Vice-Chancellor, Federal University of Lokoja, Professor Angela Freeman Miri
The Vice Chancellor of the Federal University of Lokoja, in Kogi State, Professor Angela Freeman Miri, has explained that Senate of the institution followed due process in expelling 13 final year students over examination leakage.
In a statement today, Monday, the Vice Chancellor said: “I can say in the affirmative that these students were expelled from the school before the second convocation in 2017 over alleged exam leakage.
“Those involved were final year students in the Economics Department. They were suspended and due process was thereafter followed.
“We set up a disciplinary committee and the examination misconduct panel and the matter was sent to the Senate.
“At the second to fourth Senate meeting, two weeks ago, the Senate sat on the matter and took the decision. It was on that basis that the Senate took its decision and expulsion letters handed to the affected students.”
She said that the institution’s disciplinary panel would decide the fate of employees that were allegedly involved in the examination scandal.
The Presidency has expressed surprise that Nigerian media went to sleep when the Nigeria Police arrested five suspected killers, namely, Manga Husseini, David Akenawe, Agada Tsesaa, Tarza Orvanya and Ngyohov Shin, of two Rev Fathers in Benue state.
“The mostly sleeping Nigerian media, for reason explained to the nation by one of our veteran journalists, did not consider it “Breaking News,” said the Presidency.
In a statement posted on her Facebook page titled CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (CAN), NOT IN TALKING TERMS WITH GOD!, the President Muhammadu Buhari’s social media aide, Mrs. Lauretta Onochie said that the media was nowhere to be found and could not even engage in their usual “Cut and paste.”
“This is a bid to demarket President Muhammadu Buhari, a man elected to salvage a nation that it’s ruination was backed by unrighteous men parading themselves as Christians. The CAN of worms that reaps from the bloody trade that is going on in our nation did not deem it fit to pat the security operatives on the back.
“Why would they? The Cankerworm Association of Nigeria, previously known as “Christian” Association of Nigeria, had achieved its aim, using the blood of two innocent Catholic Priests, to bring back the Catholic Church to their unrighteous fold.
“The lives of those two innocent Priests were pawns in the desperate game by certain evil former Landlords of our nation, who are in bed with the demonic Cankerworms and purveyor of hate messages and fake news. It was in the hey days of the Jonathan administration. Sin was in vogue. Corruption was the currency of trade for the association of partakers of stolen funds otherwise and regrettably known as Christian Association of Nigeria.
“It was very fashionable to commit atrocities and be honoured with a front seat in church and a title. But the Catholic Church in Nigeria would have none of it. The Catholic Bishops decided to quit the unholy organization CAN, as there was no more Christianity in the Christian Association of Nigeria.
“They cited poor leadership and POLITICISATION of the association. The Catholics further went on to add that some attitudes, utterances and actions of the national leadership of CAN which in their opinion negate the concept of the foundation of the association and the desire of Our Lord Jesus Christ, made it impossible for them to continue in the same organization as unrighteous people. And then, as if in answered prayer for the Catholics, Nigerians rallied round Muhammadu Buhari, a man of honour and integrity, sacking the government that fed the greed of the CAN of worms who constantly received stolen funds meant to make the lives of Nigerians better and easier.
“This made the Tape worms very unhappy. They began to plot to bring back the Catholic Church to their fold. Their silence was deafening when IPOB tried to destabilize the country. So when IPOB suddenly dumped Christianity for Judaism, watchers alleged that the Worms had not been able to meet their financial obligations to IPOB.”
A High Court at Maitama in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), has heard of how N280.4 million security vote was transferred from office of the National Security Adviser (ONSA) to individuals’ accounts.
An officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), Michael Adariku, made this fact known today, Monday, while testifying in the ongoing trial of Sambo Dasuki, a former National Security Adviser to former President Goodluck Jonathan and three others.
On trial along with Dasuki were Aminu Baba-Kusa, a former NNPC Executive Director, and two firms- Acacia Holdings and Reliance Referral Hospital. They were arraigned in 2015, on a 19- count charge.
