Kano govt bans Sales Of movies featuring kidnapping, stealing, drug abuse
The Kano Film Censorship Board, has banned the sale of movies that depict kidnappings, drug abuse and snatching of mobile phones in the State.
Defending the prohibition by the board, the executive secretary, Ismaila Naaba Afakallah, explained that the ban was necessitated by the notoriety of such activities amongst Kano state citizens.
“Henceforth, we will not allow films displaying Kidnappings, drug addiction and GSM phones snatching which has now taken toll on Kano residents”.
Afakallah stated that the ban was to ensure that young people do not engage in criminal activities, adding that they are most likely to adopt the mannerisms of actors in movies.
“Not every young man has the tenacity of understanding fictitious films actions. Somebody might mistaken it as a reality and may go ahead to practice it, therefore, we must act now before it is too late,” he added.
Why Hushpuppi’s Account Is Still Active – Instagram Reveals
The social media platform, Instagram has revealed why the account of confessed internet fraudster, Ramon Abbas, popularly known as Hushpuppi is still active.
The platform noted that Hushpuppi is free to use his account in as much he does not represent dangerous organizations or individuals.
Hushpuppi is currently in detention in the United States for financial offences bordering on wire fraud, to which he has pleaded guilty.
The Instagram celebrity if found guilty may face a 20-year jail term.
The United States Attorney’s Office at the Central District of California disclosed that the confessed fraudster will be sentenced in late October 2021.
The court also disclosed that it directed the FBI to arrest the suspended deputy commissioner of police, Abba Kyari following his alleged role in a $1m scam allegedly perpetrated by Hushpuppi and five others.
The court said, “A U.S. Magistrate Judge has issued arrest warrants for the defendants in the case, including Mr Kyari. This is a standard operating procedure in nearly all of the criminal cases filed by this office.”
The social media platform disclosed that it has an established process with law enforcement and a policy on “inmate takedown requests” in place for prisoners active on the platform.
Meanwhile, Abbas has not posted on Instagram which had 2.5 million followers since June 2020, however, his followers marked his 39th birthday on September 4.
Instagram added that Hushpuppi would be free to continue to use his account, “unless directed otherwise from law enforcement in the US, where he is awaiting sentencing.”
The platform noted that Hushpuppi does not fall under the categories which would validate account removal.
Instagram said accounts are only usually closed if they represent dangerous organizations or individuals.
The Instagram celebrity is known for using his account to share photos of extravagant shopping trips, luxury cars, clothes and watches.
BREAKING: Lagos Gov Sanwo-Olu signs anti-open grazing bill into law
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu has approved the bill which will outlaw open-grazing in the state.
The bill was signed on Monday following its passage by the Lagos State House of Assembly on September 9, 2021.
Lagos state is the latest of the growing number of southern states that have incriminated the archaic practice of open-grazing which has caused untold hardship for indigenous farmers and residents.
The speaker of the Lagos state House of Assembly, Mudashiru Obasa, lauded his comrades for their zeal towards the actualization of the bill.
The call for the ban on open-grazing came as a result of the wanton killings and kidnappings perpetrated by Fulani herdsmen who use their cattle as an excuse to wreak havoc on innocent citizens and their property.
Akwa Ibom Gov Emmanuel signs anti-open grazing bill into law
As part of their plans to end the menace of the herdsmen, the southern governors met in Lagos on July 5 and had far-reaching conclusions on open grazing, restructuring Nigeria, and calls for state policing.
After the meeting, the Chairman of the Southern Governors Forum, Rotimi Akeredolu, announced that the governors have agreed on a deadline for the establishment of the anti-open grazing law in the region.
To this effect, four southern states have signed the bill into law.
The states include: Lagos, Akwa Ibom, Enugu and Ondo states.
Fani-Kayode Handed 12 Conditions By APC Governors Before Being Integrated Into Party
The Director-General of the All Progressives Congress (APC) Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), Dr Salihu Moh Lukman, has listed tough conditions former Minister of Aviation, Femi Fani-Kayode, must meet to be fully accepted and integrated into the ruling party.
Some of the conditions, according to him, include registration from his ward, identifying with the party chieftains in his state and more importantly demonstration of tolerance and respect for opinions of leaders and members of the party.
The PGF DG, in a statement he issued in Abuja, equally revealed that party members are genuinely and understandably angry with the red-carpet reception President Muhammadu Buhari gave to him last week Thursday.
