Television Nigerian

BODE GEORGE SHOULD SHUT UP AND LEAVE PDP – JIMI AGBAJE ATTACKS BODE GEORGE

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June 6, 2019

BODE GEORGE SHOULD SHUT UP AND LEAVE PDP – JIMI AGBAJE ATTACKS BODE GEORGE

The Lagos State governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Jimi Agbaje, has described insinuations that he has defected to the All Progressives Congress (APC) as the concoctions of a sick mind.

He said this in reaction to Wednesday’s alleged statement by a PDP former National Vice Chairman, Bode George, that the Pharmacist-turned-politician had joined the rival All Progressives Congress (APC).

Mr Agbaje warned: “People should please tell Bode George to shut up and leave PDP if he lacks any value to add to the party, instead of being a dog in the manger hampering the progress of the party in Lagos State.”

The PDP chieftain, however, clarified the true position about him cross-carpeting.

In a statement through his Director of Media and Publicity, Felix Oboagwina, Mr Agbaje described the news about the purported defection as misinformation that should be discountenanced.

The former PDP governorship candidate said he had never been a member of APC and talks of his “returning” to the ruling party had never crossed his mind.

He said: “That false narrative is the product of a sick mind. Or how else do you describe someone who just sits down to concoct fiction and markets it as reality? He should tell the world where he got the news being spreading round.”

Mr Agbaje said: “These shameless party leaders have 2023 in mind. The game-plan is mischievously simple: Give the dog a bad name and chase it away from the party. By 2023, this mudslinging will have scared off credible people from the party, which will leave the whole field to them to continue to corner party resources.

“I am too big to sneak out of one party into another one. And the reality remains that I have not left PDP for any other party, least of all APC.”

Dismissing the rumour as the antics of detractors bent on soiling his name and destabilising the party, Mr Agbaje said, the outburst finally unveiled the secret hand of Esau that had propelled antagonists to embark on a smear campaign against him after the 2019 governorship election he unexpectedly lost to APC’s Babajide Sanwoolu.

He blamed the false narrative on the same set of self-styled party leaders who, on the eve of the governorship election, went to declare for a rival candidate.

Ex-NBA Chairmen Granted Bail

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June 6, 2019

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A special offences court sitting at Ikeja, Lagos, on Thursday granted a bail of N500,000 to ex officials of the Nigerian Bar Association including two ex-Chairmen, Adesina Ogunlana and Yinka Faroumbi, and a former financial secretary, Aderinola Kappo.

The judge, Mojisola Dada, while delivering her ruling said the prosecution failed to provide proof that the defendants, especially the first defendant, tampered with prosecution witnesses.

Mrs Dada also said there was no proof that the defendants jumped administrative bail or that the third defendant gave a fake address to the EFCC.

“The allegation that the three defendants jumped administrative bail was not proven, although the first and third defendants said they were not around on the last Friday they were supposed to appear before the EFCC. But, they presented themselves the next Monday for arraignment, despite not being served by the EFCC.”

“There is no evidence that shows that the EFCC investigated the claims of the third defendant that she was in an hospital in Badagry on that Friday. The EFCC also failed to produce the second defendant in court for arraignment despite being in EFCC custody up until then. ”

“Failure to appear on the last Friday should not be sufficient reason to deny them bail but they will not be granted bail on self-recognition.”

“The defendants are granted bail in the sum of 500,000 and two sureties in like sum, one of whom must own a landed property within the jurisdiction of the court.”

“The defendants shall remain on temporary bail pending the perfection of their bail within two weeks, failure of which they will be remanded in prison.”

The matter was adjourned till July 3, 9 and 10, for commencement of trials.

The defendants are standing trials on a 30 count charge bordering on alleged money laundering, stealing, and conspiracy.

The three defendants are accused of conspiring to steal ₦20 million belonging to the NBA.

PRESIDENCY IS INTIMIDATING AIT, RAYPOWER – RAYMOND DOKPESI

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June 6, 2019

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PRESIDENCY IS INTIMIDATING AIT, RAYPOWER – RAYMOND DOKPESI

The Founder and Chairman Emeritus of DAAR Communications Plc, Chief Raymond Dokpesi, has alleged that its subsidiaries, Africa Independent Television and Raypower FM, are being persecuted by the National Broadcasting Commission on instructions from the Presidency.

