OYO POLICE COMMISSIONER CAUTIONS AGAINST PANICKY, PERSISTENT DISTRESS CALLS AND BREACH OF STATE WIDE CURFEW OCCASIONED BY COVID-19 PANDEMIC

The Commissioner of Police Oyo State Command, CP Shina Olukolu psc(+) have observed with dismay and trepidation the persistent panicky wide spread distress calls on non existing criminal activities in several communities across the state,  but rampant in the night time in the State capital, Ibadan.

In a press release received by NUJ Europe from the office of the state Police Public Relations Officer, SP.  Fadeyi Olugbenga, Oyo State Police Command maintained that the police remains ever conscious and always  demonst6 theier capabilities, readiness and willingness to carry out its constitutional responsibilities of the protection of lives and properties.

The Commissioner of Police stated that it  maintenance of law and order and other extant laws in Oyo State is sacrosanct.

 

CP Olukolu appeals to the entire peace loving and good people of Oyo State to be circumspect in their persistent unverified or nonexistent criminal activities and distress calls to the Police Command on a daily basis particularly at night time.

"There is no doubt that some of the unpalatable and fear inducing, stories, videos and write ups they probably have seen or watched on the social media, whatsapp platforms and the Newspapers may have psychologically being responsible for some of these unverified distress calls mainly burn out of fear." Commissioner asserted.

It must however be noted that the persistency of such unverified distress calls have largely served as a distraction and thereby derailing the focus and the concentration of Security Agencies reaction to genuine victims who are actually in distress.

" In as much as the Commissioner of Police is very highly appreciative of the communal efforts, including that of the Vigilante Groups, the Hunters, Landlords, Youths and the entire citizenry efforts and collaboration to rid our society of criminal elements in our midst, but the introduction of panicky measures of burning tires on the roads which is a critical infrastructure, the firing intermittently of gun shots under the guise of scaring criminal elements away, the beating of the gates of neighbours in a bid to force them to join the Vigilante groups as well as the uncontrolled acquisition of dangerous weapons by individuals is an open invitation to anarchy, chaos and unprecedented, bastardisation of the security architecture."

Consequently, the Commissioner of Police wishes to appeal to all and sundry to be patient, show more understanding and get across to the security agencies via their EMERGENCY telephone numbers namely: 0705 5495 41, 0808 1768 614 and 615 (toll free) only when it is absolutely necessary. It must be noted that these telephone numbers are active and being attended to 24/7 i.e. on a daily basis for 24 hours. Hence, except where it becomes absolutely necessary, People are strongly advised to use these emergency numbers, rather than individual officers’ personal GSM numbers which are reserved for extreme cases. 

In addition, another major observation of the Commissioner of Police is the nonchalant concerns of many of our people as to the reality of COVID-19 and the subsequent rules and regulations, medical advisories and curfew imposed on the State by His Excellency, the Executive Governor of Oyo State, Engr. Seyi Makinde from 7pm to 6am. 

"I want to seize this opportunity to reiterate and remind our people that COVID-19 is real, so we must obey the rules and regulations and the medical advisories including the curfew imposed on the state", Olukolu emphasized.

"The recalcitrant individuals are hereby strongly warned to desist from their nonchalant attitudes as the Security Agencies are ready and willing to enforce the curfew and other extant rules imposed on the state for the benefits of all and sundry in our collective efforts to fight and defeat the pandemic"

The enforcement, the statement emphasized is being monitored on a daily basis by the Commissioner of Police himself.

"I wish to reiterate that the Security Agencies in Oyo State led by the Nigeria Police Force are ready, willing, determined to ensure that lives and properties in Oyo State are safe and secured, while encouraging the law abiding citizens to go about their lawful businesses without any fear or favour as adequate security have been emplaced to protect them. The criminal elements in our midst will be given a good fight and brought to justice anytime, any moment, anywhere they commit an infraction against the law. Nonetheless, the Commissioner of Police wishes to continue to solicit for a more fruitful partnership, synergy, collaboration and support of the people with useful credible and timely information to enable us serve them better".