EFCC counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), on May 2 informed the court that the EFCC had amended the charges from 19 to 32, and Salisu was excluded in the amended charge.
The 32 charges bordered on criminal breach of trust, misappropriation and dishonest release and receiving of various sums of money to the tune of N33.3 billion.
Adariku, the first prosecution witness, said that the transfers were made through the accounts of the company owned by Baba-Kusa.
The witness, led in evidence by EFCC’s counsel, Rotimi Jacobs (SAN), narrated how between April and May 2015, N280.4 million was transferred to various individuals from the firm’s accounts in Zenith, Diamond, Ecobank, among others.
The witness said that Baba-Kusa authorised the payment of N24 million from UBA on April 22, to Integral Shipping Big Ltd; and N10.7million from First Bank on April 27, to Fastman Nig. Ltd.
Adariku further said that on April 28, N1million was transferred to David Ozige and Associate, and N10 million in five tranches transferred to Squad Develop Ltd; while N8.1million was transferred to Ibrahim Uba on April 24.
He said that on May 5 there was a transfer of N80 million to Medical Plastics Ltd, a company in which Baba- Kusa’ wife has N1.8 million shares.
Baba-Kusa’s counsel, Solomon Umoh, however told the court that the document containing the transfers was not with him.
Other counsels in the matter aligned themselves with Umoh’s submission.
The prosecuting counsel promised to give all the counsels in the matter the document to ensure smooth trial.
The judge, Justice Hussein Baba Yusuf, adjourned the matter until July 5, for continuation of trial.
Meanwhile, another Federal High Court judge in Abuja,, Justice Ijeoma Ojukwu has ordered that Dasuki be released on bail in the sum of N200 million and two sureties in the like sum. The court said that one of the sureties must be a federal government employee with not less than grade level 16 who must submit to the court his letter of appointment and the last letter of his promotion to pave way for the release of Dasuki.
In the event of a private person standing as the surety, the court held that the person must have landed property in Abuja and must submit before the court original of the property and must also swear to the affidavit of means.
Besides, Justice Ojukwu said the surety must deposit N100 million with the registrar of the court and that the money would be returned to the surety at the end of the trial of the former NSA.
Justice Ijeoma also ordered that the surety must submit to the court his recent passport photograph and that his residential address must be varied by the official of the court as part of the bail condition.
In the judgment that lasted over one hour, Justice Ojukwu lambasted the Federal Government for unjustly arresting and detaining a Nigerian citizen for over two years without any justification contrary to the provision of the law.
The court dismissed the claim of the security agency that Dasuki was being held in protective custody on the strength of the alleged arm and ammunition found in his house. Justice Ijeoma held that although Dasuki in the instance case had been charged to various courts on the issue, the law however presumed that the former NSA is innocent of the charges against him until the contrary is proved beyond reasonable doubt.
The judge agreed with counsel to Dasuki, Ahmed Raji that Dasuki never shuns any invitation for interrogation by any of the security agencies adding that from the affidavit evidence of the former NSA, it was cleared that he had been detained since December 2015 without any investigation or interrogation.
The judge also dismissed the claims of the Federal Government that Dasuki was being held on fresh allegations of money laundering, adding that such claims should go to the graveyard because it cannot be used to justify the detention of any Nigerian for as long as over two years without being charged to court on any fresh allegation.
On another claim by the Federal Government that Dasuki was abusing court process by filing multiple cases in court, Justice Ijeoma dismissed the claim for being baseless and frivolous adding that in the instance case parties are different from the previous one and as such the issue of forum-shopping cannot be used against Dasuki.
In the event of any plan to investigate Dasuki, Justice Ojukwu ordered that such investigation must be conducted during working days and that the former NSA must not be detained for whatever reason and also ordered that his travelling passport should remain with the court.
The former NSA had dragged the Federal Government and its agencies before for the enforcement of his fundamental right to liberty claiming that he had been unlawfully detained since December 2015 without being charged top court.
