News / politics

PDP will bring desired change in 2023 Bayelsa Governor Claims

Governor Douye Diri of Bayelsa State has said the Peoples Democratic Party will in 2023 bring about the desired change Nigerians are yearning for.

Diri also advocated the strengthening of the party at all levels in order to wrest power from the ruling All Progressives Congress at the centre in the 2023 general elections.

In a statement on Thursday by his Chief Press Secretary, Daniel Alabrah, the governor noted that the PDP was the only reliable alternative party that could provide purposeful leadership at this point in time.

Diri, who decried the worsening insecurity in the country, said it behoved on the PDP to rescue the nation.

His words: “Nigeria is ripe enough for change. We have experienced the change that the APC brought and now it is time to change the change.

“PDP is the only veritable and reliable alternative party for now. So, you and I have been given the mandate to rescue this nation. We have the best times to bounce back to the national scene.

“Our appeal is that the APC should allow the people to determine who becomes their president in 2023. We don’t want Nigeria to go down.”

Diri also cautioned that the party and country’s interests should be placed above personal considerations in the choice of a presidential candidate, noting that political power should be utilised to positively impact lives as it was ephemeral.

On the proposed use of electronic registration of party members, he urged the zonal leadership to prevail on the national leadership to kick-start the process.

While commending the zonal leadership for its role in getting Edo back into the PDP fold, Diri said South South would remain a stronghold of the party.

While highlighting some of key projects being undertaken by his administration, particularly in the area of road infrastructure in the last one year, he assured the people that they would be ready for inauguration next February.

The projects include the construction of the Yenagoa-Oporoma and Sagbama-Ekeremor senatorial roads.

The construction of a media complex to accommodate the …

News / politics

Borrowing money is not your only responsibility: Wike to Buhari

The Governor of Rivers State, Nyesom Wike, has told President Muhammadu Buhari to stop shifting security responsibilities to State Governors.

The Governor, who spoke in a statement on Wednesday by his Media Aide, Kelvin Ebirim said it is unconstitutional for Buhari to shift his constitutional responsibility of securing lives and property of Nigerians to state governors.

Wike, who spoke at the inauguration of the 21km Odufor-Akpoku-Umuoye Road in Etche Local Government Area of the state on Tuesday, said such a position suggested that the All Progressives Congress-led Federal Government lacked strategies on how to tackle insecurity in the country.

He said: “Mr President, you are the Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.

“You appoint the Chief of Army Staff, Chief of Naval Staff, the Commissioners of Police, the Director of Department of State Services and other heads of security.

“Which one do we appoint?

“How can people appointed by Mr. President be under me?

“It is not only to borrow money for Nigeria that you’re in charge.

“You must, also, be in charge of other things including security.

“Who signed Order 10?

“Is it the governors?

“It is not when things are going bad concerning security, and you say you’re not in charge, and it becomes governors’ responsibility.”

Wike advised the APC-led Federal Government to agree that it could no longer fulfil promises made to Nigerians.

The governor said Nigerians should begin to compare the performances of the Peoples Democratic Party governors with their APC counterparts.

He said: “Mr. President was short of calling names of those governors who run to Aso Rock when they are supposed to stay in their states to see the needs of their states and people.

“Mr. President should have come out openly and said, ‘my APC governors, stop worrying me. Go back to your states and do your work.’

“On that, I support him.

“Thank God, Mr. President knows that I am not one of those that go to visit him over one problem or the other.

“I, as …

News / Security

I have been receiving death threats, says EFCC boss Bawa

Chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, Abdulrasheed Bawa, says corruption does fight back, adding that he has been receiving death threats since he came on board as the chairman of the anti-graft agency.

He spoke on Tuesday when he featured in Channels Television’s ‘Sunrise Daily’ program.

President Muhammadu Buhari had in November 2016 said, “Corruption is fighting back vigorously”.

