CEP Statement on Twitter’s Suspension of Extremist Accounts

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
August 18, 2016
Contact: media@counterextremism.com

(New York, NY) – The Counter Extremism Project released the following statement in response to Twitter’s claim that the social media company has suspended 235,000 accounts since February 2016 for violating policies related to promotion of terrorism:

“It is clear that extremists continue to use social media and online communications platforms to organize, propagandize and incite. We encourage Twitter to continue to build the requisite capacity needed to proactively enforce its polices related to terrorism. And other social media companies should follow this example and increase their efforts to enforce their terms of service by removing extremist content.”

Saraki Celebrates Dream Team VI, Urges for Honest Reappraisal

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Saturday celebrated with Nigeria's Dream Team VI for winning the bronze medal in the men's football event at the Rio Olympics and called on Sports authorities in the country to embark on honest reappraisal.

Saraki in a statement by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, also congratulated Nigeria for the feat achieved by the team.


He extolled the doggedness of the Coach Samson Siasia-led boys and their ability to bounce back from defeat to claim a bronze medal for the country.

President Buhari's Must Do List

Time is an unrecoverable asset, you have lost a year and on track to lose another. I recommend the following;

Remove Abba Kyari, he is sabotaging your anti corruption drive and he appears to own you.


Remove Mamman Daura he is no good.

Replace Femi Adesina before the damage to your person becomes irreparable.

Replace some ministers.

STRENGTHENED ELECTORAL PROCESS: THE MEANING OF INCONCLUSIVE ELECTIONS TO INEC – COMMISSIONER AMINA BALA ZAKARI

Contrary to popular perception held by the general public that inconclusive elections are as a result of weak electoral processes, National Commissioner and Chairman of the Board of the Electoral Institute (BEI), Amina Bala Zakari has argued that they are as a result of a strengthened electoral process which is robust and has progressed steadily.

She explained that the emergence of strong parties, fielding strong candidates in keenly contested elections with narrow margins; evidence based elections with the use of technology especially use of the Smart Card Reader and the e-Track leading to a more transparent process are some of the indicators of a stronger electoral process.

EFCC detains Imo State Ex-Governor Achike Udenwa

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission today re - arrested the former governor of Imo State Achike Udenwa in connection with alleged campaign scandal at the last presidential election.

Udenwa as a State Co-ordinator for The Presidential Campaign Organisation in Imo State was said to have collected the sum of N350,000,000 (Three Hundred and Fifty Million Naira Only) from the former senator representing Kaduna South and Director of Finance for the PDP presidential campaign organisation, Nenadi Usman.

The suspect, in his statement to the Commission admitted receiving the money via Diamond Bank account No.0058805692 and 005950791 respectively on the 14th and 28th of January 2015 in three separate instalments. He added that the money came from a company named Joint Trust Dimension Limited. 

Nigeria: Hausa/Fulani and Igbo different worldviews - Tony Osborg

In Kano city, most times, if you enter the Keke of an Aboriginal Hausa/Fulani man and tell him, lets say, you are going to Sabuwar Kofa from Sabon Gari area, he does not necessarily ask you how much you want to pay him. He tells you to get in and he takes you there. If the amount you finally pay him at the destination is not good enough, he tells you it is too poor and persuades you to add more to it. If you plead with him that this is all you have, he takes it and takes his leave.

The Hausa/Fulani Keke driver believes that his primary purpose on the road is to move people from one place to another, making money out of this movement is a secondary purpose. He is contented with whatever profit he makes for that day. I believe this is part of Islamic religious influence in his daily life.

EFCC, IBADAN QUIZZES FUNAAB VICE CHANCELLOR.

The Vice Chancellor, Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, FUNAAB, Professor Olusola Oyewole alongside the University Bursar, Mr. Moses Ilesanmi are being quizzed at the Iyaganku office of the EFCC Ibadan today, August 17, 2016 in respect of an alleged case of Abuse of Office and misappropriation of funds reported against the Management, the University Pro Chancellor and some members of the Governing Council.

According to a petition submitted to the EFCC by the Concerned Stakeholders of the Federal University of Agriculture, it was alleged that the Pro Chancellor and the Vice Chancellor engaged in an “unbridled corruption and betrayal of public trusts.

