Punch reports that the Kano State Police Command invited the reporter to its office immediately the video went viral.

The video, shows the IG struggling to read his speech at the inauguration of the Police Technical Intelligence Unit in Kano, Kano State on Monday.

Nurudeen’s whereabouts had been unknown since the Kano State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Musa Magaji Majiya, invited him on Thursday.

Authorities are upset with the journalist because he had allegedly disobeyed a directive by the Kano State Police Command to journalists present at the event not to report the IG’s blunder or make the video public.

The viral video showed the IG delivering an incoherent speech, which had since exposed him to public ridicule.

In a part of the transcription of the footage, Idris said, “I mean, transmission, I mean effort, that the transmission cooperation to transmission, I mean transmission to have effect, ehm, apprehend, I mean, apprehensive towards the recommendation, recommended formation effective and effect, I mean, apprehensive at the transmission of…and transmission and transmission for the effective in the police command.”

Voice of Liberty had posted the video on Wednesday. It was gathered on Friday that the IG was embarrassed by the trending video and had ordered an investigation into its release.

In a chat with Punch, a source said, “He (the IGP) has however ordered an investigation into the leakage of the video but we are watching to see how he intends to deal with the individuals behind the viral video without further embarrassing himself and the force”.

Also, detectives are allegedly using the police technical platform to track the original source of the video on social media.

Bloggers that posted the video might be interrogated by the police for allegedly, “peddling a doctored video meant to cast the IG in bad light and embarrass the police leadership.”

Idris, in an interactive media chat on the police Twitter handle, Nigerian Police @PoliceNG #Askthepolice, had also told Nigerians that the video was doctored.

“Yes, it was doctored,” he said in response to a question from a Twitter user.

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The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, issued the directive in Abuja Thursday at the annual lecture series of the NBC and the 25th anniversary of the commission.

The minister said that the directive was part of efforts to stem the growing tide of hate speech in the country.

“As a matter of fact, the challenges facing the NBC have never become more daunting, considering the increasing propensity of some radio and television stations across the country to turn over their platforms to the purveyors of hate speech.

“It is the responsibility of the NBC to put these broadcast stations in check before they set the country on fire.
“As the NBC celebrates what is a milestone in its existence, I urge the commission to redouble its efforts in discharging its mandate.

“The NBC must ensure strict adherence to the broadcasting code, and errant stations must be sanctioned accordingly to serve as a deterrent.

“The nation looks up to the NBC to restore sanity to the broadcast industry. The commission cannot afford to do any less at this critical time. It cannot afford to fail the nation,” he said.

He recalled that the Rwandan genocide of 1994, in which at least 800,000 people were killed in 100 days, was fuelled by inflammatory comments by a radio station – Radio Television Livres des Milles Collines (RTLMC).

He charged the NBC not to allow the purveyors of hate speech to lead Nigeria on the path of destruction.

“If you tune into many radio stations, for example, you will be shocked by the things being said, the careless incitement to violence and the level of insensitivity to the multi-religious, multi-ethnic nature of our country.

“Unfortunately, even some of the hosts of such radio programmes do little or nothing to stop such incitements.
“Oftentimes, they are willing collaborators of hate speech campaigners. This must not be allowed to continue because it is detrimental to the unity and well-being of our country,” he cautioned.

He said that in spite of efforts of hate campaigners, the Buhari administration had achieved so much despite operating with only 45 per cent of the funds available to the immediate past administration, arising from the fall in oil prices and the failure to save for the rainy day.

Referring to Venezuela, Mohammed said the South American country, which produces more oil than Nigeria and despite having about one-sixth of the Nigerian population, is today embroiled in the worst economic crisis in its history, with the attendant shortages of food, medicine and hyper-inflation because of the downturn in oil prices.

He said the Buhari administration had brought transparency to governance through the Treasury Single Account (TSA), modified tax system, improved food yields in the agriculture sector in excess of what obtained a year ago, and spending of N1.3 trillion on capital projects in the 2016 budget, the highest in the country’s history.

“Does anyone remember the scandalous fuel subsidies that failed to deliver fuel to filling stations? What about the fertilizer subsidies that never guaranteed the availability of fertilizer to farmers?

“Today, fuel queues are gone with the phantom fuel subsidies. Also, thanks to the resuscitation of 11 of the country’s moribund fertilizer blending plants, fertilizer is now available to farmers nationwide.