When asked on Tuesday if indeed corruption is fighting back, Bawa said, “Last week, I was in New York, as all Nigerians are aware of. A very senior citizen received a phone call from somebody that is not even under investigation. What he (the caller) said to him on phone is that; he is going to kill the EFCC chairman, the young man. The President had in February 2021 named 40-year-old Bawa as the new EFCC chairman to replace the embattled ex-acting chairman of the anti-graft commission, Ibrahim Magu.…

News / politics

Amid his reported death, Tinubu returns to Nigeria

he National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, has returned to Nigeria amid reports of his death in the United Arab Emirates.

The news of Tinubu’s death spread on Tuesday following a report online that he died as a result of ill-health in the UAE.

However, amid confusion over the report, the Tinubu Media Office released images of the two term former Governor of Lagos State arriving the country via the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos.

Dressed in a blue native attired, Tinubu was shown going through the arrival process. Shortly before he arrived though, the Founder of the Bola Ahmed Tinubu Movement, Abiodun Ajiboye, has debunked the rumour of the death of the APC National Leader.

Ajiboye said: “Looking through the story, you can see that the story is not professionally written, the story refused to disclose the precise time he was flown out and nature of the ailment, the story refused to state the surrounding circumstances and lastly, they do not even know the name of the hospital he has been flown to.

“All this simply attest to the fact that it is not a credible story, but rumour to fill the media space. For the avoidance of doubt, Asiwaju has a registered hospital he attends in London and his regular doctors who have his medical history. So, the question of undisclosed location is just to lay further credence to the fact that the report is fake news.

“By and large, it is not uncommon for Asiwaju at 69 to go for regular medical check-ups, I hereby implore all and sundry to disregard the news flying around about his state of health, he is hale and hearty. Asiwaju is due back today, as I speak, he is due back very shortly.”…

Movies / News

Movie Updates: June Edition

Wednesday June 16th

The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard – Rated R – Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson

Fatherhood – Netflix Release – Rated PG-13 – Kevin Hart, Lil Rel Howery


Luca – Disney+ Release – Rated PG – Jacob Tremblay, Jack Dylan Grazer

Friday June 25th

F9 (Fast and Furious 9) – Rated PG-13 – Vin Diesel, John Cena

 

…

News

Nigeria on suicide slide, may not see another June 12, Soyinka warns

Nobel laureate Prof. Wole Soyinka has said that Nigeria may not celebrate another Democracy Day as one nation if President Muhammadu Buhari fails to listen to the people and decentralize the system of government.

Soyinka said this yesterday during an interview with Arise News, which focused on June 12 Democracy Day commemoration in Nigeria, where he described the country as a plane that is on a suicide slide, and that the citizens have the right to exit the plane before it nosedives.

He urged President Buhari to stop exuding false confidence and speak like a leader who is ready to take action concerning the country’s challenges. “And that is what’s happening to people in the streets. That’s why they are moving, that’s why they are demonstrating; that’s why they are defying even threats from the police and the government – If you demonstrate, we will do this, if you do this, we will deal with you, we will talk to you in language which you understand – it does not wash with anybody any longer. Because if a nation is on a suicide slide, the people who feel that they do not deserve that kind of suicidal plunge have a right to say they are getting off this plane before it nosedives.”

The Nobel laureate noted that the upsurge in secessionist agitation in the country in recent times stemmed from Buhari’s refusal to listen to Nigerians.

When asked the question: “Do you think Nigeria can continue as one?” Soyinka responded: “Not if it continues this way. Not if it fails to decentralize. If Nigeria fails to decentralize, and I mean to decentralize as fast as possible, manifestly and not as rhetoric, then Nigeria cannot stay together.

“Again, it is not Wole Soyinka saying this. Everybody has said it: ex-heads of state have said it; politicians have said it; analysts have said it; economists have said it, and sometimes we get tired.