Saraki Lauds Yusuf Alli's Appointment As UNIOSUN Pro-Chancellor

Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, on Thursday, applauded the appointment of a Senior Advocate of Nigeria (SAN), Mallam Yusuf Olaolu Alli, as the Pro-Chancellor and Chairman, Governing Council of the Osun State University (UNIOSUN), by Governor Rauf Aregbesola.

Saraki, in a statement by his Special Adviser, Media and Publicity, Yusuph Olaniyonu, in Abuja, stated that he was particularly pleased to identify with the legal Icon on the recognition and achievement in view of his exemplary lifestyle and professional pedigree.

He said: "Your recent appointment as the chairman of the Governing Council of a citadel of learning like UNIOSUN did not come to those of us that have keenly followed your pursuit of excellence in both your personal and professional life.

"Your commitment and doggedness in fighting to ensure that injustice has no place in our national life requires no emphasis. Besides, your choice demonstrates that like the proverbial golden fish, your character, positive disposition and good conduct are visible to all.

"The many landmark cases you have successfully handled, your numerous philanthropic gestures towards ameliorating the plight of the downtrodden in society and your contributions to the development of academic knowledge make your appointment both valuable and commendable.

"I am convinced that your chairmanship of the UNIOSUN Council would not only mark a watershed in the success story of the institution, it will turn around the academic, administrative and financial fortunes of the school for better. I expect nothing but the best from you in this new assignment. Congratulations," Saraki stated.

International Day of the Youth (IYD2016): The Youths, Our Future Says Saraki

1. Today, i heartily congratulate Nigerians especially the Youths as we join other nations across the world to commemorate the 2016 International Youth Day (IYD2016). This special occasion observed every 12th day of August in accordance with the United Nations Resolution 54/120 (19th Dec. 1999) afford our youth a golden opportunity to be celebrated and showcase to the world their various achievements in contributing to their communities.

2. This year’s theme: “The Road to 2030: Eradicating Poverty and Achieving Sustainable Consumption and Production” is significant to us as nation to combat hunger and eradicate poverty and encourage quality local production in line with the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) as part of a broader plan to achieve World Programme of Action for our Youth in order to accelerate sustainable development.

From Shoulder Pads Fun to Budget Padding Calamity

(Don't start if you can't sustain a long read) I remember her. My aunt, indeed my cousin, but all cousins are called auntie or brother in the homestead I grew up in. I remember her today and especially for the size of her bra. Even as impressionable as a nine-year old, my aunt's frontal statistic was the most variable of the figures. The others stay the same but the size of her bra varied with the newest object caught by her. While we were growing up and I was like eight or nine she would most likely have been a fifteen year old at best. For her body size, my best bet would be that she was a 32B at that time. But we sometime see her suddenly appearing 34C and sometimes 36C.

The bigger boys around the homestead were less helpful than us little children. The bigger male cousins, if asked, would gawk at those melons and the contours. But we were young and couldn't tell. We only assisted to confirm the tits were big enough and that they were bigger today than yesterday. She could ask us to witness how the frontal statistics were enhanced and whether it was better if enhanced right on the cup or by the sides. Don't mind that three years later we too had grown and now realized we had been "brutally" exposed to what might turn us into the famed "ehonno" further down the line in our teenage years. Let's cut the intro short from this point.

Restructuring Nigeria: If Buhari finds oil in the North, they will call for break up- FFK

Former minister of aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode on Wednesday intensifies his advocacy for a restructuring in Nigeria, while emphasizing that he prays for President Muhammadu Buhari to find crude oil in the northern part of the country in commercial quantities.

According to Fani-Kayode who strongly holds that the major barrier to ensuring peaceful resolutions on how different ethnic groups in the country co-exist is because the Southern part of Nigeria is the mainstay of its north counterpart.

My prayer for Nigeria is that oil is found in commercial quantities in the core north.I am glad that @MBuhari is looking for it desperately.