The statement titled: ‘APC’s high-profile membership recruitment and issues for 2023’, read: “A major challenge of high-profile political party membership recruitment, like that of Fani-Kayode, is the issue of getting those recruited to be accountable. How can the party ensure that newly recruited high-profile members moderate themselves such that it is the party that control them and not the other way round?
“While it is easy to control people that are already constraint by legal provisions on account of statutory responsibilities such as governors and legislators, individuals like Fani-Kayode, who are only responsible to themselves, would be difficult to manage. It is therefore important that APC members prepare to engage Fani-Kayode to ensure that he is accountable to our leaders, our party organs and by extension, Nigerians.
“A reformed Fani-Kayode should be an accountable personality, both to the party and to Nigerians. On no account should Fani-Kayode ever imagine that he has come to APC to conduct himself uncontrollably. He must be accountable to our leadership and all our party structures.
“He must respect himself and abide by the provisions of the party constitution and its manifesto. To support him, copies of the APC constitution and manifesto must be made available to him immediately.
“There are also issues related to getting him to work with other party members especially in relation to addressing national challenges. The problem of managing Nigeria’s diversity, for instance, require respect and tolerance. That Fani-Kayode has joined APC and has made statements to the effect that he is committed to a united Nigeria must be demonstrated based on respect for all Nigerians irrespective of differences.
“A major test will be the extent to which Fani-Kayode is able to demonstrate tolerance and respect for opinions of leaders and members of the party. This doesn’t mean he shouldn’t disagree. But he must express his disagreement with utmost respect. On no account must he promote divisive campaigns, in whatever forms or manner. Doing so will suggest that he is still the old venomous Fani-Kayode.
“Once that become the case, party members must be ready to engage him including campaigns to discipline him as provided in the constitution of the APC. Therefore, his membership of the party must take root in his Ward in Osun State, and he must subordinate himself to his Ward leadership,” he noted in the statement.
Giving other conditions, he wrote: “For Fani-Kayode to talk of the unity of Nigeria at this time, shortly after he supported and promoted secessionist campaigns of Nnamdi Kanu and Sunday Igboho is a remarkable departure. However, recognising such a departure shouldn’t be interpreted to mean that we should blindly trust Fani-Kayode.
“What is required in the circumstance is that our leaders must test the commitment of Fani-Kayode to reform himself. The first test is that Fani-Kayode should be reminded that politics is local. Coming from Osun State, his commitment to reform himself should start with getting him to integrate himself with APC leaders back in Osun State.
“At this early stage of his membership of APC, beyond the photo show with our dear President Buhari and the Chairman of the APC Caretaker Committee, Fani-Kayode should have a photo gallery with images of him uniting with Chief Bisi Akande, Ogbeni Rauf Aregbesola, Governor Gboyega Oyetola and other party leaders in his home state, Osun. In fact, part of this test would have been met had Governor Oyetola and Ogbeni Aregbesola, at the minimum, been part of the welcome reception at the Presidential Villa last Thursday. Had that happened, the raging controversy following the admission of Fani-Kayode into the party would have been minimised.
“The photo gallery should also cover images with leaders from the South-West. Fani-Kayode should take every step to reciprocate the gesture of our leaders by demonstrating that he is ready to reform himself. Some of the controversy he has already created makes it doubtful whether he want to reform himself at all. For instance, when he claimed that he facilitated the defection of some Governors that joined the APC from PDP, suggests that he is still his old venomous self.
“Only people with very small minds could make such statement and only gullible people can believe them. The claim that three additional Governors – Bauchi, Oyo and Enugu – are on their way to join the APC, also falls in the same category of small mind talking to gullible people. If Fani-Kayode truly want the party to succeed in recruiting anybody, including governors, he should quietly support the leadership. We have a very competent leadership that can handle that responsibility, which is why his admission into the party succeeded in the first place,” he wrote.
While frowning at the red-carpet reception given to him, Lukman in the statement reflected: “Almost every member of APC is angry that our leaders have brought someone like Fani-Kayode into our party. This is made worse by the red-carpet reception given to him, which he doesn’t deserve.
“But since it has happened, there is no need to cry over spilled milk. What is very clear is that our leaders, especially President Buhari have forgiven Fani-Kayode and embrace him as one of us,” the statement read.
Rwandan court finds ‘Hotel Rwanda’ film hero Paul Rusesabagina guilty of terrorism
A Rwandan court on Monday found Paul Rusesabagina, a one-time hotel manager portrayed as a hero in a Hollywood film about the 1994 genocide, guilty of being part of a group responsible for terrorist attacks.
