Month: September 2023

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Promoting Civil Space and Human Rights: Community Gathering Held in Jos, Plateau State

The News: The Center For Peace Education And Community Development, Jalingo in collaboration with The Space For Change, Lagos organised a one-day stakeholders town hall meeting on Thursday 14th September 2023, at Lemonde Hotels, Tundun Wada, Jos Plateau State, with the theme ‘civil space and human rights.’

Why It Matters: According to Joseph Gimba, the chief executive officer of the Center For Peace And Community Development, The civil space is a physical or digital space, where people come together to exercise their human rights. However, civil space has been shrinking as a result of laws made by the government, which puts the government and security operatives in a privileged position to trample on individual human rights, and not allow them to enjoy their civil rights.

Traditional rulers at the meeting.

Speaking on the issue, Mr Gimba, says:

“All stakeholders have agreed that one way or another, they abuse the rights of their fellow humans unknowingly and unknowingly, through their actions and inactions. As such we I invited to the meeting stakeholders such as

lawyers, magistrates, traditional institutions, vigilantes, the hunters association, and neighbourhood watch security team, to enable them to understand the dynamics of the civil space, and human rights abuses to ensure peace in the community.”

The Neighbourhood watch security team.

What Now: James Sanni Waziri of Nabor in Jos-North local government area of Plateau State, who was in attendance, appreciated Space For Change for coming to educate them on human rights abuses saying:

” We need more of these kinds of workshops because we need security organisations like the Police, the Secret Security Service (SSS) and other sister organisations to come and join us, so that together with the general society, we can be aware of certain things that we should do and not do.

Stakeholders:

We are calling on the government to dispense good governance to the society, this will reduce the level to which these abuses occur and how human rights are trampled upon.

We also ask that the government should spell out in clear terms the role of the traditional rulers and other stakeholders in the society who assist the law enforcement agencies in carrying out their duties.”

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Governor Caleb Mutfwang appoints 136 aides

Governor Caleb Mutfwang of Plateau State has named 136 individuals as his Special Assistants, as revealed in a statement released on Friday night by his Director of Press and Public Affairs, Gyang Bere.

These appointees are distributed throughout the 17 Local Government Areas within the state, with each area having eight allocations. While their specific roles have not been specified, the statement assured that their positions and responsibilities would be communicated to them through their respective Local Government Councils.

The statement went on to explain, “The individuals listed below, who constitute the initial batch of appointees, will promptly commence their duties and obligations.”

Among the appointees were notable individuals like Hon. Dalyop Pin, Miss Nyam Jemima, Miss Patience Ufwalal, Dachomo Sunday, Shim Malau, Dabot Dung, Mr. Pam Nuhu, Mr. Samson Chuwang, Aaron Jamo, Gimbia Tahu, Yahaya Ibrahim, Atoyi Daniel, Katuk Ahamdu, Ughili Agaji, Ichi David, and Sunday Wada, among others.

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Neken Chuwang – Bege Na (Official Video)

Neken Chuwang, a Nigerian Gospel music singer-songwriter, and entrepreneur, has debuted the official music video for his recently released hit tune “Bege Na,” which has quickly earned approval from music fans all over the world since its release earlier this year.

According to rumors, Bege Na (Yesu Ne) won’t be included in Neken Chuwang’s upcoming “FOCUS” sophomore studio album, which is expected to be officially released in October of this year. While we all wait for the whole album in 2023, enjoy this video.

Below is a video of Neken Chuwang – Bege Na (Yesu Ne), don’t hesitate to watch it

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PMAN to Partner with Plateau Government to Boost State Revenue and Entertainment Industry

In a significant move towards enhancing the state’s revenue generation and fostering growth in the entertainment sector, the Plateau State Chapter of the Performing Musicians Association of Nigeria (PMAN) embarked on a collaborative journey with the Plateau State Government. This promising partnership was initiated during a courtesy visit to the state’s leadership, facilitated by the Director-General of Research and Planning, Hon. Samuel Godongs, on Thursday, September 14th.

