The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji LaiMohammed, on Saturday appealed to all Nigerians to join forces with government to combat the menace of fake news.

The minister made the appeal while speaking at the inaugural lecture of the Guild of Professional Bloggers of Nigeria (GPBN) in Lagos.

The News Agency of the Nigeria (NAN) reports that the theme of the lecture was Combating Fake News in the Cyberspace.

Mohammed said the collective efforts of all Nigerians were needed in view of the threats fake news posed to peace and unity of the country.

He explained that most of the security issues confronting the country, such as herders/farmers were caused by the misrepresentation of facts in both the mainstream and social media.

The minister said the spread of fake news has also promoted ethnic and religious suspicions among Nigerians.

He said the media, especially, had a huge responsibility to check the problem in view of their strength and reach, calling on professionals to always verify their facts before sending out information.

The media have a responsibility to verify the facts before they share, because once they share, it is always very difficult to retract.

You see most of the issues we have about herders/farmers clashes, killings are being fuelled by fake news.

Look at the farmers/herders clashes, the truth is that they are being caused largely by population explosion, climate change and pure criminality.

So, it has nothing to do with religion or ethnicity.

Nigeria at Independence only had 45 million people but today, we are 190 million people.

You can imagine the same water, same air and same arable land available for 45 million people at Independence are now being shared by 190 million people.

It is like a room that can take 45 people, you now bring 190 people, you can imagine what will happen.

So, that is the honest truth about population explosion.

Then, the other is climate change. We read about earthquakes and flooding in different parts of the world.

These are manifestations of climate change.

So, how does it affect Nigeria?

The Lake Chad that used to cover a surface area of 25,000sq km and 35 million people from six nations, including Nigeria, Cameroon and Chad depend on the water for fishing, agriculture, irrigation and so on.

The same water has shrunk to 2000 sq km.

So, these 35 million people have to look for water elsewhere.

That is why we have all these clashes.

Of course, I must state the issue of criminality too, but we must stop presenting the issues as if it is Muslims against Christians or Hausas against Ibos. Thats not true.

So, we should stop this narrative of Christians/Muslims or North/South.

We are dealing with pure criminality, population explosion and climate change and that is the way we should look at it.

If we continue to post fake news attributing different reasons to the real causes of these issues, a stage will come when Muslims will be suspicious of Christians, Christians become suspicious of Muslim for no reason.

And that is not good for our unity, he said.

The minister said the government was partnering different media organisations to check the problem of fake news.

He listed some of them as the News Agency of Nigeria, Nigeria Television Authority, Vanguard Newspapers and Television Continental (TVC)

Mohammed said the government was also collaborating with local and international social media platforms such as Facebook and WhatsApp to tackle the problem of fake news.

He described bloggers as critical stakeholders in the media industry in view of their number and capacity to influence others.

While stating the readiness of government to collaborate with them on the threats of fake news, the minister urged them to uphold the ethics of the profession to ensure they disseminate only credible information.

He commended GPBN for the lecture, saying the initiative would go a long way to deepen professionalism among its members.

In her lecture, Prof. Abigail Ogwezzy-Ndisika, Head, Department of Mass Communication, University of Lagos said the media was powerful because of their capacity to influence others and bring about change.

She said it was, therefore, expected of stakeholders in the industry to always uphold the ethics and report the facts.

The fourth Estate of the Realm must never relent in its quest of being the watchdog of the society.

This duty of the media is one that cannot be underestimated .

In this era of social media, it behoves of the media to ensure that their platforms are not compromised, no matter the cost involved,Ogwezzy-Ndisika added.

The don, who was the Chairman at the lecture, described fake news as a threat to the society and development.

She urged media professionals to pursue conscious efforts to ensure that the threats of fake news were checked.

As the 2019 approaches, Ogwezzy-Ndisika urged the media to always verify whatever they were putting out in order not to cause unnecessary tension before, during and after the election.

She said most of the fakes were disseminated through social media and online platforms.

The don advised bloggers to work at the credibility problems in the online media by ensuring whatever they were publishing had all the elements of credibility.

Earlier, Mr Chris Nwandu, President, GPBN, said media platforms could pass integrity test only if they were credible.

He said it was important for bloggers to ensure they publish truthful information always because that was the right thing to do.

Nwandu said he knew the legal consequences of sharing fake news having been arrested by police and remanded in Ikoyi Prison in 2015 for sharing a Facebook post.

He said though the charge of spreading fake news was later withdrawn from court after 18 days in prison, the episode opened his eyes to the laws against fake news and the need to verify information before sharing.

Nwandu said the association was formed to set standards for members and make sure they comply with the ethics of the profession.

The basic idea behind GPBN is to set up a body that will set standards for the practice of blogging just like every other profession in the world, he said

Source: NAN

Liverpool defender Virgil van Dijk led the Netherlands to a crushing 3-0 win over Germany on Saturday in the Nations League, to ramp up the pressure on German coach Joachim Loew.

This is the first time the Dutch have beaten Germany for 16 years and the comprehensive defeat leaves Loew under increasing pressure to resign after 12 years in charge.