“Take for instance the position of the Southern governors on open grazing, at least 50 per cent of a …

News

Bandits kill 93 in Zamfara, gov calls for self-defence

Bandits have again killed 93 people in Kadawa village of Zurmi Local Government Area of Zamfara State, while many others were severely wounded.

A local, Mallam Muhammadu Dansani, who narrowly escaped being killed, told Saturday PUNCH on the phone that the incident happened between Thursday night and Friday morning.

“The bandits are non-Nigerians. They spoke French and wore long-plaited hair. Most of them were dark and short,” he said.

Dansani lamented that security personnel were nowhere to be found during the hours of the attack.

When contacted,  the state Commissioner of Police, Husaini Rabiu, said he had visited the scene of the crime in company with the Speaker of the House of Assembly. Rabiu also said those that were killed had been buried according to Islamic rites.

He said, “I visited the scene and mobilised our men to secure the area. Those killed had been buried according to Islamic rites.

“I cannot say the exact number of those that were killed, but the Divisional Police Officer counted over 40 corpses.  I visited the area in company with the speaker of the state house of assembly.”

Rabiu described the incident as worrisome, adding that the attackers did not want the farmers to cultivate “anything without paying them money.” Earlier, the spokesman for the state police command, Mohammed Shehu, had told our correspondent that some corpses were brought to Gusau for burial.…

Importation / News

Importers, agents groan as Customs adopt N404.97/$1 as new import duty rate

Importers in the country are to pay more, as the Federal Government, through the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) adopts a higher exchange rate band from N381 to N404.97 for calculation and payment of import duty.

The situation, according to stakeholders, would trigger higher cost of goods in the market and trigger further the country’s already high inflation.

The Guardian gathered that the Nigeria Customs Service (NSC) has immediately implemented the rate on duty payable on consignments imported into the country. Therefore, all transactions and cargoes cleared from the port from Tuesday, had their duty computed based on the new rate of N404.97 to a dollar.

President, Shippers Association of Lagos, Reverend Jonathan Nicole told The Guardian that the increment is not palatable with importers, because the move will increase the cost of cargo clearance.

He noted that such developments would also cause hike in prices and goods in the market and lead to inflation.

“It will raise the cost of clearing astronomically. Shippers will have to source for more funds to clear their goods. The ripple effect is that goods will become more expensive in the market and this will lead to inflation,” he stated.

Nicole said shippers were not happy with the increment but have begun to pay, since the Customs have adjusted the duty payable on goods. National President, National Council of Managing Director of Licensed Customs Agents (NCMDLCA), Lucky Amiwero, said the increase would create more hardship for the citizenry, considering the fact that Nigeria runs an import dependent economy.

He said: “The latest increase will also affect purchasing power of Nigerians. The continuous increase will cause a problem because it will get to a level where inflation rate will be terribly high. The economy is not growing and the people’s purchasing power is gradually going down, which an indication that government should do something to avoid more economic woes.”

Vice President, Association of Nigerian Licensed Customs Agents (ANLCA), Kayode Farinto, said the increase took effect on Tuesday, adding that it was unfortunate that the cost …

News / politics

Twitter, Facebook, others must register in Nigeria, says FG

As part of its new move to regulate social media, the Federal Government has said Twitter, Facebook and other social media giants doing business in Nigeria must register in the country before being allowed to operate unhindered.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, yesterday also disclosed that Twitter, which was last week suspended, has called for a ‘high-level’ discussion.

Mohammed made this known in Abuja while briefing journalists after the weekly Federal Executive Council (FEC) meeting.

Mohammed said he got the message yesterday morning and repeated government’s stance that Twitter was suspended because it provided an avenue for people threatening the corporate existence of Nigeria. He claimed that the owner of Twitter helped to fund the recent #EndSARS protest and is also allowing the leader of the outlawed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Nnamdi Kanu, to use the platform to call for the killing of security operatives. He added that Twitter failed to take down Kanu’s tweets despite repeated requests to do so.