Dokpesi, who spoke to journalists during a press conference at the company’s corporate headquarters in Abuja, said he had received reports of several media personalities under AIT been trailed by unidentified gunmen while exiting the office premises.
According to him, the perimeter fencing of the DAAR headquarters was also demolished by the Federal Capital Development Agency, exposing the property to external attacks.

Dokpesi added that the NBC had imposed several fines on AIT and Raypower for its political commentaries, despite the use of editorials and commentaries by media organisations as a standard feature to communicate their positions on issues of public interest.

The DAAR chairman lamented the imposition of N500m in licensing fees to private broadcasting organisations while government-owned broadcasters paid N10m.

He said, “I believe very strongly that under the leadership of the current Director General of the NBC (Is’haq Kawu), press freedom has been greatly eroded. If this was not protected by the President at the top, is it possible that his body language is being interpreted?

“I have it on strict authority and very assured information that the highest echelons of government, the Presidency, queried and challenged the NBC that they were not doing their jobs: ‘How on earth could they be hearing and seeing on AIT what they termed hate speech?’

“Any criticism of this government is hate speech. The NBC is acting under the authority of the President and Commander-in-Chief.”

Dokpesi stated that, as a pioneer in the Nigerian private media industry, he was looking out not only for AIT but all the private stations as well as the Broadcasting Organisation of Nigeria.

He said, “The licensing fees in Nigeria is one of the highest in the world. There is no country in the world where you have this type of exploitative fees. I have appealed for a reduction because the payments cannot be sustained by private broadcasters in Nigeria.

“This economy has plummeted. This government has called this organisation unprintable names which has deterred several advertisers from patronising AIT.

“I sought an audience with the NBC DG. I called, sent letters and sent text messages to him, but he refused. In spite of the fact that we have to run generators 24-hours of the day, I remain committed to keeping the spirit of broadcasting alive.”

MAKINDE GIVES AJIMOBI’S AIDES 48 HOURS TO RETURN GOVT VEHICLES

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June 6, 2019

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MAKINDE GIVES AJIMOBI’S AIDES 48 HOURS TO RETURN GOVT VEHICLES

Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State on Wednesday gave former governor Abiola Ajimobi’s aides a 48-hour ultimatum to return government vehicles with them.

The state government in a statement by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Chief Bisi Ilaka, said the former state officials must comply with the directive.

The statement read, “ Governor Seyi Makinde has directed that all former political functionaries who are still in possession of government vehicles to return them to Government Transport Pool within 48 hours.

“Failure to which the security agencies shall be directed to retrieve such vehicles from wherever they may have been kept.”

The government said it would ensure that all assets illegally taken away by former public officials were returned.

APPEAL COURT ASKED TO DISQUALIFY BUHARI

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June 6, 2019

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Three appellants have urged the Court of Appeal in Abuja to disqualify President Muhammadu Buhari as a candidate in the last presidential election held on February 23, 2019, for allegedly submitting false information regarding his educational qualifications to the Independent National Electoral Commission.

The prayer is contained in their appeal which they filed against the May 2, 2019 judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja which had dismissed their suit.

The appellants are, Kalu Agu, Labaran Ismai’l and Hassy El-Kuris.

They joined Buhari, INEC and the All Progressives Congress in the appeal.

They had, among other prayers, asked the Federal High Court in Abuja to declare that Buhari submitted false information regarding his educational qualifications/certificates to INEC for the purpose of contesting election into the office of President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria in the 2019 General Elections.

They sought an order disqualifying Buhari from presenting himself and or contesting for the office of President in the election.

But in his judgment delivered on May 2, 2019, Justice Ahmed Mohammed of the Federal High Court in Abuja dismissed the suit on the grounds that it was statute-barred not being filed within the time prescribed by the Constitution.

In their appeal against the judgment, the appellants asked the Court of Appeal to hold that the trial court was wrong in relying on the court papers filed by Buhari through a law officer in the Ministry of Justice.

