"I will swallow you" - Speed Darlington comes for Desmond Elliot over his comments about social media (video)

 

Speed Darlington has also slammed Desmond Elliot over his recent comments about the Nigerian youths, celebrities, and the use of social media which sparked outrage. 

Recall the actor turned politician was heavily dragged on social media last week after a video of him referring to youths as ''children'' while reacting to the crisis that broke out from the #EndSARS protest, surfaced online. Read here. 

Speed while reacting to Desmond's statement during a recent Instagram Live session, said he believes the lawmaker representing Surulere constituency wants to run for President based on what he's seen and read online. 

The Instagram sensation and singer, who has repeatedly said he wants to contest in the next Nigeria presidential election, stated that he won't allow Desmomd take his 'life dream' away from him. 
 

FG will regulate social media, not shut it down – Lai Mohammed

 

The Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed on Saturday October 31 stated that the federal government will only regulate social media and not shut it down. 

 

Speaking during a solidarity visit to Vintage Press Limited, the publishers of The Nation newspapers and Sporting Life, following the October 21, 2020 attack on the organisation’s corporate headquarters by hoodlums who hijacked the #ENDSARS protests, averred that the attack which was “clearly premeditated and intended to silence the voice of the nation" was not just an attack on Vintage Press Limited, but also on free press and democracy.

 

Lai Mohammed who stressed that “the government will continue to support responsible journalism", revealed that they have reached out to all the major stakeholders, including Google, Facebook, NUJ, Guild of Editors, bloggers and social media influencers to fashion out a policy that will make social media platforms responsible.

 

He said; 

 

 “I know some observers may wonder how the minister can describe the attack on The Nation as attack on free press and on democracy, whereas a few days ago, he canvassed for regulation of social media.

“I say to such observers that there is no contradiction in what I said before and what I am saying now. This government has respect for the free press. What we are against is irresponsible use of social media and fake news.

“We did not start this campaign against fake news yesterday. In 2017, we devoted an entire National Council on Information meeting to address the issues of fake news and hate speech.

“I remember I said that day that there is a new epidemic coming to consume the world. That epidemic is fake news. That epidemic will pose great danger to global peace and security.

“In 2018, we followed it up by launching a national campaign against fake news and hate speech. These were because we knew the danger there. We did not, at any time, say we would kill the internet.

“We did not say social media must be closed down, never! Social media is here to stay and it would be antithesis to democracy if one makes an attempt to shut down the social media.

“However, we must regulate social media in a manner that it does not become a purveyor of fake news and hate speech.

“Today, the pattern of choice for purveyors of fake news and hate speech is social media. It travels so fast; it disseminates so fast.

“This is why it is important for any country to look at that platform and ensure it is regulated in a manner that does not bring harm not just to the users but to everybody. No country will fold its hands and watch purveyors of fake news and hate speech destabilise it.

“And it is as if the world is not learning. In 1994, 800,000 lives were lost in Rwanda as a result of hate speech. One radio station in particular was largely responsible for this. The same thing happened in Cambodia, etc.

“So, when we talk about regulating social media, we are simply saying regulate it so as to ensure responsible use of the social media.

“We do not want to be misunderstood. We are also asking for freedom of the press because no democracy can survive without freedom of the press.

“We have tried to reach out to all the major stakeholders, including Google, Facebook, NUJ, Guild of Editors, bloggers, social media influencers, etc; let’s sit down together and fashion out a policy that will make our social media platforms responsible.

“Even the owners of these platforms are talking about regulation now.”

 

On lawmakers opposing the planned regulation of social media, the Minister added; 

 

“The executive arm of the government is not limiting its interest in the regulation of social media to just legislation. Our purpose is to get all the stakeholders, including legislators, to see how we can regulate use of social media for the benefit of all.

“From the interaction I had with the legislative arm of the government during budget defence, I think the challenge we have with the lawmakers so far is this slant that any attempt to regulate social media amounts to an attempt to shut down social media. This is not true. This is what I took pains to explain to the lawmakers.

“In fact, it is impossible to shut down social media. Even the most restrictive governments today are only regulating it. So, we must make it safe for everybody.

“Fake news has caused a lot of havoc on social harmony. I think there is really no point of disagreement between me and lawmakers on this.”

 

On why youths or EndSARS protesters seemed to doubt the Federal Government’s promise of positively responding to their requests, Mohammed said:

 

“It was sad and unfortunate because the government meant well. The federal government responded positively and promptly to the requests of the youths and acted immediately. By the time hoodlums hijacked the protests, some states had started implementation of the resolutions.”

Governor Ganduje’s media aide, Salihu Tanko Yakasai a.k.a Dawisu calls for the arrest of Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Godfrey Igwebuike Onah (video)

 

Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s media aide, Salihu Tanko Yakasai a.k.a Dawisu has called for the arrest of Catholic Bishop of Nsukka, Godfrey Igwebuike Onah over a viral sermon he claimed was inciting. 