— Femi Olu-Kayode(FFK) (@realFFK) August 11, 2016

Source

Nigerians protest food shortage at town hall meeting

 

ABUJA— The atmosphere was charged, yesterday, as participants at the special Town Hall meeting organized by Ministry of Information and Culture, in collaboration with the Alumni Association of National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies, AANI, in Abuja, confronted nine ministers, demanding for quick remedy to the current economic hardship in the country.
Some of the aggrieved participants told the ministers that Nigerians were tired of the talkshops and that government should do more to put food on their tables. Speaking at the meeting, Minister of Budget and National Planning, Senator Udoma Udo Udoma, said 2017 Budget would be submitted to the National Assembly by October this year. 

AGRICULTURE REMAINS OUR HIGH PRIORITY — PRESIDENT BUHARI

President Muhammadu Buhari has said his administration will continue to accord agriculture premium importance through programmes and initiatives designed to motivate the citizens to produce enough food to feed the nation.

Speaking at a farewell meeting with Mr. Hoang Ngoc Ho, the out-going Ambassador of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam at the State House on Tuesday, President Buhari said the high profile of agriculture in the priorities of his administration was primarily to achieve food self-sufficiency, economic revival and jobs creation.

“We are hoping to motivate fellow Nigerians to work hard in this regard. We will continue to work closely with other countries to re-orient Nigerians towards their active involvement in the sector. We believe that the impressive agricultural developmental strides achieved by countries such as Vietnam, especially after the 1975 war, will be replicated here,” the President said.

ENELAMAH: WE ARE REFORMING NIGERIA’S BUSINESS AND INVESTMENT ENVIRONMENT

The Minister of Industry, Trade and Investment, Dr Okechukwu Enelamah has said that Nigeria’s ongoing economic challenges offer an unprecedented opportunity to restructure and diversify the economy.

Speaking on Tuesday on Channels Television’s Sunrise Programme, the Minister said, “I believe that depending on what we do with this crisis we’re facing, it could actually be the impetus for this diversification. It’s extremely important that we make the most of what we’re going through.”

The Minister highlighted the Ministry’s commitment to implementing the Nigeria Industrial Revolution Plan (NIRP), as a tool for diversifying the Nigerian economy. “That Plan identifies sectors where Nigeria should be doing more, but for reasons that are well understood, we haven't. Our responsibility as a Ministry is to make sure that Plan is implemented; from Agro-processing to the automotive industry; Cotton, Textile and Garments; and Petrochemicals – the sectors around which we have a comparative advantage."

3 ARRESTED IN ENUGU FOR IMPERSONATING EFCC ACTING CHAIRMAN, IBRAHIM MAGU

Chukwuma Charles Eze, Ogechi Emeka Okwuosa

The Enugu Zonal office of the EFCC has arrested three persons: Chukwuma Charles Eze, Ogechi Emeka Okwuosa and Anokwuru Miriam Iheoma, (F) in a case of impersonation and attempt to obtain money by false pretences from the Anambra State Secretary to the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hon. Prince Casmir I. Ajulu. 

The arrest of the trio came on the heels of a petition that a text message was purportedly sent on 26th March, 2016 by the Acting Executive Chairman of EFCC, Ibrahim Magu to Ajulu’s phone requesting him to send a list of names of House of Representatives designates that want their Certificate of Return for the last election held in Anambra State. 

Several subsequent messages from two mobile numbers belonging to Glo and MTN network respectively demanded from the petitioner the sum of N16,0000,000.00 (Sixteen Million Naira Only) assuring him that the EFCC Chairman was in touch and working with the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). 

EFCC Confirms the Arrest of Abubakar Sidiq Usman, Grants him Administration Bail

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC today arrested Mr. Abubakar Sidiq Usman, a blogger, for offences bordering on cyber stalking. The suspect who is the publisher of Abusidiqu.com was picked up at his Kubwa, Abuja home in the early hours of Monday August 8, 2016 by operatives of the EFCC and is currently being questioned over the alleged offence which contravenes sections of the Cyber Crime Act.

The suspect has already been offered administrative bail and would be released to his elected sureties. ‪#‎cyberstalking‬. ‪#‎EFCC‬. ‪#‎abusidiqu‬.

President Buhari and Mr. Abubakar Sidiq Usman

President Buhari relaunches War Against Indiscipline Brigade

 The fight against corruption took a new twist on Monday with the re-introduction of the War Against Indiscipline, WAI, Brigade in Abuja by the federal government.