Amb. Comr. Humphrey, the Governor of PMAN Plateau State Chapter, articulated the organization’s fervent desire to collaborate with the State Government to drive revenue while shedding light on the untapped potential of the creative industry within the Plateau region. He expressed his appreciation for the government’s commendable developmental efforts and urged them to channel more focus and resources into nurturing the local entertainment sector.

Amb. Comr. Humphrey emphasized, “We appreciate the harmonious relationship between the new government and PMAN/the entertainment industry in Plateau. We encourage you to explore avenues for promoting Jos-based artists beyond the state’s borders. We aspire to collaborate with record labels to organize artist scouting, similar to football scouting for players, aiming to export talent and, in turn, contribute to the state’s revenue through taxation.”

During their visit, PMAN Plateau State Chapter also unveiled their plans to establish a Music House within the state. This facility would serve as a hub for entertainers, offering them a conducive environment for creativity and innovation. The delegation requested the allocation of land to materialize this vision.

In response, Hon. Samuel Godongs, the Director-General of Research and Planning, expressed his appreciation for PMAN’s timely visit and acknowledged their well-defined plans for revenue generation through collaboration with the government. He recognized the potential for such a partnership to elevate Plateau State, making it even more appealing to both entertainers and investors.

Hon. Samuel Godongs encouraged PMAN to continue presenting valuable ideas that would mutually benefit the entertainment industry and the government, ultimately contributing to the overall growth and prosperity of Plateau State. This collaboration signifies a promising step forward in harnessing the creative potential and economic opportunities that lie within the state’s vibrant entertainment sector.

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Police reveal why corpse of Mohbad will be exhumed for autopsy

Lagos State Police Command has said the corpse of the late singer, Ilerioluwa Aloba, popularly known as Mohbad, would be exhumed for autopsy to aid investigation into the cause of his death if it is necessary.

Mohbad, 27, died on Tuesday, however, the cause of his death has been; a subject of controversy since the tragic incident.

Speaking during an Instagram live session with media personality, Ifedayo Olarinde, popularly known as Daddy Freeze, on Thursday night, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, said the police would probe to find the cause of Mohbad’s death.

Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, in a statement on Thursday, said that the police would carry out a diligent investigation into the cause of Mohbad’s death.

Mohbad

Referencing the Force PRO during his interview, SP Hundeyin said, “The Force PRO issued a statement this evening (Thursday) saying; that investigation will commence and that’s what we’re going to do. If need be, the body will be exhumed. It’s not too late. The body can be exhumed and an autopsy can be; performed.

“The statement also states that people should bring whatever information; they have to the commissioner of police in Lagos State. That’s because we don’t want to do hierarchy anymore. Take it to Force CID, and bring it to Lagos Command. It doesn’t matter. We’re going to harmonize it within ourselves and ensure that justice is; done.”

This followed the emergence of a document, wherein the late singer reported a case of alleged; threat to life, malicious damage, assault, and oppression, among others, against a music promoter, Samson Balogun, aka Sam Larry, and others, in a petition to the Force Criminal Investigation Department Annex, Alagbon, Lagos State.

In the June 27, 2023 petition, Mohbad alleged; that Sam Larry and 15 others all armed, stormed the venue of a video shoot where the deceased and another artiste, Omoniyi Temidayo aka Zlatan Ibile were; working; and threatened to wreak havoc.

Assaulted

He added that they eventually; destroyed equipment worth over N5 million at the scene, and assaulted him (Mohbad) before he narrowly; escaped after sustaining injuries.

The petition read, “I of the above name and address, a law-abiding citizen and a Musician bring to your notice the assault and threat to my life by the above-mentioned persons.