“They should be found guilty for being part of this terror group – MRCD-FLN,” judge Beatrice Mukamurenzi said of 20 defendants including Rusesabagina. “They attacked people in their homes, or even in their cars on the road traveling.”
The case has had a high profile since Rusesabagina, 67, was arrested last year on arrival from Dubai after what he described as a kidnapping by Rwandan authorities.
Since being portrayed by actor Don Cheadle as the hero of the 2004 film “Hotel Rwanda”, Rusesabagina emerged as a prominent critic of President Paul Kagame, based in the United States. He had denied all the charges against him, while his supporters called the trial a sham and proof of Kagame’s ruthless treatment of political opponents.
Prosecutors had sought a life sentence on nine charges, including terrorism, arson, taking hostages and forming an armed rebel group which he directed from abroad. After the announcement of the initial verdict, one of the defendants became ill, causing a short recess which delayed verdicts on other charges and sentencing.
Rusesabagina became a global celebrity after the film, which depicted him risking his life to shelter hundreds as the boss of a luxury hotel in the Rwandan capital Kigali during the 100-day genocide when Hutu ethnic extremists killed more than 800,000 people, mostly from the Tutsi minority.
Cheadle was nominated for an Oscar for the role. Rusesabagina used his fame to highlight what he described as rights violations by the government of Kagame, a Tutsi rebel commander who took power after his forces captured Kigali and halted the genocide.
Rusesabagina’s trial began in February, six months after he arrived in Kigali on a flight from Dubai. His supporters say he was kidnapped; the Rwandan government suggested he was tricked into boarding a private plane. Human Rights Watch said at the time that his arrest amounted to an enforced disappearance, which it called a serious violation of international law.
“Stop Attending Night Vigils And Prayers In Isolated Places” – Police Warns Christians
Ogun State Police Command has warned residents against attending night vigils and prayer sessions in isolated places to avoid being victims of kidnappers.
The command spokesman, DSP Abimbola Oyeyemi gave the warning in a statement made available to newsmen, due to the security situation in the country.
He expressed great concern that, despite the series of warnings and security tips from the police, some people are still congregating for night vigils and organizing prayer sessions in the forest, thereby making themselves easy prey for kidnappers.
“However, inasmuch as the Command is not oblivious of right to freedom of religion, it is worthy of note that the present security situation in the country does not favorably dispose anyone to organising prayer sessions in isolated places,” the PPRO said.
He appealed to the public to refrain from creating opportunities for kidnappers to operate, as the Command was working assiduously to get rid of criminals who have made kidnapping a business.
Oyeyemi explained that security should be seen as everybody’s business and “we should all play our part in securing ourselves and our property,” adding that “after all, the scriptures even enjoined us to watch and pray.”
“However, if there is any compelling reason to embark on such prayer sessions, the organisers should report to the nearest Police station for advice and possible security patrol of the area,” he added. (NAN)
PEN FOR HIRE, CASH FOR NEWS! WASHINGTON POST’S WHORISKEY FINGERED
…CONSORTIUM OF LAWYERS, ETHNIC YOUTH LEADERS, CSO CHIDE THE WASHINGTON POST
… ALLEGE GLOBAL SMEAR CAMPAIGN AGAINST AITEO AND ITS FOUNDER BENEDICT PETERS
… INSIST THAT MATTERS ALREADY SETTLED IN COURT REMAIN SETTLED
… CALL ON BUSINESSES OWNERS TO ONLY ENGAGE IN HEALTHY COMPETITION
There is no downplaying the trend of media corruption gaining traction in recent times. What is fast gaining notoriety is the rate at which foreign journalists are contracted by some unscrupulous entities to do damage to national growth through indigenous players.
Like the colour and literal meaning of crude, the petroleum industry in Nigeria has always been one in which some companies and individuals have played their hand in the crudest manners.
For this group of people who have held sway for decades, every entity perceived as competition must be crushed for them to have a field day while fleecing the country of billions of dollars and stashing them in offshore accounts.
To the faceless, grief-stricken and rent seeking saboteurs, playing in the petroleum industry is a war; and no one can be trusted in the ferocious survival battle.
While competition is a welcome development in a capitalist economy like Nigeria’s, healthy rivalry is not an expression one would find in the lexicon of these corporate hyenas who only feed on the flesh and blood of competitors.
Beyond the boardroom now, major players have taken their bitter rivalry to the newsrooms. They even go as far as contracting foreign journalists especially those renowned for their expertise and experience in paid media warfare.
One of such mercenaries is Peter Whoriskey, a staff of the Washington Post who focuses on investigations of economic and financial issues.
