Buhari mourns Obafemi Awolowo’s daughter, Tola Oyediran

Saturday, October 17, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Buhari prayed that the almighty God would receive the soul of the departed, and comfort all her loved ones.
 President Muhammadu Buhari has sent his condolences to the family of late Premier of the Western Region and nationalist, Chief Obafemi Awolowo, over the passing of Mrs Tola Oyediran, the eldest daughter of the sage.

The President, in the condolence message by his spokesman, Malam Garba Shehu, in Abuja on Friday, commiserated with friends and associates of Mrs Oyediran, particularly her only surviving sister, Mrs Tokunbo Awolowo, over the sad loss.

He urged the family to take solace in the investments of the deceased in making life better for others.

Buhari prayed that the almighty God would receive the soul of the departed, and comfort all her loved ones.

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We are sorry for not doing enough’, Osinbajo apologises to protesting Nigerians

Saturday, October 17, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Ten days after Nigerian youths hit the streets with #ENDSARS protests, Vice President, Prof Yemi Osinbajo has apologised to the protesting youths.

The demonstration started last week after operatives of the recently-disbanded Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) killed a young Nigerian in Delta state and also made away with his vehicle.

Before its dissolution on Sunday, October 11, 2020, SARS officers were infamous for extra-judicial killings and human rights violation.

Despite the dissolution of the police unit, the #ENDSARS protest has intensified across the country as it spreads to major cities and gathers momentum and support from Nigerians abroad.

Speaking on the youths’ protests, the VP in a series of tweets on Friday, October 16, 2020, apologised to the youths saying he understands their anger and frustration.

"Dear Nigerians, I know that many of you are angry, and understandably so. We could’ve moved faster and for this we are sorry," the vice president said.

The VP admitted that too many Nigerians have been brutalised by the police, who are paid to protect them.

On efforts to address the situation, Osinbajo said several meetings have been made with the leaders of the National Assembly, Police authorities and President Muhammadu Buhari.

He assured the youths that work is ongoing on some of the issues they’ve raised, adding that the 36 governors have been asked to set up judicial panels of inquiry to deliver justice to victims of police brutality in the country.

The VP also promised to update and engage the youths on steps being taken to address the situation and the youths’ demands

 

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#EndSARS protesters all over the country hold candlelight vigils for deceased victims of unjust police killings

Saturday, October 17, 2020 NEWS No Comments

The protesters took out time to remember those who have died due to police brutality.

The mood at #EndSARS protest grounds across the country got pensive on Friday, October 16, 2020, as protesters paid tribute to deceased victims of unjust police killings in Nigeria with candlelight ceremonies.

The vigils also called Festival of Lights held at the Lekki Toll Gate and Alausa venues of the protests in Lagos while protesters in Abuja, Bayelsa and Port Harcourt also honoured those who have died from illegal police killings.

At these different locations of protest, prayers were dedicated to the souls of the departed victims.

At Alausa, there was a big projector that beamed videos of police brutality in Nigeria while a slew of protesters in Abuja got on the microphone to read out horrible tales of how some of these victims lost their lives.

The most chilling of them all was the story of Chijioke Iloanya, a 20-year-old boy who is still missing eight years after he was arrested by police in Anambra State.

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His sister Obianjuju addressed the crowd at the Festival of Light and narrated how James Nwafor, the Officer in Charge of the state command’s Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) failed to produce her brother even after extorting millions of Naira from them.

To make the story more horrible, Obianjuju recalled that Nwafor made her father swim in a river filled with corpses while in search of Iloanya who is still missing till today.

The vigil across the country is another way protesters are bringing attention to police brutality in Nigeria.

Although the #EndSARS protests started to call for the end of the SARS unit of the Nigerian Police, the demands of the protesters have become broader and now seek for the complete reform of the Nigerian police.

The Inspector-General of Police has disbanded the SARS unit but the protesters want more actions including the arrests and prosecution of officers who have unjustly killed innocent Nigerians.

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Media Literacy: How Twitter’s new labels for government, state-affiliated media accounts helps in curbing propaganda

Saturday, October 17, 2020 NEWS No Comments

Twitter has continued to strive to control the flow of misinformation and propaganda on its platform.

From flagging coronavirus hoaxes and misinformation for users, banning all state-backed media advertising and political advertising from the platform to identifying some content as ‘manipulated media’, Twitter is continuously trying to make its platform free from misinformation and disinformation.

Relatedly, Twitter has rolled out a new feature which puts labels to identify government and state-affiliated media accounts.