        

Statement Ref: AZ: 5250/OY/PPRO/ VOL. 5/143                                         Dated       20th April, 2020.

Reported by Lashley Oladigbolu, London 

The World Will Not Be Destroyed By 5G Or Virus - My Weep For Journaliism In Nigeria | By Owei Lakemfa

READ AND WEEP FOR JOURNALISM IN NIGERIA!!!

The World Will Not Be Destroyed By Fire Or Virus.

By Owei Lakemfa

A veteran journalist called me on April 4 to confirm if indeed the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) issued a statement advising government against approving the Fifth Generation Mobile Technology (5G)    claiming  it is dangerous and linked to the outbreak of Covid-19. The NUJ  also  reportedly rejected the invitation of Chinese doctors in order to avoid: “… a situation where Nigerians will be used as a Guinea pig for any experiment” I told him it was an incredible and absurd  story but that I will make enquiries.

I immediately called the NUJ National  Secretary,  Mr. Leman Shuaib Usman who confirmed the union issued the statement. I asked whether the NUJ had investigated its  claims about 5G being dangerous to human beings, or made enquiries from the National Communication Commission (NCC) about it. The answer was negative.

 I then asked the basis on which the NUJ is officially  rejecting the 5G which will have tremendous effects on journalism practice. There was none based on knowledge, investigation or research. Next, I asked the basis on which the NUJ made a link between the alleged installation of  5G masts in  China and the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic; was it based on investigation, published research or verifiable information? It was none of these. 

Then I enquired why the NUJ was rejecting the invitation of Chinese doctors to help us fight Covid-19. Mr. Leman told me it was based on the observation that while Wuhan was the epicenter of Covid-19, it did not devastate Chinese cities like Shangai and Beijing, which confirmed the hypothesis that it was a controlled Chinese virus. 

I told him that the logic of the NUJ leadership is that the Chinese should be condemned for being able to contain the virus, stopping it devastating  more Chinese cities and decimating  its population. I appealed that he reviewed the entire issue and if the NUJ had erred, it should have the courage to recall the statement. 

The co-signatory was the NUJ National President, Mr. Christopher Isiguzo who I called next. I  made my observations and   told him that he and Mr. Leman owe Nigerian journalists the duty of withdrawing the embarrassing statement which from my discussions with them is based on rumours, conspiracy theories and false news.  He listened and promised to call me the next day.

 He did not, but sent me a statement by the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) rejecting the invitation of the Chinese doctors as if that in itself justifies the NUJ leadership’s violation of the ethics of journalism. 

Every rookie journalist is taught that while comments or opinions are free, facts are sacred; that a journalist must report only facts and if in doubt, spike the report or the portion he cannot confirm.

The NUJ President followed this up on Wednesday by sending me a video of   the   self-serving rantings of a transactional pastor whose commercialization of God’s words according to Forbes statistics, has earned him a hefty $30-$50 million  profit. The pastor who could not even define what theory is, could be heard in his usual sophistry, claiming that Covid-19 is a scam; the figment of human imagination and that what is killing people is the 5G technology not any virus. It is tragic the depths people can go in order to deceive and  profit off peoples’ lives.

The NMA appears ill-informed about the Chinese doctors whom it assumes are being employed by the Nigerian government. Based on this misinformation, it argues there are unemployed Nigerian doctors, and implied that the money government is going to pay the Chinese doctors can be better utilized providing  necessary medical equipment and facilities . 

However, the verifiable information is that these doctors are being  brought  in   by the  China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC)   as part of its corporate social responsibility. They are to spend one month in the country, and to share experiences with the Nigeria Centre for Disease Control (NCDC) and not to practice medicine in Nigeria. 

The fact is,  given the titanic battle China  waged against Covid-19,  Chinese doctors are some of the most experienced in fighting  the virus, and a drowning man   is not interested whether his rescuer is  Nigerian, Chinese, Yemeni or Dutch. 