Interestingly, Whoriskey has not been found to do any work in or on Nigeria. There are not known published works of his that dwell on Nigeria, her politics, business or culture.
However, perhaps because of his predilection for the seamy side of journalism, he was the go-to guy for international oil companies when they want to roughen up their competitors.
By deploying scandalous mails to his targets, Whoriskey’s subtle threat is unmistakable. His veiled reference to unfounded scandals readily gives him out as a paid fifth columnist waiting to bear his fangs. Many are waiting with bated breath to see how he intends to publish the supposed dirts he has on the Nigerian businessmen. Whatever report he comes with eventually may not pass the ethical test.
Meanwhile, a consortium of lawyers for human rights and justice and the Council of Ethnic Youth Leaders of Nigeria (CEYLN) in conjunction with some Civil Society organizations have alleged that there is an ongoing plot global media campaign against Aiteo Group of Companies and its founder, Mr. Benedict Peters using the Washington Post.
In a joint press conference by the different groups, they allege that the allegations being peddled against Mr. Peters and Aiteo are the same issues which have already been conclusively determined by courts of competent jurisdiction or pending in court and the purpose of the publication could only be to impugn the integrity of Mr. Peters and the company.
“Out of the five questions Mr. Whoriskey inquired about, question 1 has been resolved by a competent court of law in Nigeria and the decision widely publicized. A simple internet search would have availed Mr. Whoriskey of the judgment of the case and the present state of affairs. Further, questions 2-5 were directly extracted from untested allegations contained in a first amended verified complaint filed before the United States District Court, Southern District of Texas, Houston Division” the groups alleged.
They called on media houses not to yield their platforms to people whose objectives were not noble as such would encourage unhealthy business rivalry. “There is a plethora of questions which The Washington Post rather has to answer and which directly calls to question its genuineness in permitting this to happen. It will be damning to the long-held image of The Washington Post that its staff have yielded the platform of the medium to the use for a global smear campaign and unhealthy business rivalry” Mr. Tochukwu Ohazuruike who addressed the press was quoted as saying.
In answering the allegations against Mr. Peters, the groups claimed that “Mr. Peters has stated severally that he has never received any favour by way of facilitation or otherwise from Dieziani Alison-Madueke, and there was therefore nothing to be grateful for. He has severally denounced any such attempt to link the purchase of his property with Dieziani under such premises. His purchase of the furniture was in furtherance of his desire to furnish a property that belonged to him, and those furniture can be found, even today, at his said property at 58 Harley House. No furniture that belonged to him can be found at any other place other than in his property. The furniture found at the UK address of Dieziani Alison-Madueke does not belong to him, and certainly could not have been the same found in his said property at 58 Harley House.”
They insist that the answers they provided should discourage future smear campaigns as this is not the first time it was happening saying “we hope that with these answers we would have satisfied Mr. Whoriskey and got him to alert his sponsors that the plot is dead on arrival and cannot be revived. We also say to all such persons who would in the future want to regurgitate these issues that the answers are already available in the public space as there is nothing hidden and there is nothing any media house can unearth again so no need taking any jobs from the sponsors of this smear campaign.”
Coach Mauricio Pochettino Plays Down Decision to Substitute Lionel Messi in PSG Win
Paris Saint-Germain coach Mauricio Pochettino defended his decision to take off Lionel Messi as the former Barcelona man made his home debut in Sunday’s Ligue 1 game against Lyon. Messi was outstanding in the first half at the Parc des Princes but began to fade from the game after the break and was replaced by Achraf Hakimi for the final quarter of an hour with the score 1-1 at the time. PSG won 2-1 with a stoppage-time headed goal by substitute Mauro Icardi. “Everyone knows we have great players, a squad of 35. It is my decision. We can only have 11 players on the field at one time,” Pochettino said.
“I only think about the best decision in each game, for each player, just as every coach does.
“We are here to make decisions. Sometimes people will be happy with them, sometimes they won’t be.”
Messi appeared to reject Pochettino’s hand as he walked past his coach towards the Paris bench.
Sekibo urges govt., stakeholders to prioritise SMEs, youth entrepreneurship
L-R: Preye Ojeme, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Maitama, Abuja; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Dr. Bayo Olugbemi, President/Chairman of Council, Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse; Dab Okosun, staff of Federal Mortgage Bank of Nigeria and Efehi Cole, Experience Centre Manager, Garki, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.
Bridging the gap to attain sustainable solutions to economic recovery will be the most impactful route to drive lasting and meaningful growth; for this to be achieved, creation of opportunities, conscious inclusion of Small and Medium Enterprises and youth entrepreneurship are crucial – Sekibo.