The former NSA demanded the sum of N5 billion as exemplary damages for the breach of his fundamental right and the detention without trial for over two years.
Although Justice Ojukwu agreed that the former NSA was illegally, unlawfully and unconstitutionally detained, she, however, did not award any damage against the Federal Government.
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has expressed worry over the sales online, of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC’s) Permanent Voters’ Cards (PVCs).
In a statement by its spokesperson, Kola Ologbondiyan, the PDP said that it is seriously uncomfortable with the attempts by INEC to hurriedly wave off this very grave international embarrassment that goes to the heart of credible electioneering in our country.
The party which said it suspects insider compromises in INEC, particularly ahead of the 2019 general elections, called for a system-wide inquest into the matter, “particularly to hedge our PVC and all other sensitive electoral materials from possible cloning.
“We also urge Nigerians to continue to be at alert, especially as the All Progressives Congress (APC) is bent on using every means to compromise the election and subvert the will of the people in the coming elections.”
Former Military Head of State, retired General Yakubu Gowon has lamented the growing animosity, bloodletting, hate speeches and clashes that have been festering across Nigeria.
Dr. Gowon, who spoke today, Monday, in Katsina at a two-day North West zone, NIGERIA PRAYS event, said that Nigerians needed to come together and condemn all forms of animosity among her citizens, including bloodletting, clashes and hate speech.
The war-time Head of State, who called on President Muhammadu Buhari to identify, arrest and deal with those responsible for the various killings across the country observed: “if not for God’s abundant mercy and grace, the nation would have been plunged into another round of crisis.”
He asked Nigerians to assume the true spirit of worship to God to intercede fervently for the nation, for God’s intervention in its affairs, “particularly social, political and economic, and to douse hatred and animosity amongst our citizens.
“Let us be assured that our prayers are not in vain. I can say this with every authority that prayer can solve problems better and faster than generals and soldiers can do with physical weapons of war.
“I have no doubt in my heart that God will honor our collective prayers and intercession for our nation and heal our nation of insecurity.
“We, however, call on the authorities to deal with culprits and bring justice to the grieved. We must rise to condemn needles bloodletting and clashes, hate speeches and all manner of evil.”
Senior Special Assistant to President Muhammadu Buhari on Media, Malam Garbu Shehu, has said that most of the attacks on the President as a person and his government have been coming from powerful Nigerians that have been stripped of the money they have over the years, looted from the nation’s treasury.
Speaking at an interactive session with news men today, Monday, at the headquarters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Abuja, Garba Shehu emphasized that the renewed agitation by those who constituted themselves into opposition elements is coming because the war against the treasury looters is succeeding.
“The problem is that the competition for power in the country has become fiercer and fiercer because the stakes are very high and I will give you one example.
“The President has unleashed on the country a war against corruption, the type that has never been seen before. Assets are being recovered from powerful people. The President is lucky that he has a judiciary which is transforming itself and on the same page with the President in righting corruption.
“As I speak with you, you know that two former state governors are in jail. A lot of people thought that this war against corruption is a joke and that the back and forth that has characterized the process over time will continue.
“One of the two cases that we are talking about was determined after eleven years of back and forth between lawyers and Judges, kicking the ball from this court to that court. But now, there is a new era in the country with the conclusion of these cases,” he said.
Garba Shehu said that a lot of these harsh attack against the President are coming from people who had become used to life style that they can no longer sustain.
“We have on record that we have people in this country, that because they were influential, they have permanent suites attached to them in Abuja.
“They will just come, take the key and live lavishly at public expense. When they are leaving, they are accompanied by bags of Ghana must go. The President has blocked access to national resources by lazy people and so, he is being fought not because people are not happy.”
Facebook released answers Friday to questions posed by members of Congress in April, admitting that it provided dozens of tech companies with special access to user data after publicly saying it restricted such access in 2015.
Facebook continued sharing information with 61 hardware and software makers after it said it discontinued the practice in May 2015, the social networking giant acknowledged in 747 pages of documents delivered to Congress late Friday. The documents were in response to hundreds of questions posed to Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg by members of Congress in April.