The minister said he has already directed the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC) to commence the process of licensing all OTT and social media operations in the country. The NBC as part of implementing the directive has also asked all broadcast stations to suspend usage of their Twitter accounts with immediate effect.

Mohammed listed conditions that must be met even if there is a discussion with Twitter, including that it must now be registered in Nigeria as a business concern. According to the government spokesman, freedom of speech has not been stifled by the suspension of Twitter as he maintained that Nigerians can still use other platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.

“We found out that Twitter is actually the platform of choice for a particular separatist leader who resides outside the country and issues directives to its members to attack symbols of government authority, such as the police, military, electoral commission offices, correctional centers, etc. And this is being done willfully and consistently without any consequences from Twitter.

“No country worth its name will tolerate that. …

News / politics

Nigeria better united than separated, says Obasanjo

Former President Olusegun Obasanjo on Wednesday said Nigerians would fair better staying together than break up.

Obasanjo stated this in Abeokuta at his investiture as a Fellow of the Nigerian Institution of Surveyor by the Ogun State chapter of the Body of Fellows of the NIS.

The elder statesman called on agitators for the disintegration of the country to shelve the idea and work for the oneness of the country.

According to him, it is better for Nigeria to remain as one indivisible nation than for each tribe to go its separate way.

The former president, who acknowledged that Nigeria is passing through challenges, insisted that “disintegration is not the solution”.

According to him, any Nigerian who does not feel concerned about the challenges of the country is a human being without being human.

Obasanjo said: “It is better that Nigeria stays together and find solutions to its challenges than for each tribe to go its separate way.

“I am a strong believer of one Nigeria, but not one Nigeria at any cost, but one Nigeria where every Nigerian can feel proud that he or she has a stake in this country.

“Those of us who have shed part of our blood and sweat for this country, we did so because we wanted a country where every Nigerian can claim as his or her own.

“I believe that if we talk among ourselves the way we should and if we change the narrative, I believe this is a great country.

“The fact that we are not making Nigeria what God wants it to be is not the fault of God, but our fault, particularly the leaders.”

Obasanjo, who noted that Nigeria’s diversity remained a major source of its strength, explained that disintegration would result in “weak republics”.

He added: “One thing that gives us strength is our diversity.

“If all that we have is Republic of Oduduwa for those who say so, members of that country will be diminished compared to being a citizen of Nigeria.

“Citizens of Oduduwa Republic …

News / Security

Police speak on reported killing of 15 Soldiers, attack on Imo Government House

The Imo State Police Command has rebutted the report on some social media platforms that gunmen attacked the Imo State Government House and Obinze Army Barracks.

Reacting to the report in a statement on Wednesday, the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, SP Bala Elkana, urged the public to disregard the report.

He described it as “a false alarm, which only existed in the imagination of the writer”.

The social media report also stated that 15 soldiers were killed in the attack.

The PPRO described the report as “the handiwork of mischief makers and conflict entrepreneurs.

“The command, therefore, warns the public to be wary of such posts,” Elkana stated, adding that it was aimed at causing tension and instilling fear in Imo people.

He further warned mischief makers to desist from such fake alarms else they would be made to face the full wrath of the law.

Elkana, who said that peace had returned to Imo State, advised “night crawlers and hospitality patrons to feel free, come out in in pursuit of their regular pleasure”.…

News / politics

Nigerians launch legal action against government’s Twitter ban

Dozens of Nigerians and a local rights group have filed a lawsuit at a regional court seeking to lift the government’s ban on Twitter, describing the decision to suspend the hugely popular social media platform’s operations as an attempt to silence criticism of the government.

Authorities announced the ban on Friday, two days after Twitter removed a post from President Muhammadu Buhari that threatened to punish regional secessionists.…

Foreign / News

Twitter ban is Indefinite says FG

Despite widespread anger over the ban on Twitter use in the country, indications emerged, yesterday, that the Federal Government is not ready to shift grounds.