The NMA went  low  when it wrote that: “The spike in cases and the death toll from COVID-19 in Italy coincided with the arrival of the Chinese in the guise of offering assistance.” This cynical and unsubstantiated claim gives  the impression that  Chinese doctors are going around the world spreading the virus and deliberately infecting non-Chinese. In this, the NMA without any empirical evidence or facts, is accusing its Chinese counterparts of betraying the physicians global ethical code (The Hippocratic Oath) which is basically, to respect and  save human lives.

The rejection of 5G or the false claim that it is the source of the Coronavirus is like people rejecting telephone on the basis that it is the cause of small pox.

The 5G network is basically an improvement on the high-speed mobile internet (4G) which was an improvement on the voice and mobile data (3) itself an advancement on the Digital Voice (2G) and the Analogue Voice (1G) In rolling out 5G which some countries like South Korea, Britain, United States, Switzerland, Finland and Germany have done, the   approving authorities put into consideration basic issues like health, security, labour, commercial and social implications. 

The 5G will not be decided by rancorous debates, rumours or fake news. It is the logic of science, the pull of technology, demands of knowledge and commerce and the inevitability of an idea whose time has come. It should be clear to all that 5G is global and not a Chinese invention.

Bodies like the NUJ and NMA need to start thinking and discussing the likely  implications of 5G on their members. Otherwise, it would be like the introduction of the internet when  the media was dragged by the ears  into the new world. Many media organisations which could not adapt, died while all parts including reportorial, sub-editing, photography and production underwent fundamental transformation.

Many of the purveyors of fake news on Covid-19 and 5G are pathetic victims of imperialist propaganda; mere repeater stations of foreign half-truths and falsehood. Africans and the underdeveloped world should focus on what benefits their people and how they can also contribute to human development and not be cheerleaders at the turf battles   for global leadership. They should not become disciples of Donald Trump, the archangel of vicious agitation, propaganda and fake news.

I am convinced that this is  a world without end, but if  creation were to be destroyed as in Biblical times, it will not be  by water, fire or virus; it will be fake news the next time.

MY WORDS:

I have repeatedly made the point that one of the abberations of the time we live in is that we have so-called organisations, unions, etc. issuing statements which the Nigerian media just enjoys playing up, for whatever reason.

The fact is that most of these statements are personal views of a few individuals, tainted by their ignorance and biases.  In some instances,  those organisations either do not legally exist or only function as pseudonyms for these individuals.

It is a shame seeing the quality of leadership at the helm of affairs of the NUJ, brimming with so much ignorance. What is there to expect anyway?  Is the man listed as President not the same one who used to publicly front for a political persuasion? 

Shame, everything now  is politics.

North launches own security outfit ‘SHEGE KA FASA’, seeks formalities

Coalition of Northern Groups (CNG) has unveiled Northern Regional Security Initiative “SHEGE KA FASA” for ratification by the northern governors as part of measures to address security challenges within the region.

Addressing a press conference shortly before unveiling the outfit, CNG emphasised that for the past 12 years, the North has struggled with disabling challenges that include dwindling economy, rising poverty and more worrying, a crippling security situation that has taken a huge toll on lives, property and the overall cohesion of the region.

The spokesperson of the group, Abdul-Azeez Suleiman who addressed the press before the unveiling said that the.security challenges manifested in 2008 in the form of a deadly insurgency from the Northeast and within a short time, spread to other parts of the region and virtually turned the entire region into a battlefield.

The Coalition noted that while the insurgency raged, other disturbances were created in the region in the form of cattle rustling that pitched northern communities against each other.

“A new dimension was introduced to the farmers/herders conflict which gradually deteriorated into an uncontrollable proportion and deepened the artificial rift between communities in the region.

“This trend suddenly metamorphosed into a deadly armed banditry and kidnapping for ransom which is recycled for arms and drugs. This is in addition to another frustrating trend of the theft and forced trafficking in northern children to other parts of the country for reasons that are largely dubious.

