By Okon Okon

The Federal Government on Thursday urged Nigerians to disregard the news circulating on the social media that it was contemplating another lockdown.

Mr Boss Mustapha, Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), also Chairman, Presidential Task Force (PTF) on COVID-19, made clarification in a statement signed by Mr Willie Bassey, Director Information in his office.

Mustapha also advised Nigerians to join hands with the Federal Government to contain the spread of the virus by adhering to Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPI’s) as recommended by PTF.

“The attention of the Presidential Task Force on COVID-19 has been drawn to some misinformation circulating on the social media to the effect that the Federal Government is contemplating another lockdown this weekend.

“The PTF wishes to state categorically that there is no such consideration at any of its meetings, nor has any recommendation been made to this effect to the President.

“The PTF frowns at such unpatriotic misinformation which is capable of causing unnecessary panic and anxiety among the populace,” he said in the statement. (NAN)

By Ramatu Garba

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), command in Kano State has deployed 1,926 personnel for the Jan.16, local government council poll in the state.

Mr Abu Tambuwal, the state NSCDC Commandant said this in a statement by the spokesman of the Corps, ASC Ibrahim Abdullahi,on Thursday in Kano.

Tambuwal said the personnel drawn from various departments,divisions and units of the Corps were deployed to provide adequate security as well as to ensure crowd control in 8,084 polling units, wards and collation centres across the state.

“We will ensure maximum and adequate security for the protection of electoral officials,voting materials as well as the electorate in all the respective polling and collation centres.

” Additionally, the Corps will ensure orderliness at polling and collation centres and unauthorised persons will not be allowed into the centres,” he said.

According to him, NSCDC in collaboration with sister security agencies will take effective control to forestall any threat to law and order before, during and after the election.

He advised miscreants,hoodlums as well as political thugs to desist from disrupting the election.

“Anybody found wanting will be made to face the full wraft of the law,” he said.

The Commandant also enjoined the electorate to observe and adhere with the COVID-19 protocols such as social distancing and the use of facemask during the election.

By Fortune Abang

The French Embassy in Nigeria on Thursday said it would hold the 2021 edition of the Night of Ideas programme in Nigeria.

The Night of Ideas is an annual event designed to deepen exchange of ideas between countries and cultures, disciplines and generations.

According to a statement signed by Cécile Mercier, Cultural Affairs Officer of the Embassy, this year would mark the third edition of the programme scheduled to hold at the Alliance Française in Lagos on Jan. 28 at 6:00 p.m.

“In January 2021, more than 200 Nights of Ideas are expected internationally, from Finland to Peru, from Nigeria to Fiji, from Lebanon to Canada.

“This year, Institut Française in Paris designed a unique global programme; the programme will be reinforced in its digital dimension by a live broadcast on Facebook and YouTube.

“The programme entitled Night of Ideas; Circles of Solidarity, will address the general theme: Closer in the light of the new forms of solidarity.

“Which the crisis of our economic and social models calls for in the wake of a pandemic that will leave us with a world that is as uncertain as ever,” Mercier said.

She explained that the programme would be divided into several salons, to allow the audience to wander through a variety of spaces, take part in workshops-conferences and enjoy cultural activities.

She also said it would feature dance performances by Ennovate Dance House artistes and photography exhibition by Imaging Oworo, as tool to document environment and promote friendship.

“As part of the Night of Ideas, an exhibition of the works being produced will be presented in the gallery of the Alliance Française de Lagos.

“The exhibition will showcase how art and culture can be effective means for the reconstruction of individual and collective identities, for social cohesion and foster neighbourliness, she added. (NAN)

Twitter’s chief executive Jack Dorsey on Wednesday defended the platform’s decision to suspend U.S. President Donald Trump’s account indefinitely, but also said it sets a dangerous precedent.

Twitter banned the outgoing president in the wake of the attack on the U.S. Capitol by a pro-Trump mob last week.

“I do not celebrate or feel pride in our having to ban @realDonaldTrump from Twitter, or how we got here.

“After a clear warning we’d take this action, we made a decision with the best information we had based on threats to physical safety both on and off Twitter,” Dorsey wrote in a Twitter thread.

However, he also said he feels turning to a ban ultimately shows a failure by Twitter to promote healthy conversation.

“Having to take these actions fragment the public conversation. They divide us.

“They limit the potential for clarification, redemption, and learning. and sets a precedent I feel is dangerous: the power an individual or corporation has over a part of the global public conversation,” Dorsey wrote.

Facebook has also banned Trump from using his accounts, citing his intent to “undermine the peaceful and lawful transition of power.”

Trump has complained that social media platforms are exercising censorship and suggested he may launch a competing platform.