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Mark Zuckerberg Announces Global Launch of WhatsApp Channels

WhatsApp, the popular messaging app, has launched a new feature called “Channels,” aiming to provide a private and secure broadcasting service.

This feature was officially introduced on Wednesday by Mark Zuckerberg, the CEO of Meta, WhatsApp’s parent company, through a post on his Facebook page.

“Today we are starting to roll out WhatsApp channels globally and adding thousands of new channels that people can follow in WhatsApp. You can find channels in the new ‘Updates’ tab,” he wrote.

In a statement, AT3 Resources, Meta’s agent said WhatsApp channels will be launched in over 150 countries.

The agency said WhatsApp’s main focus is to provide a “private and secure broadcasting service”.

“We are excited to launch WhatsApp Channels to over 150 countries,” the statement reads.

“Our goal is to build the most private broadcast service available. Channels are separate from your chats, and who you choose to follow is not visible to other followers. We also protect the personal information of both admins and followers.”

WhatsApp also announced a number of new features for ‘Channels’, including an enhanced directory that makes it easier to find ‘Channels’ to follow, reactions to updates with emojis, the ability for admins to edit updates for up to 30 days and forward updates feature.

In recent times, WhatsApp has been actively rolling out new features to enhance user experiences and keep up with evolving communication trends.

On August 8, the social network introduced a screen-sharing feature to enhance the video calling experience on its platform.

The Meta-owned firm also unveiled an instant video messaging feature in July.

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Nationwide blackout as Nigeria’s electricity grid collapses again

Nigeria has again been thrown into darkness after the national grid system, operated by the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) from Osogbo in Osun State collapsed

In the early hour of today showed that the grid plummeted to a meagre 273 megawatts of electricity coming from two out of the over 27 electricity generation.

This comes barely a week after TCN, rolled out the drum to celebrate a questionable 400 days of grid stability.

A number of Distribution Companies confirmed to The Guardian that the grid went down at 00:41 AM, disclosing that most of their feeders are out.

As of 4:00 a.m. on Thursday, five generating plants were on the grid. Afam VI had 0.70MW, Dadinkowa was generating 0.00MW, Ibom Power had 32.90MW, Jebba had 240MW and Olorunsogo was on the grid with zero generation.

At about 1AM midnight, the total power on the grid was 35MW, indicating that the country experienced a total collapse.

The grid went to 193MW at about 3AM before climbing to 273MW when this report was filed.

The TCN has not responded to inquiries by our correspondent about the development

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First Lady, Sen. Remi Tinubu Donates N500 Million to Aid 500 Plateau Families

First Lady Senator Remi Tinubu Donates N500 Million to Aid 500 Plateau Families in Need

In a heartwarming act of compassion, Senator Remi Tinubu, the wife of President Tinubu, extended a helping hand to 500 families grappling with the aftermath of violent conflicts across six local government areas in Plateau State. The First Lady made this significant donation of N500 million during her visit to Jos on Tuesday, where she not only provided financial support but also offered words of encouragement to the affected families.

During her visit to the Government House, Senator Remi Tinubu, who also serves as the Chairperson of the Renewed Hope Initiative Foundation, expressed her deep concern about the crisis that had gripped the state, particularly the Mangu community. She empathized with the families who had endured the destruction of their lives and properties and emphasized the need for concrete action to alleviate their suffering.

Senator Tinubu stated, “This N500 million is our modest support to enable affected families to renew their lives as we provide them with the means to rebuild their homes and meet their essential needs. To the affected families, I want you to know that you are not alone in this journey of recovery. We stand with you in solidarity and prayers. I urge you not to lose hope but to have faith in God.”

Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang commended Senator Tinubu’s compassionate gesture, highlighting her dedication to humanity above political considerations. He encouraged the beneficiaries to use the resources wisely and also to extend a helping hand to other families who were not fortunate enough to be selected.