The appellants stated, throug their lawyer, Ukpai Ukairo, “Arising from the foregoing it is our submission that the learned trial judge was, with respect, wrong to have held that the objection to the representation by the Attorney General and ipso facto the processes was belated in that there was no objection to the appearance of the law officers and that the Appellants reacted to the processes filed.”

They also urged the appellate court to nullify the decision of the trial court to the effect that the suit was statute-barred by computing the number of days from September 28, 2018 when the APC held its primary election in which Buhari was elected as the candidate of the party.

The appellants’ lawyer stated, “In conclusion we submit that the decision of the court below be reversed on the following grounds:

“That the processes filed by the 1st respondent (Buhari) are incompetent and ought to be struck out.

“That the suit is not statute-barred as it does not question any act or event occurring at the 2nd respondent’s primary election.

“That the court assume jurisdiction over the suit and grant the reliefs sought at the lower court since we have demonstrated in paragraph 2:7 above that there is no counter affidavit known to law in opposition to the Originating Summons and ipso facto the reliefs sought.”

HERDSMEN HAVE NO REASON TO ATTACK SOUTH-EAST – MIYETTI ALLAH

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June 6, 2019

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HERDSMEN HAVE NO REASON TO ATTACK SOUTH-EAST – MIYETTI ALLAH

The Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, South-East zone, has said that it has no grudges against any state in the zone, let alone plotting any form of attack.

The association in a press conference in Awka, the Anambra State capital, denied a media report purporting it to have said that herdsmen would unleash mayhem on the area for denying them grazing rights.

The Chairman of MACBAN South-East zone, AIhaji Gidado Sidikki, described the story as embarrassing and malicious.

He said, “Few days ago, we woke up to a malicious publication in a social media platform, purporting a phantom statement in Abuja entitled ‘South East will boil any moment from now because of their stubbornness’ ascribed to the leadership of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria, erroneously assigned by me.”

“My mission here is simply to expose the lie in the mischievous publication.

“It is my wish to inform the public that Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria did not make any statement to the effect of the content of the publication either in Abuja or anywhere for that matter.

“I humbly would wish to correctly place my designation as the Chairman of South East Zone of the Association and not ‘the leader of cattle breeders in Nigeria’ as I was addressed in the primary falsehood the publication sought to disseminate.

“Again, I wish to put it on record that the South East zone of the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria and her cattle herder members whom I serve as the Zonal Chairman enjoy warm relationship with the governors, governments and people of South East Nigeria.

“I wish to state that this warmth has not been completely devoid of flashes of momentary conflicts at few locations, such instances were however promptly addressed by the authorities and warm communality restored amongst the people.”

Sadikki added, “Given the increasing orientation and reorientation of our people and the locals who are our landlords, and given the strong commitment of the state governors to peaceful relationship across board, one harbours no doubts that the relationship between our herders and their landlords can only be increasingly enhanced as time progresses.”

Banditry: Buratai visits troubled northwest, celebrates Sallah with troops

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June 6, 2019

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Banditry: Buratai visits troubled northwest, celebrates Sallah with troops

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt Gen Tukur Yusuf Buratai as a routine has concluded a tour of areas affected by the activities of armed bandits in Nigeria’s northwest region.

Recall that TheNigerian reported a visit by the Army Chief to felicitate with troops on Tuesday during the commemoration of the 2019 Eid-El-Fitr celebration marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

Gen. Buratai’s visit to the Northwest reached a climax on Thursday as he continued operational tour of the troubled areas in Zamfara and Katsina States respectively.

Represented by the Chief of Training and Operations Army, Major General Lamidi Adeosun, the COAS combed the affected areas by touring the borders between Nigeria and Niger Republic.

The convoy of the COAS came to a halt along the Gusau — Jibia — Zurmi road, a border location close to Maradi in Niger Republic where he interacted with a detachment of Nigerien troops patrolling the borders of Niger and Nigeria.

The detachment upon interaction led by one Capt Mamadu Yousuf disclosed it is a joint patrol security architecture between aimed at fighting armed banditry alongside Nigerian troops in the region.