Facebook said it granted a special “one-time” six-month extension to companies that ranged from AOL to package-delivery service United Parcel Service to dating app Hinge so they could come into compliance with the social network’s new privacy policy and create their own versions of Facebook for their devices. Data shared without users’ knowledge included friends’ names, genders and birth dates.
“We engaged companies to build integrations for a variety of devices, operating systems and other products where we and our partners wanted to offer people a way to receive Facebook or Facebook experiences,” the company said in the documents. “These integrations were built by our partners, for our users, but approved by Facebook.”
Facebook’s documents also said it had discovered that five other companies “theoretically could have accessed limited friends’ data” as a result of a beta test.
Facebook said in the documents it has ended 38 of the partnerships and plans to discontinue seven more by the end of July.
The disclosure was part of Facebook’s second attempt to address questions posed to Zuckerberg in April by members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee. In June, the social network released its written responses to some of the committee’s questions, many of which Zuckerberg responded to during that hearing by saying he’d have his team “get back to” lawmakers with answers.
Zuckerberg’s testimony before both the Senate and House in April came as the social network deal with a scandal involving Canbridge Analytica, a digital consultancy that had ties to the Trump presidential campaign. Cambridge Analytica improperly accessed personal information on up to 87 million Facebook users, prompting a backlash that raised questions about whether Facebook can be trusted to protect the personal information of its 2 billion users.
The company has also been in the hot seat for not doing enough to prevent abuse from Russian trolls that posted misinformation and divisive content on the platform. The Russian activity was part of a program to meddle in the US presidential election and sow discord among voters.
Lawmakers in particular raised concerns over Facebook giving Huawei special access to user data, particularly with Huawei, a company perennially in the crosshairs of the US government for security reasons.
The controversy erupted in June when the New York Times reported that Facebook had agreements to provide access to large amounts of user data to at least 60 different device makers — including companies like Apple, Microsoft, Samsung and Black Berry.
In a test, a New York Times reporter logged into Facebook using a 2013 BlackBerry device, using an account with roughly 550 friends, monitoring the data requested and received. Through a BlackBerry app called The Hub, the device was able to acquire “identifying information” for up to 295,000 Facebook users.
Facebook didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment but has previously said it’s taking actions to make sure the Cambridge Analytica data exploit doesn’t happen again. Zuckerberg said Facebook will investigate all apps that have access to large amounts of data, and restrict developers’ data access even further. [myad]
Atiku Abubakar’s Presidential Campaign Organization (AAPCO), has exposed the buying of Nigerians’ Permanent Voters Cards (PVCs) via an online platform alibaba.com, owned by a popular Nigerian comedian.
In an open letter to alibaba.com, the Director General of Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization, Otunba Gbenga Daniel, drew attention of alibaba.com to the fact that by buying the PVCs off the electorate, he is putting the integrity of the electoral system into question and breaching the electoral laws of the land. He stressed that this security breach threatens Nigeria’s desire to build strong institutions, like the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), adding that a situation like this could lead to massive vote buying and thus thwart the efforts of the electoral body as well as create strong men where the country should be able to strengthen institutions. the full text of the letter is reproduced here: A Matter of National Security and Electoral Integrity Involving alibaba.com
Abuja, Nigeria, 2 July, 2018: Dear Jack Ma,
Greetings and many congratulations for your entrepreneurial successes. I have great admiration for what you have achieved, especially coming from a humble background. I write this open letter because my attention has been drawn to an egregious breach of Nigeria’s electoral integrity and thus our national security, by the sale of Nigerian Permanent Voter Cards, on alibaba.com. We are very concerned about this security breach because it threatens Nigeria’s desire to build strong institutions, like the Independent National Electoral Commission. A situation like this could lead to massive vote buying and thus thwart our efforts and instead create strong men where we want to enable strength in institutions. Permanent Voter Cards were used in the 2015 Nigerian elections and the alibaba.com platform was also in existence then, yet we did not have this breach. That precedence leads me to believe that if alibaba.com refuses to lend its platform to those unscrupulous elements who want to thwart Nigeria’s democracy, we would greatly increase the chances of a free and fair Nigerian election in 2019. Therefore, I appeal to you to use your good offices to permanently remove these items from alibaba.com. Furthermore, I do kindly ask you to consider sharing information with Nigeria’s security apparatus that may help expose any impropriety. The world is currently witnessing the unfolding of allegations, counter allegations and investigations into election meddling in the 2016 American Presidential elections. These occurrences have ensnared several technology, IT and social media platforms including Facebook, Cambridge Analytica and Twitter just to mention a few. Their involvement has had far reaching political and economic impact which has affected their market capitalisation and consumer confidence. It is also in the light of preventing such a scenario involving Nigeria and alibaba.com that I make these appeals. I trust that I can count on your cooperation. Thank you and please be assured of my continued admiration and my offer of a right hand of friendship. Yours very truly, Otunba Gbenga Daniel Director General, Atiku Presidential Campaign Organization.[myad]
Anambra State government is set to host this year’s, 2018 three-day Social Media Week also known as Digipreneur, scheduled to hold from July 9 to 11, 2018 at Stanel World, Awka, Anambra State.
