will soon flag off the distribution of fertilizers at subsidized rate. The government will avail the farmers 40 percent subsidy to further encourage massive food production in the state.

“I urge the Federal Government to do everything possible to ensure that the displaced persons most of who are farmers go back to their ancestral homes,” Governor Ortom added.

Earlier the Special Adviser, Bureau for Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs, Mr. Kenneth Achabo who lamented over the destruction of farmlands following incessant attacks on Benue communities by armed herders, explained that the seedlings which would be distributed free would serve as palliative to farmers.

He added that the seedlings would also help the farmers improve food production to ensure food security in the State.

Breaking: Oyo Commissioner Wife Shot Dead By Unknown Gunmen

The police in Oyo state have confirmed the killing of the wife of a former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Matters, Olayemi Odetomi, in the state by unknown gunmen.

Mrs Odetomi was shot dead on Friday in her residence at Ashi, Bodija Area of Ibadan when unknown gunmen invaded her house.

The police spokesperson in the state, DSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident.

Mr Osifeso said that the deceased, aged 66, died immediately after being shot.

“Updates on investigations would be provided in due course,” he said.

Breaking: Oyo Commissioner Wife Shot Dead By Unknown Gunmen

The police in Oyo state have confirmed the killing of the wife of a former commissioner for Local Government and Chieftancy Matters, Olayemi Odetomi, in the state by unknown gunmen.

Mrs Odetomi was shot dead on Friday in her residence at Ashi, Bodija Area of Ibadan when unknown gunmen invaded her house.

The police spokesperson in the state, DSP Adewale Osifeso, confirmed the incident.

Mr Osifeso said that the deceased, aged 66, died immediately after being shot.

“Updates on investigations would be provided in due course,” he said.

Breaking News: 350,000 Nigerians Has Been Killed By Boko Haram— UN Report

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) says the Boko Haram terrorists killed about 350,000 people in the North-East, of whom 90 per cent were children.

The new report, released in collaboration with Nigeria’s Ministry of Finance, gave a new toll on the war and impacts of the insurgency on livelihoods, showing that it is 10 times higher than previous estimates of about 35,000 based only on those killed since the conflict started in 2009.

UNDP noted that for every person killed directly, at least nine other lives were lost indirectly because of the impact of the war, citing damage to agriculture, water, trade, food, and healthcare.

“The full human cost of the war is much greater,” the UN agency said. “Already, many more have died from the indirect effects of the conflict.”

Since Boko Haram launched its first attacks in 2009, close to two million people have fled their homes in three North-East states.

The insurgency has contributed to a decline in agricultural production, leading to disease and hunger.

Facilities including health centres and schools have been destroyed or become inaccessible.

Ex-D’tigers Player Ime Udoka Becomes First Nigerian NBA Coach

Former D’tigers star Ime Udoka has made history, becoming the first Nigerian NBA coach.

The 43-year-old Nigerian-American was on Wednesday appointed as the head coach of the Boston Celtics. He was considered a frontrunner for Celtic’s lead managerial role after successfully scaling through a two-round interview.

Mr Udoka was part of the D’tigers 2005 squad that clinched the bronze medal at the FIBA African Championship. In the final game, Udoka scored 24 points to help Nigeria defeat Algeria 88-76.

He also featured at the 2006 FIBA world championship, helping Nigeria get out of the group stage, and was part of the Nigerian team that won a bronze medal at the 2011 AfroBasket championship, defeating Ivory Coast 77-67.

The former D’tigers star holds his first head coach role after serving at different clubs as an assistant coach for nine years.

Mr Udoka started his coaching career as an assistant coach at San Antonio, where he spent seven years working under Gregg Popovich. The ex-NBA star later moved to the Philadelphia 76ers, where he had his 2019-20 seasons joining the Nets last offseason.

With the appointment, Mr Udoka became the first head coach of Nigerian descent in NBA history. Born to a Nigerian father and an American mother, he is one of D’tigers stars that had a great professional career, playing for top teams including La Lakers, New York Knicks, Portland Trail Blazers, Spurs, and Sacramento Kings. Mr Udoka also played in the lower leagues in America, in Argentina, and in Spain.

Meanwhile, Nigeria’s basketball team has congratulated Mr Udoka on his appointment. D’tigers, in a congratulatory message via @NigeriaBasket, its official Twitter handle, said, “Congrats to our very own Ime Udoka. The first Nigerian head coach in NBA History! The Celtics got a good one! Green and white like always.”