“In fact, 6 million bags of fertilizer have been delivered at 30 per cent below the market price, 50,000 jobs created and the N50 billion saved with the termination of fertilizer subsidies, all because of the revival of those blending plants. Six more are expected to come on stream soon.

“The government is not done: despite the paucity of funds, the federal government’s Social Investment Programmes are being implemented. The N-Power Volunteers Corps created 200,000 jobs in the first batch and 300,000 more will follow shortly; the Homegrown School Feeding is spreading from state to state, providing nutritious food for school children and employing thousands of cooks; the Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) initiative is providing N5,000 monthly to one million vulnerable and poorest Nigerians; while the micro-credit scheme will provide over a million Nigerians with small loans at very low rates through the Bank of Industry,” Mohammed said.

He said figures recently released by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS) had revealed a growth of 95 per cent in capital importation in the second quarter of 2017 over the first quarter, adding that this represented a year-on-year increase of 43.6 per cent over the Q2 figure in 2016.

Speaking earlier, the Director General of NBC, Ishaq Modibbo-Kawu, said the commission was committed to carrying out its statutory mandate of regulating the broadcast industry.

He said the commission would also ensure that the digital switch over in TV broadcasting is achieved to create a national digital economy.

He added that the commission had finished work on the review of the Nigeria Broadcasting Code.

According to him, the code had incorporated three new innovations, comprising the protection of creative jobs in the economy, new regulations on advertising spend for the development of the Nigerian sports industry, and sanctions against hate and dangerous speech.

The pioneer director general of the commission, Chief Tom Adaba, expressed satisfaction that the commission, which came into being 25 years ago with no guiding template, had become a reference point in broadcasting regulation in Africa.

The post NBC Directed to Sanction Stations Propagating Hate Speech first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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It was the first bipartisan meeting ever presided over by Buhari.

Buhari is to follow up with a meeting with the 36 states of the federation, just as the meeting is about to begin.

President Buhari thanked the leaders for attending the meeting. He also thanked those who prayed for his recovery while in the U.K. for medical treatment.

Here is the President’s short speech:

I thank you sincerely, collectively and individually for finding time from your busy schedules to come all the way to Abuja and welcome me back home.

This visit signifies the unity of Nigeria. It is not a party occasion. It is not a political gathering. It is a symbol of our National unity. It is also an expression of the maturity of our democracy.

Multi-party democracy is a very tried and tested form of government. Opposition does not mean hostility, enmity or antagonism. Democracy needs opposition, one which is vibrant but responsible.

I am very pleased to see you assembled here all shades of opinion in Nigeria. Please convey to our countrymen and women in your respective states my deep gratitude to all those who prayed for my recovery. I am imploring all Nigerians to continue praying for peace and prosperity in Nigeria.

Vice President Yemi Osinbajo attended the meeting.

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The APC National Chairman therefore called on security agencies to promptly apprehend those behind the recording and other similar acts, “no matter who they are.”

“Every ethnic based crises of whatever nature had started with hate speech. When people within the same country frame and define one another in the manner intended to set them up for violent attack, then they are setting themselves up for a major disaster,” he said.

“The “merchants of hate” don’t know or just don’t care about the consequences of the fire they are stoking in the country. But they have the experiences of other countries to learn from. Rwanda remains a classic example on our continent. However, even as terrible as Rwanda was, it would be nothing compared to what could happen if a huge country like Nigeria is allowed to fall into the disaster of hate-driven conflict. This is why we must all rise, regardless of our political differences and condemn these ugly and shameful acts with one voice.

Odigie-Oyegun observed that even though ethnic distrust is not new in the country, the rising wave of hate speech, negative religious and ethnic utterance and actions as is currently being experienced, is part of the fallouts of the 2015 presidential election.

“Anyone participating in an election knows that there could only be two outcomes, you win or you lose. When you lose, you prepare for the next election. What we have seen however is that since 2015, some politicians and political groups have carried on as if they wish the country itself to collapse just because they are no longer in power. This is tragic indeed.”

Odigie-Oyegun called on the Acting President to direct the security agencies to ensure that those behind these odious acts are promptly arrested and swiftly brought to justice. “We cannot sit idle and watch a few disgruntled individuals to destroy our democracy, and God forbids, the nation that we all fought hard to achieve and build,” he concluded.

The post Hate Speech Worse Than Terrorism -Odigie-Oyegun first appeared on MegaIcon Magazine.

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