According to a statement from Twitter announcing this new feature on Thursday, August 6, 2020, this feature is important in providing people with context so they can make informed decisions about the information they receive from these accounts.

The statement reads in part, “Twitter provides an unmatched way to connect with and directly speak to public officials and representatives. This direct line of communication with leaders and officials has helped to democratize political discourse and increase transparency and accountability. We also took steps to protect that discourse because we believe political reach should be earned not bought. In 2019, we banned all state-backed media advertising and political advertising from Twitter. Today we’re expanding the types of political accounts we label.

“We will add new labels to the following categories of Twitter accounts: Accounts of key government officials, including foreign ministers, institutional entities, ambassadors, official spokespeople, and key diplomatic leaders. At this time, our focus is on senior officials and entities who are the official voice of the state abroad. Accounts belonging to state-affiliated media entities, their editors-in-chief, and/or their senior staff.

Twitter has already started this rollout in China, France, the Russian Federation, the United Kingdom, and the United States. This feature is expected to extend to Nigeria and other countries.

“For transparency and practicality, we are starting with a limited and clearly-defined group of countries before expanding to a wider range of countries in the future,” Twitter also noted.How Twitter is labelling accounts

With this new feature, Twitter is now labelling accounts of key government officials including foreign ministers, institutional entitled, ambassadors, official spokespeople and key diplomatic leaders.

When you click an account of a top government official or affiliated media on Twitter, you would find a label identifying that account as such.

Chinese media outlets like CGTN and Global Times have been labeled as ‘China state-affiliated media’. When you click @CGTNOfficial and @globaltimesnews, you would see ‘China state-affiliated media’ pinned on their profiles.

For the Nigerian market

Twitter, with this feature, aims to ensure that people take in information from these accounts with the full picture in mind. With a label, Twitter is telling you how to process any information by bearing in mind the perspective of the conveyor.

Fu'ad Lawal, the Editor-in-Chief of Zikoko, does not believe Nigeria is ready for this feature. “I'm curious to see how it plays out here especially regarding our culture around what is and isn't affiliated media. It's a standard Nigerian cultural problem where it's like our reaction to any news that we feel like it panders to any interest. The reaction is always 'who paid you'. I'm curious to see how Twitter navigates that in this market,” he said.

“To see how they navigate our own culture about how we think about media and affiliation unlike in America for example where it is pretty clear.”

David Adeleke, former Editor of Business Insider Africa and media consultant said labelling will make these accounts more credible on the surface level.

“I think on the surface what this does is that it helps people to know where information is coming from; it gives some form of credibility,” Adeleke said.

“For example, if something is coming from NTA, which they would tag affiliated media, you would know it's true because it's affiliated to the government.

“Unlike when it comes from Channels. People will still need to wait for confirmation from the government.”

Twitter is an ever-evolving platform and with this feature, the Jack Dorsey led company is trying it’s best to help better the ways information is passed.

 

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#EndSARS: Group commends Gov Sanwo-Olu for naming officers who assaulted protesters

Saturday, October 17, 2020 NEWS No Comments

The group's president appealed that the officers should be made to face the law accordingly.

 Women of Inestimable Values (WIVs) have commended the Lagos State Governor, Mr Babajide Sanwo-Olu, for taking proactive measures and naming officers who brutalised protesters in the ongoing #EndSARS protest.

Mrs Blessing Okojie-Eze, National president of WIVs, in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN), commended Mr Sanwo-Olu and described his step as a good development.

The WIVs are highly impressed with our Governor, Mr Sanwo-Olu, who have been working day and night to sanitise Lagos State, even in the ongoing #EndSARS protest.

“We specifically commend him for putting efforts in place that brought the officers who brutalised people in the ongoing #EndSARS protest to book and naming them publicly.

“This is a major demand of the #EndSARS protesters. He promised and lived up to expectations. It shows he has listening ears and passionate about affairs of the people of Lagos,” she said.

While applauding Gov. Sanwo-Olu, Mrs Okojie-Eze appealed that the officers should be made to face the law accordingly, if found guilty, as a way to further pacify the people.

The WIVs National President added that the body equally lent its voice during the week-long #EndSARS protest as members came out to join other groups at Gbagada on Friday to show their support.

Meanwhile, Mr Sanwo-Olu has raised a seven-man Judiciary Panel of Enquiry and Resolution to investigate cases of brutality and human violations committed by Operatives of the dissolved SARS in Lagos.

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