 

Onah had decried an alleged discrimination in handling of security cases in the north and in the south. He backed up this claim by recounting the clash between IPOB members and DSS operatives in Enugu state.

 

The Catholic bishop also alleged that mosques are springing up in the east, while it is allegedly difficult to get lands to build churches in some states and the northern region of the country. 

 

 

Reacting to the cleric's comment, Dawisu called on security operatives to arrest the Catholic bishop. He stated that one cannot use a place of worship be it Mosque or a Church and incite violence. 

 

Dawisu tweeted; 

 

This will be a good scapegoat for security operatives to make example of. You CANNOT use place of worship be it Mosque or a Church and incite violence particularly that of religion in a country like ours, and then get away with it. I call for the arrest & prosecution of this man

 

 

 

 

'Terrorism has no place in Islam'- Arsenal midfielder, Mesut Ozil condemns recent terrorist attacks in France

 

Arsenal midfielder, Mesut Ozil has condemned the recent Islamic terror attacks in France, after three people were killed inside a catholic church in Nice just two weeks after a teacher was beheaded in Paris. (read here and here )

 

The 32-year-old German footballer, who is a devout Muslim, took to Twitter on Friday October 30, to state that there is 'no place for terrorism in Islam'.

 

Sharing a photo of himself at the holy Islamic site of Mecca along with a quote from the Quran, which read: 'Whosoever kills an innocent human being, it shall be as is he has killed all mankind and whoever saves the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind.'

Terrorism has no place in Islam ??? pic.twitter.com/Vclh5VVSwl

— Mesut Özil (@MesutOzil1088) October 30, 2020

Lagos government relaxes curfew from 10pm to 6am

 

Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu has again relaxed the curfew he imposed in Lagos state in the wake of the #EndSARS crisis which led to the destruction of properties. 

 

The curfew which was formerly between 8pm to 6am, will now take effect from 10pm till 6am. The announcement was made in a statement released on Friday October 30, by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso. 

 

Goverbor Sanwo-Olu urged all residents to go about their businesses in peace, even as they shun "actions that can threaten our unity.”

Update: Police release 11-year-old boy arrested over his alleged involvement in attack on Edo police station

Human rights advocate, Kola Edokpayi has secured the unconditional release of the 11-year-old boy arrested over his alleged involvement in the attack on a police station in Edo State.

 

Recall that the boy identified as Gift Osayuhi was arrested for allegedly joining the gang of hoodlums that attacked Oba Market police station at Evbuotubu area of Benin City. After the attack, the young boy was said to have worn the uniform of a police sergeant and declared himself as the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Read Here

 

 

Confirming the development on Friday October 30, Mr Edokpayi thanked the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Johnson Kokumo and the State Ministry of Justice for their understanding and cooperation.

 

He also disclosed that the boy, whose mother is a widow, said that his dream is to become the IGP. 

 

"We have been able to secure the unconditional release of the 11 year old boy by name Gift Osayuhi whose picture went viral on social media yesterday for allegedly joining some miscreants to break into Oba Market Police station, took their police Uniform,wore it and declared himself as the new IG of Police during the ENDSARS protest. The boy was released to us after we undertook to rehabilitate and reform him," said Mr Edokpayi.

 

"The young boy said his dream is to become the IG of Police and we also undertook to ensure the boy is giving a proper education so as to help help him achieve his dream. We sincerely thank Edo State Commissioner of Police and Edo State Ministry of Justice for the kind understanding and cooperation. We also met with his mother who told she is a widow who takes care of the children alone and the little boy usually assist her to sell water and drinks in Ring Road"

 

Actress Lori Loughlin reports to prison after pleading guilty in the college admissions scandal

 

Lori Loughlin has reported to a prison in California to start her two-month sentence after pleading guilty in the nationwide college admissions scandal. 

 

The Full House alum, 55, surrounded herself at the Federal Correctional Institution in Dublin, California, near San Francisco on Friday, October 30th. 
 

The actress pleaded guilty to fraud earlier this year after paying $500,000 to get their two daughters, daughters, Bella, 21, and Olivia Jade, 20, into the University of Southern California as fake crew team recruits. 

 

She was sentenced in August to two months in prison, two years of supervised release with 100 hours of community service, and a $150,000 fine. 

 

Her husband, Mossimo Giannulli, who was also involved was sentenced to five months in prison and is expected to report to prison by November 19. His deal included two years of supervised release, 250 hours of community service, and a $250,000 fine. 

 

“Lori and Moss don’t want to serve their prison sentences at the same time. Among the reasons, even though their daughters are adults, Lori wants one parent to be free to provide emotional support to the girls,” the insider explained. “Lori’s concern all along has been Isabella and Olivia Jade.”

 

Actress, Felicity Huffman also took part in the scheme, that was masterminded by Rick Singer. She was sentenced to two weeks in prison.