Coming a day after the government met with some envoys, which ended in both parties sticking to their guns and some very influential clerics continuing the use of the popular micro-blogging platform, a top government functionary, last night, told The Guardian that the ban remains indefinite for now as the administration insists ongoing tough on social media regulation.

“In fact, there will be a public communication today or tomorrow asking all foreign social media companies to register before they can be allowed to operate in the country.”

The source further confided that the outcome of Monday’s meeting of the Minister of Foreign Affairs with envoys of the United State, United Kingdom, European Union, Canada and Ireland may not have the blessing of the presidency.

“The government may have regretted the meeting with envoys, giving the impression the Minister may have acted without the full backing of the full house, that is the Presidency. This is because it is believed Twitter has two standards; one for Nigeria and one for other countries. So, for now, the government is not backing down.”

The inkling of the government’s hard stance on maintaining its position despite public criticism emerged when the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN), restated his stand on the ban of Twitter by deactivating his account yesterday.

Only the President’s wife, Aisha Buhari, had similarly deactivated her Twitter account as soon as the ban was announced on Friday. Many top government functionaries and institutions are still maintaining their Twitter accounts. Many have described the ban as an attempt to gag the media, an attack on press freedom, freedom of expression and an attempt to pass the controversial Social Media Bill.

Malami had on Saturday ordered the prosecution of Nigerians defying the Federal Government’s last Friday’s ban on Twitter as a result of the platform’s deletion of President Muhammadu Buhari’s tweet even …

News

Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay go for each other at a salon + Video

Popular singers, Tiwa Savage and Seyi Shay, have been involved in a fight in a salon in Lagos.

In a video, which surfaced online, the duo was seen being pulled apart from getting physical at the salon as they threw altercations at each other.

Seyi Shay had walked up to Tiwa Savage at the salon to say hi, but Tiwa was not having it.

According to Tiwa Savage, Seyi Shay had no right to walk up to her to say hi, considering what she and Victoria Kimani had done to her in the past. Seyi Shay and Victoria Kimani had in 2019 released their covers of Kizz Daniel’s hit song: “Fvck You,” where they had both dissed Tiwa Savage.

n her lyrics, Seyi Shay said: “You know I’m not Savage, I pay my bills.”

Victoria Kimani, in her part, accused Tiwa Savage of prostitution and blocking her from a show.

Teasing Tiwa Savage, who is also known as “African Bad Gyal”, Kimani said: “Grandma African bad gyal, turning 45 and still claiming bad girl. You can block me from a show but you can’t block my blessings. We all know you selling pu*ssy and it’s so depressing.”

In the video, Tiwa Savage said she was not going to publicly respond to Seyi Shay or Victoria Kimani because she did not want to disgrace or embarrass them.

She said: “Don’t come to me and think you can say hi with the dirty and disgusting spirit that you have. You think I have forgotten what you guys did? How many years ago? You and Victoria Kimani. You think I can forget?

“You did a whole song; you and that btch did a whole song. You went on interviews and said sht about me and I didn’t say nothing.

“I have never slept with your man. I have never taken a job from you. I have never gone on radio to say sht. You don’t try and squash sht by saying hi. You try and squash sh*t by calling …

Agriculture / News

Food, cattle dealers threaten nationwide strike

The Amalgamated Union of Food Stuff and Cattle Dealers of Nigeria says it will embark on a nationwide strike over alleged illegal roadblocks and multiple taxations on its members.

The National President of the union, Muhammed Tahir, stated this while addressing newsmen at the end of an emergency meeting of the union on Tuesday in Abuja.

The News Agency of Nigeria recalled that the union had in March went on strike following similar allegations, including extortion of her members and attacks of its members in some parts of the country.

The union had earlier embarked on a six-day industrial action which was suspended after the intervention of Governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi State.