The Army Chief and his entourage later penetrated into the hinterland where they had a brief stopover and interaction with troops and local vigilantes at Yar’Gamji village in Katsina State. TheNigerian reliably gathered that no fewer than 14 locals were recently killed during an encounter with armed bandits in Yar’Gamji. Three other women were also abducted.

Gen Adeosun read the goodwill message of the COAS to the troops stationed at Yar’Gamji village while urging them to sustain the tempo against the bandits.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC), 8 Division Nigerian Army, Major Gen Hakeem Otiki promised an enhanced welfare package for the troops as contained in the COAS goodwill message, while urging them to crush any criminal element in the area.

“Ensure you do your job diligently without delay because as soldiers you have the license to kill criminals but you must not be killed”.

“It is your responsibility to safeguard this nation from every form of security threat. Make sure you patrol the flashpoints both day night. Do not hobnob with any local to avoid distractions” he instructed.

Otiki further gave the troops a standing order to crush any act of banditry in the area.

The COAS and his team proceeded to the Palace of the District Head of Batsari where issues bothering on security challenges around the jurisdiction of the traditional ruler were discussed. The Chairman of Batsari Local Government Area Alhaji Mannir Mu’azu was also in the palace to receive the COAS during the visit.

Representative of the COAS later moved to the front line, to address troops of 17 Brigade at the outskirts of Batsari town in Batsari Local Government Area of Katsina State during a Sallah Day Luncheon organized by the Chief of Army Staff in honour of the troops.

Gen Buratai ably represented by Gen Adeosun advised the troops to be competent, professional and responsive in the discharge of their constitutional roles.

“As professionals, you are tasked to protect Nigeria and Nigerians. You must use your weapons legitimately to ensure that criminal elements operating carelessly in this region are smoked out within the shortest duration”.

The GOC 8 Division, Maj Gen Otiki in his remarks applauded the commitment of the troops while tasking them to do more because “more has been given to you so much is expected”.

He also directed troops to confiscate or destroy any suspicious vehicular movements by the bandits operating in the hinterland.

Representative of the COAS and his entourage later paid an operational visit to Tashan Modibbo / Batsari border town, an invading route frequently used by the bandits located in Batsari Local Government Area.

The COAS was promptly briefed by the Brigade Commander of the Division.

Gen Buratai acting swiftly, instructed a 500 meters clearing of bushes and shrubs in the area proposed for troops deployment to enable a clear visibility of troops patrolling the area in their bid to dislodge invading bandits.

The COAS and his entourage later proceeded to Katsina State Government House.

The team was received by the Governor, Rt Hon Aminu Bello Masari, the Secretary of the State Government and other top government functionaries.

Gen Adeosun said the purpose of the visit is to interact with the troops as well as to assess the security situation in the State and the Northwest region.

“This visit is in line with the tradition of the COAS to pay homage to the Executive Governor of the State and assess the disposition of troops, and the security situation in the region”.

He noted that security situation in Katsina State recently escalated through the inimical activities of armed bandits but was curtailed by the gallant troops.

He also informed the Governor that peace has returned to the once troubled areas especially in Batsari Local Government. He acknowledged the efforts and support of the State government, urging them not to be tired.

Reacting to the gesture, Gov Masari prayed that the visit will be historic in curbing the menace of armed banditry in the State.

He reiterated that the government of Katsina State will not sit down and watch their people being killed.

“We cannot sit down and watch our people being killed. We are going to do our best by providing every necessary support to the military in fighting these devilish elements.

“We believe the military will crush the bandits same way they defeated Boko Haram Terrorists in the Northeast and we are not going to relent in providing the necessary support”.

Gov Masari hinted that the problems in the Northwest have no ethnic or religious colouration.

He said other regional armed forces are looking up to the Nigerian armed forces because of their immeasurable roles and importance within the African and sub Saharan region.

Top senior Army officers from the Nigerian Army Headquarters, 17 Brigade and 8 Division participated in the operational visit to the troops in the frontline.

DOES PORNOGRAPHY DRIVE INTERNET?

Headlines

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June 5, 2019

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Credible-seeming statistics suggest that about one in seven web searches is for porn. This is not trivial – but of course it means that six in seven web searches are not.