These are dark days for the Germans, still reeling from their woeful World Cup display when they crashed out early after finishing bottom of their group.

A first-half header by Dutch skipper Van Dijk gave the hosts the lead in Amsterdam.

With the German defence in disarray, late goals from Memphis Depay and Liverpools Georginio Wijnaldum sealed the win on a golden night for the Oranje at Amsterdams Johan Cruyff Arena.

Defeat in Loews 168th international means Germany are once again last this time bottom of Group One in the Nations League.

Van Dijk opened the scoring with a well-taken header after Ryan Babel had headed against the crossbar on 30 minutes.

Depay then compounded Germanys misery by stroking home a pass from Quincy Promes three minutes from time after the pair got in behind the defence.

Depay then hit the Germany crossbar moments before Wijnaldum netted Hollands third goal just before the final whistle.

Germany now face world champions France in Paris on Tuesday and Loew can ill afford another heavy defeat.

Earlier Saturday, Munich-based newspaper, the Sueddeutsche Zeitung, revealed there is a release clause in Loews contract, which runs until 2022, allowing either party to end the agreement prematurely.

Loew had promised an improved performance from the Germans.

Yet again, his senior players let him down as the Bayern Munich axis of Manuel Neuer, Jerome Boateng, Mats Hummels and Thomas Mueller struggled.

Loew pulled a surprise before kick-off by starting Manchester City starlet Leroy Sane on the bench.

Schalke striker Mark Uth made his debut up front with RB Leipzig winger Timo Werner and Mueller on the flanks.

Loew opted for a 4-3-3 formation, just like his opposite number Ronald Koeman who started with Besiktas Babel, Lyons Depay and Eindhoven striker Steven Bergwijn up front.

Uth and Werner both forced chances early on to keep Jasper Cillessen, Hollands Barcelona goalkeeper, busy.

The Dutch went ahead after 30 minutes when Babel out-jumped Germany midfielder Joshua Kimmich to the ball, headed onto the post and Van Dijk pounced on the rebound.

Germany had their chances as Mueller and then his replacement Sane, who came on for the last half an hour, both fired wide with the goal at their mercy.

Having broken the German defence in the final 10 minutes, Depay hit the net, then the crossbar before Wijnaldum swept in their third goal just before the final whistle.

Source: NAN

Two men from Tennessee, U.S., accused of raping a 9-month-old girl and filming the attack were indicted Tuesday on multiple charges.

Isiah Dequan Hayes, 19, and Daireus Jumare Ice, 22, are both charged with aggravated rape of a child and aggravated sexual exploitation of a minor, FOX13 Memphis reported.

The alleged attack was reported to police in October 2016 after the girls mother reported finding a cellphone video allegedly showing Hayes performing a sexual act on the baby.

She was able to identify Hayes through Facebook and turned the information over to police, authorities said.

Prosecutors said Ice filmed the video.

Police identified Hayes and arrested him in February. Authorities said he admitted to committing the sexual assault.

Both men were being held in the Shelby County jail.

Source: NAN

Flood has destroyed 280 hectares of rice farm in Iguoriakhi and Iguomo in Ovia North-East and Ovia South-West local government areas of Edo.

The state Chairman of Rice Farmers Association of Nigeria (RIFAN), Mr Dirisu Abdulsalam, said in Benin that farmers close to the riverine areas in the state were worst hit by the flood.

He appealed to government to assist the farmers who had been devastated following the destruction of thousands of hectares of their rice farmlands by flood in Edo North, Edo Central and Edo South.

Abdulsalam noted that the flooding would negatively affect governments drive at sufficiency in rice production in the country.

He said that the association was evolving modalities to ensure the farmers were ready for dry season farming, to make up for the destruction.

The association will be sensitising rice farmers for dry season farming to make up for the shortfall occasioned by the destruction of rice fields by flood.

There are many problems in rice production and the worst of it at the moment is that flood has eroded or washed away crops and even submerged some of our members houses.

Therefore, we appeal for assistance from government and international donors so that our farmers will not go and commit suicide, he said.

According to him, flooding will reduce rice production chain in the state, adding that the affected farmers have lost millions of Naira investment.

He, therefore, appealed to the state government to make tractors available to rice farmers, noting that the state had no single tractor.

Abdulsalam said Edo was one of the major rice producing states in the country.

He expressed regrets that the state government was not giving priority to rice farmers in terms of provision of certified seedlings and funding.(NAN)

Source: NAN

No fewer than 42 people have been reported killed by cholera, acute watery diarrhea (AWD), in war-torn Somalia since December 2017,

The country which has also been battling hunger and malnutrition is in dire following the outbreak of cholera.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) said in its latest report on the AWD/cholera that the Somalis health ministry also announced 29 new cases of cholera between Sept. 24 and 30.

It said that 45 per cent of the new cases involved five years old and below.

The cumulative total of cases is 6,423, including 42 associated deaths, since the beginning of the current outbreak in December 2017.

Cholera is a gastrointestinal disease, usually spread by contaminated water and food, and can cause severe diarrhea that, in extreme cases, can lead to fatal dehydration and kidney failure within hours.