Tahir said after reviewing the issues, the union resolved to throw her weights behind the Onion Union, who had commenced cutting off supply to the southern part of the country due to the same issues.

He, therefore, said the union would cut the supply of food nationwide if government failed to meet its demands within three weeks.

According to him, AFUCDN is not on strike at the moment, but may not guarantee industrial harmony after three weeks if the government fails to meet the union’s demands.

Also, Magama Saleh, Legal Adviser to the union, said the government must do the needful to avert cutting down of food supply across the country.

Saleh said: “This is an emergency meeting in regards to what is happening to our members in South East and South South Nigeria, this is also to brief our members nationwide on the aftermath of the three-month strike.

“Today’s resolution is that we are declaring support to the various unions under the umbrella of the amalgamated union.

“The onion association has embarked on strike last night and only to the south, and as a national union, we have discussed extensively and have resolved to support them on their industrial action.

“We have written a reminder letter to the Federal Government, through the ministry concerned and security agencies reminding them of their previous promises to the union.…

News / politics

Trump hails Nigeria for banning Twitter

Former US President Donald Trump has congratulated Nigeria for suspending the operations of Twitter in the country.

Trump, in a statement on Tuesday night, commended Nigeria for the action, calling on more countries to “ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech.”

He said: “Congratulations to the country of Nigeria, who just banned Twitter because they banned their President.

“More COUNTRIES should ban Twitter and Facebook for not allowing free and open speech – all voices should be heard.”

The Federal Government had on Friday suspended the operations of Twitter indefinitely due to its use for activities that were capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

The Federal Government had on Friday suspended the operations of Twitter indefinitely due to its use for activities that were capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence.

The former US leader also expressed regrets for not taking action against them while he was president.

He said: “In the meantime, competitors will emerge and take hold. Who are they to dictate good and evil if they themselves are evil?

“Perhaps, I should have done it while I was President. But Zuckerberg kept calling me and coming to the White House for dinner telling me how great I was.”

Trump also made a veiled reference to his speculated 2024 presidential ambition by simply saying: “2024?”

The News Agency of Nigeria reports that Twitter and Facebook had in January suspended Trump’s accounts indefinitely.

The two social networking sites claimed that he used the platforms to mobilise his followers to invade Capitol Hill over the outcome of the November 2020 presidential election after he lost.

Facebook had also on Friday announced that it had banned Trump from its two platforms – Facebook and Instagram – for two years, effective January 7, 2021.

Facebook, in a statement by Nick Clegg, Vice-President of Global Affairs, cited “severe violation” after Capitol Hill riots of January 6 and that Trump’s accounts would only be reinstated if conditions permitted.…

News / politics

Twitter ban: PDP Reps stage walkout as Gbajabiamila overrules demand

Representatives have staged a walkout over the refusal of the Speaker, Femi Gbajabiamila, to grant their prayer on the Federal Government’s Twitter Ban.

Gbajabiamila had earlier asked relevant committees of the House to investigate the matter within 10 days.

Leader of the PDP caucus, Kingsley Chinda, much later, raised a point of order to make an additional prayer that the House asks the Federal Government to lift the ban pending when the House carries out the probe.

Chinda noted that the implication is that the ban would remain for 10 days, which means the rights of Nigerians would be kept in abeyance during the period. Gbajabiamila, however, cited part of the Standing Orders of the House stating that a matter that had been concluded by the parliament cannot be revisited for a debate.

The Speaker, therefore, ruled Chinda out of order, a decision that did not go down well the members of the opposition.

Insisting on speaking and several leaders of the House shutting him down, Chinda led other PDP members out of the chamber.…

Foreign / News

Man slaps French President Macron in Southern France

The President of France, Emmanuel Macron, was slapped in the face on Tuesday while on a walkabout in southern France, video footage showed.

The incident took place while Macron was on a visit to the Drome region in south-eastern France, where he met restaurateurs and students to talk about the COVID-19 Pandemic.