In an effort to ensure that aid reaches those in dire need, Mrs. Chioma Uzodinma, the wife of the Imo State Governor, accompanied Senator Tinubu and emphasized that the 500 families were meticulously chosen through the State Governor’s office, spanning six local government areas: Mangu, Riyom, Barkin Ladi, Bassa, Bokkos, and Jos South LGA.

The Gbong Gwom Jos, Da Jacob Buba, expressed gratitude for the First Lady’s generous contribution and offered prayers for President Tinubu’s wisdom in leading the country.

Senator Remi Tinubu’s benevolent act serves as a testament to the power of compassion and solidarity, providing hope and assistance to those in need during challenging times.

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Palliative: Labour threatens indefinite strike

The organised Labour on Tuesday threatened to begin an indefinite strike should the Federal Government fail to meet its demands at the end of a 21-day ultimatum which will expire in approximately one week’s time.

The workers’ union said the proposed strike was; necessary following the failure of the Federal Government to provide palliatives to; assuage the Nigerians’ hardships as a result of the fuel subsidy removal.

The Nigeria Labour Congress said; the industrial action which may commence any day from next week would; lead to an indefinite shutdown of commercial and economic activities across the country.

Labour
On Tuesday, the National Assistant General Secretary of the NLC, Mr Christopher Onyeka, said the FG was wrong to share a bag of rice with a dozen citizens while reportedly; giving N100m palliative to each member of the National Assembly.

The union had; on September 1 handed down a 21-day ultimatum to the FG over the delay in sharing of palliatives, saying it might be; compelled to declare an indefinite labour action if its demands were; not met.

“If the government fails to provide the appropriate responses to our demands, we encourage you to maintain your steadfast resolve. The same passion and determination that fuelled this warning strike will be; crucial if we find ourselves compelled to embark on an indefinite nationwide strike,’’ the labour body said in a letter to the FG.

Read Also: Delta assembly decries alleged killing of farmers by herders in Abraka

To demonstrate its seriousness, the NLC mobilised workers for a two-day warning strike on September 5 and 6, partially grounding social and economic activities in several states with banks, ministries, agencies and departments closed to the public in some states.

The NLC leadership had said the action was; in preparation for a total shutdown which would start at the expiration of the ultimatum next week.

Wage
Among other demands, the NLC and the Trade Union Congress were; asking for wage awards, implementation of palliatives, tax exemptions and allowances to the public sector workers and a review of the minimum wage.

Though the FG made a commitment to restructure the framework; for engagement with organised Labour on palliatives, the eight-week timeframe set for the conclusion of the process; expired in August with no action whatsoever.

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iPhone 15: Exciting Things To Know As Apple Unveils Latest Release

As Apple set to unveil latest iphone products (iPhone 15), there are exciting things you should know about the phone

Tech company, Apple, is set to unveil its latest iPhone product, the iPhone 15 today, September 12.

This model will be unveiled at the company’s “Wanderlust” event in Cupertino, California, United States Of America, and is expected to come in four variants: iPhone 15, iPhone 15 Plus, iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max, a Forbes report stated.

Here are five things you should know about the new iPhone 15 model.

  1. The new model is made of titaniu, not stainless steel as some other Apple smartphone models, Senior research analyst at DIGITIMES, Luke Lin reports.
  2. The Pro Max model will feature double the optical zoom on the iPhone 14 as it comes with a newly-introduced ‘periscope lens upgrade, performing 5-6x optical zoom.’
  3. The Pro models will carry an A17 bionic chip expected to make it perform faster.
  4. The iPhone 15 model will feature a USB-C charging port, the same port featured on some Android phone models.
  5. The new model is expected to be sold at a higher price due to its titanium cover. According to Forbes, below is the rumoured price list:
    iPhone 15, starting from $799, iPhone 15 Plus: starting from $899, iPhone 15 Pro: starting from $1,099 ($100 increase), iPhone 15 Pro Max: starting from $1,299 ($200 increase).

📷 : Forbes