“The culmination of these security challenges has for the past decade turned the entire region into a house of horror with violent killings reported on a daily basis, communities displaced with formal and informal IDP camps spreading across the region.

“The situation today, on most northern highways, innocent travelers are waylaid, robbed and abducted, towns and villages attacked and sacked by bandits who have created an atmosphere of palpable fear across the region.

“As the situation grows more desperate by the day with the North as the most porous and vulnerable, with northerners as the most distressed and estranged.

CNG stressed that it is absolutely impossible to expect that communities would continue to fold their arms while criminals invade their abodes, kill, abduct and displace them.

“By this, today we unveil the symbols for the Shege Ka Fasa outfit which would be formally inaugutated in the coming few weeks when all necessary legal processes might have been completed or formally adopted and ratified by the northern states governors.” It stated.

CNG, therefore, observed that, there is an apparent correlation between the current security situation and the unchecked proliferation of hard drugs and other dangerous substances and that the current security challenges in the region are therefore driven by the proliferation of firearms and hard drugs which are deliberately introduced into the region by outside interests.

It also observed that the drug and firearms trade is fueled by illegal funds channeled by international financial criminals such as Yahoo boys desperate to launder money into the country and that already, this trend has completely undermined the economic and social fabrics of the North, and is responsible for the rampant social problems like banditry, armed robbery, kidnapping, and other forms of security challenges witnessed today.

“That the current desperate situation in the North can be largely contained and eventually controlled by intensifying the task of anticipating and checkmating the manoeuvres of all criminal elements and blocking the supply channels for such dangerous merchandise as firearms and drugs.

“That this task can only be successfully achieved with the active involvement of the members of all northern communities that are at the receiving end of the apparent security lapses.

“That in the prevailing circumstances, the only option, is to resort to voluntary self-defense mechanisms in line with initiatives taken by other regions that are even least affected in comparison to what obtains in the North”.

CNG, therefore, resolved that “Against the backdrop of these concerns and observations, the Coalition of Northern Groups does not wish to remain silent or passive and allow things that affect the North and potentially cause greater instability in the country to continue unchecked.

“Aware also of the need for concerted efforts to assist the Federal Government to restore peace and security and to disband all militias and armed groups in northern Nigeria to ensure that no group has the capacity to challenge the State in its prerogative to maintain law and order, and protect citizens’ lives and properties, the CNG has:

“Initiated practical measures for the setting up of a northern regional security outfit to compliment the efforts of the police, the military, the security services to detect, expose and defeat all criminal machinations and carry out specific and general tasks that would realign the attitude and thinking of the public with the ideals and objectives of the founding fathers of the region.

“The outfit, codenamed “SHEGE KA FASA” is designed to be the vanguard of the entire North encompassing every ethnic group and religion and to be deeply patriotic in its operation.

Read Also: Insecurity: FG directs NCC to revise SIM card policy

“In addition to performing general complimentary tasks for enhancing security in the region, the outfit shall also Coordinate operations against the influx of hard drugs into the North, take steps to neutralize all centers of gravity for the supply, manufacturer and distribution of such drugs and other dangerous substances”.

The group further revealed that the outfit will Coordinate vigilance to check and expose illegal arms trade, supply channels and possession. Guard against the theft and illegal traffic in kids and other vulnerable sections of the northern population and expose operations of fraudsters like the Yahoo boys whose ill gotten wealth forms part of the source of funding for the drug and arms trade.

The group calls the attention of all governors of northern states to the urgent necessity to join their counterparts in the South-West and South-East by adopting and ratifying this initiative for northern regional security and providing the necessary legal framework for its operation in order to secure the lives of the people that are in constant threat.

It also resolved to formalize this request by writing to the governors through the Northern Governors Forum and to the leaderships of traditional, religious and cultural institutions in the region.

It restated that if the state governments and other leaders of the region fail to take action to protect the region the way their southern counterparts are doing, adding that CNG is willing to follow through with all the processes of obtaining the required legal backing for th

Spurs 3-2 Southampton: Son & Lucas set comeback & send Spurs into FA Cup last 16

Tottenham recovered from 2-1 down to beat Southampton 3-2 in Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay thanks to a couple of late goals.