Unveiling the brigade, the Buhari-led Federal Government explained that the body will aide civil intelligence gathering in the area of insecurity, violence, kidnapping, and other forms of social vices.

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led FG, while relaunched the War Against Indiscipline, WAI Brigade, in Abuja, saying in this era of insecurity, violence, kidnapping, and other forms of social vices, the role of the Brigade in civil intelligence gathering cannot be over emphasized.

Arrest And Detention Of Blogger @Abusidiqu By EFCC Is Troubling - Inibehe Effiong

Information reaching the Coalition of Human Rights Defenders (COHRD) has it that a popular Nigerian blogger and political commentator, Mr Abubakar Sidiqu Usman, also known as Abusidiqu, was arrested on the early hours of Monday 8th August, 2016 by operatives of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) purportedly over a recent critical report he published against the Chairman of the Commission, Mr Ibrahim Magu.

We understand that a team of stern looking and heavily armed operatives of the Commission led by one Sambo M. Mangana stormed the private residence of the blogger in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja with a search warrant and whisked him away in a commando style after they had ransacked his house, without disclosing the reason for the search and arrest.

Though details of the arrest is yet to be made the public by the EFCC, it is worrisome and extremely troubling that the commission will arrest a citizen of Nigeria in a manner reminiscent of the dark days of military dictatorship.

Conversation between a Federalist and a Unitarist (Part 2)

READ: Conversation between a Federalist and a Unitarist (Part 1) - Tony Osborg

Federalist: How can you not see anything wrong with our present system? Is it right for Abuja to decide which state should have electricity this week and how many megawatts should be allocated to which state? Don’t you think this over centralization of everything in Nigeria is bad? Why can’t the states and cities be allowed to generate and distribute their own electricity, do we still need a national grid? Why can’t the states have a state and community police system? Why can’t the states be allowed to manage the major roads in their terrain? Where in the world do you see a federal budget contain projects like boreholes and street lights and construction of classrooms? Where in the world do you hear of a federal government employing primary school teachers and feeding primary school students? Where in the world do you see a government act as a regulator and still play as the regulated? Where do you see government running university system the way we run it in Nigeria? Where do you see government admitting and allocating students to universities in the name of JAMB exams? Do you know that there are some communities in Nigeria that have not seen public electricity since electricity was invented! Some have not had roads and schools? Where in the world do you see supposedly rich oil communities going to beg multinational companies operating on their land to come execute CSR projects when such communities are suppose to be richer and more autonomous than the multinationals? Can’t you see that nepotism and prebendalism is a culture under our bad system? Can’t you see that it is wrong for Abuja to be breast feeding the states every month and rather the states should be breastfeeding Abuja? Can’t you see that there is no government presence at the locality levels across both Northern and Southern Nigeria? Can’t you see that everything is wrong with our system of government and that the system favors only people in government and nothing for the grassroot?

THE CHANGE WE PROMISED IS HERE! - LAI MOHAMMED

Being The text Of The Speech By The Hon Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, At The South-East Edition Of The Federal Government's Town Hall Meeting in Enugu on Monday, Aug. 1st 2016

PROTOCOL

Good morning ladies and gentlemen and welcome to the South-East Edition of our Town Hall Meeting. Permit me first to thank the Executive Governor of Enugu State, His Excellency Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, most sincerely for his immense contribution to the hosting of this event. By his efforts, His Excellency has shown that the development of our country transcends party affiliation and other divisive considerations.

2 May I also express my gratitude to my colleagues Honorable Ministers for accepting to be part of this meeting, despite their busy schedule. Honourable Ministers, your presence here is a testimony to the importance you attach to keeping Nigerians adequately informed of the activities of government.

Conversation between a Federalist and a Unitarist (Part 1) - Tony Osborg

Federalist: Something is fundamentally wrong with the structure of our federalism. We need to restructure this system and entrench true federalism. This system is not working.

Unitarist: There is nothing wrong with the structure of our federalism. Our problem is bad leadership; bad leaders who have looted our future and have destroyed our federal system. We do not need to restructure the system, what we need is to elect good leaders into office and restructure the minds of Nigerians so they can be less bias, less corrupt and more patriotic.