The most-visited porn website – Pornhub – is roughly as popular as the likes of Netflix and LinkedIn. That’s pretty popular but still only enough to rank 28th in the world when I checked.

New technologies often tend to be expensive and unreliable. They need to find a niche market of early adopters, whose custom helps the technology to develop.

Once it is cheaper and more reliable, it finds a bigger market, and a much broader range of uses.

There is a theory that pornography played this role in the development of the internet, and a whole range of other technologies. Does it stack up?

Since the very dawn of art, sex has always been a subject. Prehistoric cave-painters record buttocks, breasts, vulvas and comically large penises.

Carvings of copulating couples date back at least 11,000 years, to goat herders in Judea.

About 4,000 years ago, a Mesopotamian artist lovingly crafted a terracotta plaque of a man and woman having sex as she sips beer through a straw.

A couple of millennia later, the Moche in northern Peru depicted intercourse through the medium of ceramics. India’s Karma Sutra dates from about the same time.

But just because people used the arts and crafts to depict erotica does not mean it was the driving force behind these techniques. There’s no reason to think it was.

Consider Gutenberg’s printing press. Although titillating books were certainly printed, the main market for reading material was religious.

A more plausible candidate, leaping ahead to the 19th Century, is photography.

Pioneering studios in Paris did a roaring trade in so-called “art studies”, a euphemism the authorities didn’t always accept.

Customers were willing to pay enough to fund the technology: for a time, it cost more to buy an erotic photograph than to hire a prostitute.

The word “pornography” derives from the Greek for “writing” and “prostitutes”.

By the time of the next big technological breakthrough in artistic expression – the moving picture – the word had taken on its modern meaning.

But porn didn’t really drive the film industry, for obvious reasons.

SUDAN CRISIS: 40 BODIES FOUND IN RIVER NILE

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June 5, 2019

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SUDAN CRISIS: 40 BODIES FOUND IN RIVER NILE

Forty bodies have been pulled from the River Nile in the Sudanese capital Khartoum following a violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests, opposition activists said on Wednesday.

Doctors linked to the opposition said the bodies were among 100 people believed killed since security forces attacked a protest camp on Monday.

Reports said a feared paramilitary group was attacking civilians.

Sudan’s ruling Transitional Military Council (TMC) vowed to investigate.

Residents in Khartoum told the BBC they were living in fear as members of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) roamed the streets. The paramilitary unit – formerly known as the Janjaweed militia – gained notoriety in the Darfur conflict in western Sudan in 2003.

“Forty bodies of our noble martyrs were recovered from the river Nile yesterday,” the Central Committee of Sudanese Doctors said in a Facebook post.

An official from the group told the BBC that they had witnessed and verified the bodies in hospitals and that the death toll now stood at 100.

Sudanese security forces are deployed around Khartoum's army headquarters. Photo: 3 June 2019

A former security officer quoted by Channel 4’s Sudanese journalist Yousra Elbagir said that some of those thrown into the Nile had been beaten or shot to death and others hacked to death with machetes.

“It was a massacre,” the unnamed source said.

GIANNI IFANTINO RE-ELECTED AS FIFA PRESIDENT

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June 5, 2019

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GIANNI IFANTINO RE-ELECTED AS FIFA PRESIDENT

Gianni Infantino was re-elected Wednesday by acclamation for a second term as FIFA president at the Congress of world football’s governing body in Paris.

The 49-year-old, who took charge of FIFA in February 2016 after the departure of the disgraced Sepp Blatter, stood unopposed for a new four-year term which will run until 2023.

Earlier, Infantino had insisted that FIFA had been transformed into an organisation “synonymous with credibility” as he addressed representatives of the 211 member federations, before the Women’s World Cup begins in the French capital on Friday.

“Today nobody talks about crises, nobody talks about rebuilding FIFA from scratch, nobody talks about scandals, nobody talks about corruption, we talk about football,” insisted the Swiss-Italian lawyer, formerly secretary general of UEFA.

“The very least we can say is that we have turned the situation around.

“In three years and four months, this organisation went from being toxic, almost criminal, to being what it should be, an organisation that develops football, an organisation that cares about football.”