The Social Media Week was first launched in Awka, Anambra State in 2016 for Digipreneur Week, and has grown to become a point of convergence for the best brains in digital entrepreneurship covering Exhibition, Networking, Training, Summit and Hangout.
Digipreneur Week 2018 is a three-day event
The state government, which announced the plans for this year’s edition, with the theme: “The Next Level,” said that the DigitalPRwire will be the official media partners and supported by TechEconomy.ng.
The State Commissioner for Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, Bonaventure Enemali, said that the three-day event will, among others, complement what Governor Willie Obiano is doing on security as economic independence will curb youth restiveness, lessen corruption and reduce criminality.
“This is part of what we do here because it is creativity. We are going to develop the youth in line with their skills and talents.”
According to the event host, Hon. Engr Ifeanyi Aniagoh, who doubles as the Senior Special Assistant on Youth Development and Digital Entrepreneurship to Governor Obiano: “The event will bring together different stakeholders to brainstorm on new innovations and way forward while exposing the participants to unlimited opportunities in the cyberspace, improve their capacity in digital skills, encourage effective use of the internet and show the world the strength of Digipreneurs within and around Anambra State.
“Renowned experts in Wikipedia, Google, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram as well as trainers from DigitalPRWire, DigitalAfrica, Digipreneur.xyz and Faith Foundation have all indicated interest to be part of DPWeek2018.
“YouthTV, an initiative of the Anambra State Ministry of Youth Empowerment and Creative Economy, headed by Hon. Bonaventure Enemali, will be launched at DPWeek2018. YouthTV is aimed at showcasing the capacity and creativity of the young African with Anambra as the focus State.”
Commenting on the event, Celestine Achi, the Founder of DigitalPRWire and KairoswebTV, said: “It is heartwarming that Anambra State Government is taking the lead in this region in several areas including ICT. The Government recognises the contribution of the ICT sector to the growth of the economy. Currently ICT is contributing close to 10 per cent to the national GDP which is quite substantial and the State stand in a vintage to gain from its investment on the youths.
“DigitalPRWire is happy to associate with the State on Digipreneurs Week 2018 which we believe will afford the State opportunity to understand the areas the digital entrepreneurs need assistance and how to empower them. Through our digital platforms we intend to help deliver visibility and awareness through our extensive network of publishing sites and also empower the youths with digital platforms.”
Peter Oluka, the Editor of TechEconomy.ng, applauded Digipreneurs initiative as credible platform to even expose startups in the State to media presence.
According to Oluka, as a media platform that tilts the lenses on innovations, techpreneurship and successes stories in this emerging market, TechEconomy.ng believes that Digipreneurs Week will encourage more young people’s participation in digital innovation.
“We encourage young people in the State to embrace this opportunity and align their programmes towards leveraging digital space to better their worth,” he said.