Match Report

Son Heung-min scored a late penalty as Tottenham produced a late rally to beat Southampton 3-2 in Wednesday's FA Cup fourth-round replay.

Spurs were pegged back by Sofiane Boufal's strike in a 1-1 draw at St Mary's in the first meeting and looked set to be knocked out of the competition when they trailed 2-1 in the return game at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

Tanguy Ndombele's shot deflected in off Jack Stephens to give the hosts the lead against the run of play, but Shane Long profited from some poor Hugo Lloris goalkeeping to level before the break.

Danny Ings then put Southampton in front 18 minutes from time, only for Lucas Moura to fire in an equaliser and Son to convert from the spot after he was fouled by Angus Gunn, setting up a home tie with Norwich City in the next round.

Match Events

3' Sessegnon's shot too straight

Easy stop for Gunn. Tottenham are looking to break at speed, and Dier's quick free-kick allows the hosts to swiftly free Son on the left. 

He tees up Sessegnon, but the shot is straight at Gunn.

12' OWN GOAL! Tottenham 1-0 Southampton (Stephens)

Stephens turns in Ndombele's shot!1-0 Spurs! Southampton have been by far the better side, but Winks feeds Sessegnon in behind, causing Stephens some real problems. 

A scrambling challenge sees the ball break to Ndombele, whose low wayward shot deflects off Stephens and into the net.

19' CLOSE! Ings hits the beam

Huge, huge chance for Southampton! It is a stunning pass in behind from Ward-Prowse, and Lloris bizarrely opts to stay on his line. 

Ings gets to the edge of the six-yard box before hammering against the crossbar. Lloris stood little chance from that range, but Ings could not hit the target.

34' GOAL! Tottenham 1-1 Southampton (Long)

Lloris has given Southampton every opportunity to score with his poor handling, and his latest parry grants Long the simplest of finishes.

Redmond twists in the area and shoots low, and Lloris pushes the ball out to Long.

40' Injured Ward-Prowse replaced by Vestergaard

That seemingly serious Ward-Prowse injury just stifled the atmosphere, but Southampton are maintaining control of the ball.

46' Redmond's long shot over the bar

Southampton move the ball nicely on the edge of the Tottenham area and it is finally Redmond who gets space 20 yards out to shoot. 

He leaves Winks behind but blazes over. It is a really poor effort in a great position.

49' Hojbjerg's header over the bar

Ings picks the ball up on the left and runs across the area but cannot work an angle for a shot. 

They stay patient. Finally, a cross from the left finds Hojbjerg, who heads over. 

52' Missed! Lucas' header wide out

Son just keeps the ball in from Sessegnon's deflected pass down the line on the left. 

Son then swings in a stunning cross to find Lucas Moura in the centre of the area, but he somehow heads wide.

64' Vestergaard's header stopped by Lloris

Son just keeps the ball in from Sessegnon's deflected pass down the line on the left. 

Son then swings in a stunning cross to find Lucas Moura in the centre of the area, but he somehow heads wide.

72' GOAL! Tottenham 1-2 Southampton (Ings)

Southampton have the lead they deserve! 2-1! It's Ings! Their form man has a clinical finish at the end of a rapid break, Tottenham's ambition from the corner punished ruthlessly.

78' GOAL! Tottenham 2-2 Southampton (Lucas)

Lovely, lovely goal! It's 2-2! Out of nothing, Lucas Moura dances into space just inside the area and sweeps a right-footed finish into the bottom-left corner.

87' Penalty Goal! Tottenham 3-2 Southampton (Son)

Tottenham have a huge chance to win it! A wonderful pass from Alli sets Son clear and he skips past Gunn and goes down. There is very little contact but the penalty is given.

Harry Kane usually takes these spot-kicks, but Son keeps his cool and tucks his finish inside the left-hand post. 

It's harsh on Southampton, but the pressure had been building.

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