College Student Suspended For Not Greeting Buhari In Borno

A student of College of Nursing and Midwifery, Maiduguri has been suspended by the institution for failing to greet President Muhammadu Buhari during his one day working visit to Borno State last week.

Mr Buhari had last Thursday visited Borno State in the wake of insurgency rocking the North-East region.

On his arrival at the airport in Maiduguri, Borno State capital, the state governor Babagana Zulum and other top government officials came out to receive the President.

Students were also lined up for the welcoming ceremony as they joined military and paramilitary officers to welcome the president at the Operation Hadin Kai headquarters.

However, in a suspension notice signed by the provost of the institution, Rukaiya Shettima, and seen by Peoples Gazette on Thursday, the institution explained that it suspended the student for disobeying an executive order to welcome the president during his visit last week.

The student who was suspended on Monday June 21 was asked to report back at the college on June 28 2021 with parents or guardian for the suspension to be lifted.

“You are hereby suspended from the college for one week with effect from today 21st of June 2021 for disobedience of executive order to welcome the President of Nigeria, Mohammadu Buhari GCFR, GCON (on 17th of June 2021),” the suspension notice read.

State clampdown on the freedom and rights of students have become rife under the Buhari regime.

 

Peoples Gazette had earlier reported how Kaduna state Governor Nasir El-Rufai banned Kaduna State University (KASU) students from protesting against the institution’s school fees hike, forcing parents to sign expulsion undertakings.

Speaking on this development to The Gazette, legal analyst, Festus Ogun, argued that patriotism should be earned not demanded.

Mr Ogun said the suspension contravenes provision of section 34 and section 35 that guarantees citizen’s right to liberty and right to dignity.

“Patriotism is a matter of choice not a matter of law; patriotism is earned not demanded. You cannot force a student to show solidarity to a president that has recklessly failed the Nigerian people. It is unheard of that a citadel of learning is criminalising a student’s right to liberty,” Mr Ogun said.

“By the virtue of section 35 of the Nigerian constitution, all individuals in this country, both citizens and non-citizens, are entitled to the constitutional rights of liberty. So whether the president is coming or not the student might want to show and he might not want to show, that is at his own discretion that is his own liberty. It is just tyranny taken too far. I consider it an abomination in a constitutional democracy, I condemn it in its entirety and we are really saying that look, the constitution will be held accountable in the fullness of time,” he added.

Further condemning the suspension, Mr Ogun said that the punishing the student is another of way of punishing a citizen for not showing love to a president that has failed

Breaking News: Kano School Receives School Fees In Cryptocurrencies

private school in Kano State has started accepting school fees payment in cryptocurrencies, Peoples Gazette learnt Thursday afternoon.

School Principal of New Oxford Science Academy, Sabi’u Musa Haruna, confirmed the development to The Gazette on Thursday evening, saying the decision was made to ease payment of school fees.

Mr Haruna said, “We took the decision to make it easy for parents to pay their children’s school fees, and concerning the fact that these digital  currencies in the next few years  will dominate other currencies all over the world and Nigeria will have its digital currency by December, this year.”

Mr Haruna further said the decision was taken based on the announcement by the Central Bank of Nigeria to introduce digital currency in the country by December this year.

“The CBN governor made the announcement. So, we decided that since it is something that is not new, and it is a welcome development, we decided to embrace it, before it becomes too late for us,” the school principal told The Gazette in a telephone interview.

Mr Haruna noted that other countries like El-Salvador and Tanzania had long been receiving cryptocurrency in their schools. He urged the federal government to quickly embrace the system and regularise it.

We learnt that school fees for students in primary school costs N10,000 while those in secondary school pay N15,000. 

The school opened in  2017.

 

In early February, the CBN ordered banks and other financial institutions to close all customers’ accounts used in trading cryptocurrencies and other related transactions, The Gazette reported.

We gardered also  that banks blocked some accounts of customers involved in crypto transactions.

Nigerians have since knocked President Buhari over the decision.

In June, Rakiya Mohammed, director of information technology at CBN, disclosed that the government will soon announce the date for the launching of its own digital currency.

Ms Mohammed said that the government had used two years to study the technology and has also identified its risk, disclosing that the government is setting up a central governance structure that would involve all industry stakeholders to assess all the risks as it proceeds with implementation.

Two Die As Car, Bullion Van Collide In A fatal Accident

No fewer than two people lost their lives in a crash on Airport Road, Oba-Ile in Akure North Local Government Area of Ondo State on Thursday.