Amazon had earlier on Wednesday defended its decision to kick the social network Parler from its cloud servers, saying the platform popular with Trump’s supporters failed to delete threats of violence.

Some people used Parler to spread messages promoting insurrection and to plan for last Wednesday’s deadly invasion of the U.S. Capitol.

Amazon Web Services booted social network Parler on Monday in a move that effectively removed it from the internet.

The conservative-friendly platform then filed a lawsuit in a Seattle federal court that demanded Amazon keep Parler on its service.

Parler argued Amazon was driven by “political animus” and the decision was “the equivalent of pulling the plug on a hospital patient on life support. It will kill Parler’s business – at the very time it is set to skyrocket.”

Amazon hit back in its response on Tuesday, saying the case “is not about suppressing speech or stifling viewpoints.”

“This case is about Parler’s demonstrated unwillingness and inability to remove from the servers of Amazon Web Services content that threatens the public safety, such as by inciting and planning the rape, torture, and assassination of named public officials and private citizens.”

Amazon then listed more than a dozen examples from Parler users, including: “After the firing squads are done with the politicians the teachers are next” and “We are going to fight in a civil War on Jan. 20th, Form MILITIAS now and acquire targets.” (dpa/NAN)

By Salisu Sani-Idris

Savannah Centre for Diplomacy, Democracy and Development (SCDDD) says it will mainstream a society-driven national dialogue for peace, national unity, security and sustainable development.

Amb. Sani Bala, Executive Director of the centre, said this in a statement on Wednesday in Abuja.

Bala said that the centre was desirous of restoring public confidence in the Nigeria State, which concerned Nigerians had argued was heightening the divides in the country.

According to him, the divide is creating widespread demand for dialogue and consensus building on restructuring.

He said that the SCDDD welcome like-minded and willing Civil Society Organisations domiciled and active within the different geopolitical zones and the FCT to join in driving the process of meaningful national dialogue.

“This will lay sound basis for the development of the common grounds for durable peace, national unity, security and sustainable development in Nigeria,’’ he said.

Bala said that the first phase of the dialogues was expected to be from the end of January to April.

He said that the SCDDD and stakeholder CSOs and other groups were expected to commence their deliberations at the zonal levels.

“Although our national challenges are varied and wide spread, the zonal level deliberations will focus on these interrelated thematic areas of unity, security, youth engagement and CSO-Government partnerships across the country,’’ he said.

He said that the role of the CSOs as grassroots monitoring and humanitarian organisations in promoting and advocating for accountability in governance and pushing for the presence of government in all communities were increasingly being recognised.

He said that the United Nations, the African Union and ECOWAS were encouraging communities to do same.

“Hence, there is need for partnership between the CSOs, state and Federal Governments.

“The centre appeals to stakeholders in the six geopolitical zones and the FCT that are supportive of defining the challenges of governance in the country to fully participate in the zonal meetings.

“The zonal meetings will soon be called by their zonal CSOs driving the dialogue,” he said.

According to him, the Savannah Centre strongly encourages the participating stakeholders to make the pragmatic recommendations aimed at proffering lasting solutions to our national challenges.

“At the end of the first three months, Savannah Centre, alongside representatives of the stakeholders on these engagements, shall interface with the Federal Government and zonal governments.

“The meeting will craft positive pathways and supportive sets of activities that can contribute to the success of the needed nation-building process that can guarantee peace, national unity, youth engagement and sustainable development,” he said.

By Ige Adekunle

Five people were confirmed dead while 16 others sustained various degrees of injuries on Wednesday in an accident involving a Mazda bus and a truck at Danlitu community on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

Mr Ojuoro Olusola, Commander of the Mowe-Ibafo Division of the Ogun State Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps (TRACE), confirmed the development in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) at Ota in Ogun.

Olusola said that the accident that occurred at about 2.45 p.m. was due to speeding and reckless driving.

He said that a Mazda bus marked EPE-575 XA rammed into a truck with registration number, APP-397 YA from the rear while making a turning at Danlitu community on the Lagos-Ibadan Expressway.

The commander said that 21 people, comprising 14 males and seven females were involved in the accident.

According to him, five people died on the spot, while 16 others, consisting of 15 adults and one toddler sustained various degrees of injuries.

“The corpses of the victims have been taken to Idera private morgue, while the survivors are receiving treatment at the same hospital. But the toddler was taken to the Olabisi Onabanjo University Teaching Hospital, Sagamu.”

Olusola said that TRACE and Federal Road Safety Corps operatives had towed the two vehicles out of the road to ease traffic flow.

He advised motorists to desist from speeding and reckless driving that could lead to unnecessary loss of lives and property. (NAN)