Digipreneur Week 2018 will be a unique event to connect, network and learn how to become a successful Digital Entrepreneur with special appearance by one of the Nigeria’s greatest bloggers. [myad]
When I was growing up, one of the things I loathed and vehemently objected to was the classification of anything Africa as black, like black witches, black wizards, black power and so on. This was in contract to the term ‘white witches’ and so on.
As I began to understand that while white people applied their knowledge, especially, scientific and spiritual knowledge to create things that benefit humanity, black people applied the same knowledge for evil things, my grudge turned into anger. Take for example, the aero plane, which white people create using the same witchcraft, as black people who use it to fly around, killing fellow human beings mysteriously.
Similarly, while white people apply their scientific knowledge in the form of telephone, and lately, cell phone, to communicate with people across the world, the black people apply the same knowledge to eavesdrop conversation going on in far distance for the purpose of harming or killing fellow human being.
As a matter of fact, the blackness in us, Africans, and at close-range, Nigerians, has taken root in the youths and those I would like to call delinquent adults, including some religious and political leaders, so much that one is worried where it is taking all of us, including them.
For whatever reason, Nigeria has been turned simply into a war zone where human lives mean virtually nothing because the carriers of hatred and hate speeches have taken over the communication space, for no express reason other than the contest for ephemeral power.
As it happened in Rwanda a few years ago, the carriers of hate speeches have been going the whole length to plant and share in social media, information and images that occurred either in other countries or even during the Nigerian civil war (1967-1970), for the purpose of inflaming more crises, mainly religious and communal. They do it so perfectly that many gullible people have fallen for it and either get killed in the process of killing imaginary enemy or maimed or escape death to continue with the evil course.
It is pretty certain that the kind of conflagration that has overtaken many parts of Nigeria in recent time, in which people, innocent as they are, are being killed daily or frequently, would have been unheard of if it were not the latest technology embedded in social media that is being exploited by those with black minds. They include their sponsors and the foot soldiers that are unfortunate to have possessed such knowledge of social media manipulation. This is the same technology that white people are using to rake in bundles of cash for personal and societal development.
In this madness to pull this country down even if all of us would die in the process, are the promoters of hatred and hate speeches and their foot soldiers that have gone to the extent of writing and posting into the social media platforms, opinions they conceived to achieve their aim, presenting such opinions as that of targeted groups. And, it seems that the evil people are already getting the good ones involved without knowing it: like some innocent readers helping to share the evil that such black-minded people post on their Facebook or other media of communication.
Honestly, the rate at which we are going, with hateful preaching in our religious centres, at social gatherings, in our homes and in the social media, we, all of us without exception, may fall victims of the consequences of what we are taking for granted.
The irony is that, like I said earlier, the promoters and their foot soldiers may not have escape roots when the bubble busts: they too will be consumed by the fire they are igniting; all because they, the masters, can no longer bear the brunt of ‘poverty,’ brought about by the government that divorces them from the wealth that, originally and ordinarily, is not theirs.
But, must we be this crude? Must we this black? Should we kowtow to the powerful, corrupt and rampaging politicians, religious leaders, and traditional rulers to get back what they think they are losing by pulling the house down on all of us? Must we always be black and do black things to show our big muscles? Or to chase away leaders that are not doing our bidding?
If we cannot practice the tenets of democracy (getting in good leaders and getting out bad leaders by civilized election), have we now returned to the medieval, archaic and God-damned method of using cutlasses and guns and knives to chase leaders out? Where is the civilization here, for God’s sake?
If I may ask, have we ever heard of American politicians maintaining and empowering thugs for the purpose of capturing power? What is the power anyway, if it is not for the purpose of service to the people?
Why are we, in Nigeria so desperate and always want to play God or hurrying God to put us where we ordinarily should not be? Why would few powerful ones think that if they cannot have their ways, then the country must go up in flames, using all their ill gotten wealth for the purpose?
In all these grieving, I don’t know now whether I should regret being a Nigerian and black-skinned, or curse to high heaven, those who make my being a Nigerian a harrowing experience.
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