The crash involved a Toyota Corolla car and a bullion van.

Ahmed Hassan, the Ondo state commander of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), said six people were involved in the accident while two people died.

Mr Hassan said a male and a female lost their lives out of the three males and three females in the vehicles.

According to him, the injured victims were taken to Joe Jane Hospital by passersby, the same hospital where the corpses were deposited.

He said the Toyota Corolla was towed to Oba-Ile police station, while the bullion van was towed to the CBN office, Akure, by men of Oba-Ile police station.

A witness told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the driver of the Toyota Corolla was speeding and lost control.

The car was said to have jumped over the central barrier dividing the dual carriageway and crossed to the other side of the road, colliding with the bullion van heading to Akure.

 

The witness, who further explained that the four occupants of the Toyota Corolla were made up of two girls and two boys, however, said three died on the spot while one was still alive.

According to the witness, the policemen from the Oba-Ile division evacuated the victims to the state hospital in Akure.

UNILAG Student Arrested Over Murder Of Super TV CEO

The police command in Lagos have arrested, a 21-year-old student of the University of Lagos for the murder of Usifo Ataga who was found dead in a room in Lekki.

Mr Ataga, the Chief Executive Officer of Super TV, was last Thursday found dead in a pool of his blood after he was stabbed to death. He had multiple wounds in several parts of his body.

The police has now identified a 300-Level undergraduate of University of Lagos, simply identified as Chidinma as the person who stabbed him to death.

On Thursday, the Lagos state police commissioner Hakeem Odumosu told journalists that the suspect confessed to the crime.

Mr Odumosu said that the suspect withdrew the sum of N5 million from Mr Ataga’s bank account, adding that the bank account has been blocked to prevent further withdrawals from his account.

Alongside Chidinma, the owner of the rented apartment where the murder took place was arrested.

Speaking For Buhari Is A Tough Job, Social Media Makes It Worst — Lai Muhammed

Managing information in the administration of President Muhammadu Buhari is a daunting task, information minister Lai Mohammed has told a collective of spokespersons on Thursday.

Mr Mohammed made this confession when he gave a keynote address at a meeting of APC government information managers at federal and state levels in Lagos.

The meeting organised by the Progressive Governors Forum was hosted by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu of Lagos.

“Perhaps, the most daunting task anyone can take on in this age and time, is that of information and communication management.

“It is even more daunting when you are engaged in information and communication management for a reformist government like ours.

“As you all know, ‘change’ is the mantra of our party, the APC and change, as we all know, does not come easy,’’ Mr Mohammed said.

The minister said that the advent of new information and digital technology had made the job of information and communication management more challenging.

According to him, social media, as a double-edged sword, provides opportunities and challenges in equal measure.

 

He said while the government had leveraged social media platforms to propagate its activities, it recently suspended the operations of Twitter because of the threat posed by the gross abuse of the platform to the nation’s peace and unity.

“Twitter is the platform of choice for separatist campaigners, especially those of them residing outside the country.

“They use it to issue directives to their followers in Nigeria to attack our security forces as well as to burn police stations and INEC offices.

“It was a tough decision to take, considering that many of our youths also use the platform for business.

“Such is the challenge posed by social media,’’ he said.

Mr Mohammed said that following the request by Twitter, the government had agreed to engage with the microblogging site, without compromising national interest.

He also identified poor funding due to dwindling resources available to the government as part of the challenges facing the information and communication sector.

Mr Mohammed said that in spite of the challenges, his ministry had deployed several innovations, traditional and modern methods, to project achievements of the administration in the three priority areas of fighting corruption, tackling insecurity and revamping the economy.

Yobe Governor Mai Mala Buni, who is also the APC National Caretaker Chairman said the achievements of the ruling party were not properly recognised because of the activities of fake news purveyors and mischief makers.

The governor, represented by Ismail Ahmed, Senior Special Assistant to the President on Social Investment said many APC states delivering dividends of democracy to people were not celebrated.

He therefore, underscored the need for the participants to design strategic methods of reaching out to the people.

Breaking: Again, Buhari Depart For Medical Trip To London

President Muhammadu Buhari will on Friday travel to London, United Kingdom for medical reasons.

Special Adviser to the President on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.

He explained that the President’s trip to London was for a scheduled medical follow-up, adding that he would be back in the country during the second week of July.

He had travelled to the United Kingdom on March 30 for a routine medical check-up, as indicated in a statement by his media adviser.

The President later returned to the country via the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport on April 15, at the end of the trip which lasted more than two weeks.