In the video, Macron, dressed in shirt sleeves, could be seen walking towards a crowd of people who were behind a metal barrier.

The French president reached out his hand to greet one man, in a green T-Shirt, with glasses and a face mask. The man could be heard shouting out “Down with Macronia” (“A Bas La Macronie”) and then he delivered a slap to Macron’s face. Macron’s security was able to quickly intervened to pull the man to the ground and move Macron away from him.

n the aftermath of the incident, two people were arrested.

…
Gospel / News

‘TB Joshua asked Nigerians to pray for 2023’

• Shocked worshipper relives last moment before collapse
• Buhari, governors, church leaders mourn
• Losing a loved one is never easy, wife mourns

A carnival was expected this weekend on Nigeria’s Democracy Day, June 12, to celebrate the 58th birthday of Prophet Temitope Balogun Joshua against his wish, but in a twist of fate, the ‘Man’ in the Synagogue breathed his last on Saturday night, seven days to his birthday.

It was a throng of shocked worshippers and well-wishers who gathered yesterday, at the Ikotun location of the sprawling Synagogue Church Of All Nations (SCOAN), where they stood nonplussed, gazing into space. Some, finding it hard to absorb the news knelt at the entrance to the church in silent prayers as many others betrayed emotions and wept uncontrollably.

The news of the popular televangelist’s death had filtered in at midnight and by dawn of yesterday, the church in a Facebook post said: “God has taken his servant Prophet TB Joshua home – as it should be by divine will. His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God. This is what he was born for, lived for and died for. His last moments on earth were spent in the service of God,” the church wrote without giving further details.

According to a source who pleaded for anonymity, the cleric had urged members and indeed all Nigerians to pray for the country, especially as the country moves towards the 2023 general elections.

The source said: “He asked the church and indeed Nigerians to pray. According to him, politicians have plotted some evil plans ahead of the elections. He gave series of prophecies. At some point, he started speaking in parables. The message he preached was centered on time, and he took his Bible reading from Ecclesiastes 3, noting that there was time for everything – ‘time to come here for prayer and time to return home after the service.’ It was as if he knew he will die.”

The source continued: “When he finished speaking, he handed …

Breaking News / News / Telecommunication

$12b e-commerce suffers as Twitter ban costs N7.5 billion in three days

• FG in talks with China, considers Internet firewall to block VPN access
• A4AI Nigeria says situation creates $1.2b loss for MSMEs
• Raises questions of our readiness for investors, says ALTON

 

The suspension of Twitter, a leading micro-blogging platform, has begun to take its toll on struggling Nigeria’s economy, leading to a loss of N7.5 billion in the past three days.

Nigeria’s decision to suspend Twitter, at first indefinitely but later temporarily, could backfire for the government and cost the country economically in terms of new investment into its technology sector. The ban may threaten Nigeria’s status as one of the best-performing African countries in attracting investment for technology start-up businesses.

According to Net Blocks, a watchdog organization that monitors cyber-security and governance of the Internet, each hour of the social media gagging costs Nigeria about $250,000 (N102.5 million), bringing the daily loss to N2.5 billion. It means the economy would have lost approximately N7.5 billion in the past three days.

The suspension has already created a market access gap for millions of small and medium scale enterprises (SMSEs) that use the platform to reach their customers. This could potentially complicate the challenges COVID-19 and other structural defects had imposed on businesses. Also hit is the e-commerce market in the country, estimated at $12 billion.

But within hours of the ban, internet searches for ‘VPNs’ – virtual private networks, which allow users to disguise their online identity and evade country-specific limits, surged across the country. Multiple videos appeared on YouTube explaining the ins and outs of VPNs to Twitter-hungry Nigerians. Nigerians also have plenty of other digital options to share opinions and information, from the popular WhatsApp to the Indian micro-blogging service, Koo, which has quickly announced plans to expand into the country.…