MD/CEO of Heritage Bank Plc, Ifie Sekibo gave this submission on the sidelines of the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance.”
According to him, one of the key areas where government, financial institutions and other stakeholders can move this nation from poverty to prosperity is through conscious creation of viable environment for small businesses and young entrepreneurs to thrive because they are the backbone of local economies around the world – they happen to be the biggest employers, job creators and contributors of the national gross domestic products.
“We cannot talk about moving from poverty to prosperity without taking SMEs very seriously in this country.
“We must support the SMEs sector reform through providing infrastructure, providing loans to farmers and ensuring interest rate loans is single digit,” Ifie Sekibo affirmed.
Sekibo who was represented at the conference by the Regional Head Abuja-1, Daniel Oniko, stated that giving SMEs and young entrepreneurs leverage to contribute immensely to the development of their host community through engaging the youths and unemployed individuals will bring about and facilitate economic recovery. He emphasized that the role of SMEs in creating and sustaining national development in relation to job creation has been considered a key tool in modern-day poverty alleviation, economic emancipation, and total well-being.
The MD, however disclosed, “One of Heritage Bank’s major cardinal point as a bank is supporting micro, small and medium scale businesses and our
L-R: Edison Okoro, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Manager, Herbert Macaulay, Abuja; Dr. Uche Olowo; Immediate past President/Chairman of Council, CIBN; Daniel Oniko Regional Head Abuja 1; Isaiah Ediae, Experience Centre Manager, Algiers Wuse and Blessing Eyo, Heritage Bank’s Experience Centre Associate, during the 14th Annual Banking and Finance Conference of Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria (CIBN) with a theme: “Economic Recovery, Inclusion & Transformation: The Role of Banking and Finance,” held in Abuja.
strong desire to see young men and women succeed in any area of their business. This will help the society and economy to grow, thereby moving the nation from poverty to prosperity, he added. He noted that Heritage Bank was taking the lead through various initiatives such as its youth entrepreneurship development programmes which were aimed at increasing the contributions of the MSME segment to the economy.
Sekibo further explained that the entrepreneur schemes of the bank in the support for business had always focused on dependable job-creating sectors such as the agricultural value chain: fish farming, poultry, snail farming, etc., cottage industry, mining and solid minerals, creative industry: tourism, arts and crafts, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT).Speaking earlier, the Vice President Yemi Osinbajo, said emerging challenges require that the banking and finance sector takes on more transformative projects such as housing and renewable energy.
The VP acknowledged that the banking and finance sector has over the years played significant roles in the nation’s economic development. According to the Vice President, “it is time for the sector to take on some of the transformative big-ticket items that would fundamentally transform our economy. Such matters include consumer finance but housing finance.
“In his goodwill message, the Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), Godwin Emefiele stated that the banking sector remained well positioned to support the recovery efforts of the monetary and fiscal authorities. “Clearly, Nigeria’s banks have become not only strong and resilient but have also carved a good niche in the world to consolidate on the growth and resilience of the banks in the last decades”, he added.
‘Reconsider your position’ — Ngige begs resident doctors to resume work
Chris Ngige, minister of labour and productivity, has appealed to striking resident doctors to resume work.
Speaking on Sunday during an interview on Channels Television, Ngige said the resident doctors should come for discussions after they return to work.
On August 2, the National Association of Resident Doctors (NARD) embarked on strike over “irregular payment of salaries”, among other issues.
Efforts of different stakeholders, including President Muhammadu Buhari and the house of representatives, to ensure the resident doctors shelve the strike did not yield the desired result.
On Friday, the National Industrial Court, in a ruling by Bashir Alkali, had asked the resident doctors to return to work.
But the striking doctors faulted the court’s ruling, vowing to appeal the order.
Reacting to the development, Ngige described the decision of the resident doctors to continue the strike despite the court order as “contemptuous”.
The labour minister said he is determined to protect the profession from being “vandalised”.
“I want to appeal to NARD for them to reconsider their position, get back to work tomorrow or next and then come back again for discussions. We have so many things to discuss,” the minister said.
“I have nephews who are resident doctors. I have three of them in the east — at the Nnamdi Azikiwe Teaching hospital, UNTH Enugu, Orthopaedic Hospital, Enugu. I have so many of them.
“I have my son — a house officer. I have my daughter who is joining housemanship in October. I have a son, God willing, who is going to graduate again in October. I cannot destroy the profession but I have to protect the profession too if it is going to be vandalised.”