According to WHO, there has been a downward trend in newly reported cases over the past six weeks.

The UN health agency has called for robust investments in Somalias fragile health care infrastructure as a means to accelerate the countrys reconstruction after two and a half decades of civil strife.

WHO, which has been training health workers in Somalia to help cope with the diseases, also urged greater investments in surveillance infrastructure to enhance timely response to disease outbreaks in Somalia.

Source: NAN

By Gami Tadanyigbe

Natural Oil and Gas Suppliers Association of Nigeria (NOGASA) says it is ready to partner with the Federal Government in curbing circulation of adulterated petroleum products and pipelines vandalism.

Alhaji Abdulahi Idris, the Deputy Chairman of NOGASAs Board of Trustees, made the pledge during the inaugural ceremony of the association held in Abuja.

According to him, government is managing virtually all aspects of oil and gas but a lot of logistic issues are hindering its efforts at achieving the desired goal.

Idris said that collaboration between the association and the government had become necessary because the latter alone could not address all the existing challenges in the oil and gas sector.

There was increasing population and sustained struggle to keep up with high demographic demands for vital industrial and domestic petroleum product.

Petrol, diesel, kerosene and domestic gas became difficult to push to end users and consequently private investors and players started coming in to help tackle the challenges.

Distribution of petroleum products, however, suffered a great deal of obstacles as a result of fragmented and individual engagement of the job.

We have discovered that the challenges, intrigues and delay have translated our experience to take up our rightful place in the industry, he said.

The deputy chairman stated that the association had resolved to be a responsible and forthright representative body that would partner with the government, among other objectives, discourage illicit transactions in the downstream sector.

He further stated that the association would avail itselfof the benefits and various support provisions such asproducts, capital, insurance, banking relationship, litigation among others.

In his remarks, the President of the Association, Chief Benneth Korie, said the strategic position of the industry as suppliers of Natural oil and gas in the overall development of economy could not be overemphasised.

Korie called on marketers patronising illegal depotsto desist from doing so, saying it would jeopardise the associations efforts in addition to the frequent damages caused by adulterated products.

Source: NAN

By Shuaibu Tatu

Thailands Ambassador to Nigeria, Mr Wattana Kunwangse, says his country will provide technical expertise in production for rice farmers in Kebbi.

Kunwangse gave the assurance on Friday when he paid a courtesy call on the Emir of Argungu, Alhaji Samaila Mera, in Argungu.

The aim of my visit to Kebbi State is to explore ways of promoting the development of the rice value chain via the training of rice farmers in new methods of rice production which we have in our country, he said.

The envoy reiterated the commitment of the Thai government to train farmers and officials of the state Ministry of Agriculture in new methods of rice farming.

Thailands government will sponsor rice farmers to acquire agricultural training to boost their production; our focus is to develop agriculture, particularly rice production in Kebbi State, he added.

Kunwangse stressed that the bi-lateral agreement between Thailand and Kebbi State in this regard would be mutually beneficial.

He however, called for more commitment in efforts to actualise the objectives of the agreement.

Speaking, the state Commissioner for Agriculture, Alhaji Attahiru Maccido, said that the state is a leading rice producer in the country, courtesy of the Anchor Borrowers Programme launched by President Muhammad Buhari in November 2015.

Maccido said the programme had raised the production capacity of rice farmers in the state from 300,000 tonnes of rice per annum to over two million tonnes.

He pledged the state governments readiness to partner with the Thai government or any relevant agency in efforts to develop the rice value chain in the state.

The Emir of Argungu, Mera, commended the government of Thailand and the Kebbi State Government for the collaboration aimed at boosting rice production in the state.

Source: NAN

Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has picked former Anambra state governor Peter Obi as running mate, multiple sources said on Friday.

Silverbird TV owned by Senator Ben Murray-Bruce, a close ally of Atiku first reported the choice and several other platforms have reported it.

Otunba Gbenga Daniel, Director-general Atikus campaign also confirmed it in a Facebook post.

Congratulations to His Excellency Peter Obi. Atiku picks Peter Obi as his Vice Presidential Candidate, he wrote.

A formal announcement was later made by the Atiku campaign, via Daniel, and there were reports that Atiku and Obi were in talks in Abuja on Friday evening.

Obi, was the governor of Anambra between 2007 and 2014.

Daniel in the statement gave reasons Obi was picked as the running mate to Atiku Abubakar.

The 57-year-old Obi was a former governor of Anambra State and a former Chairman of Fidelity Bank Plc.

Daniel said Obis choice was largely influenced by his youthfulness, vast knowledge of global and local economics as well as being a financial expert, all experience which Nigeria is in great need at this point in time.

This ticket will be able to steer our nation back on the path of progress, economic prosperity and unity, Daniel said.

Born 19th July, 1961, Obi attended the Christ the King College, Onitsha and later proceeded to the University of Nigeria, Nsukka where he graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Philosophy in 1984.

He is also a graduate of several international and national institutions such as the Lagos Business School, Harvard Business School, London School of Economics, Columbia Business School, Institute of Management, Switzerland, Kellogg Graduate School, Oxford University and Cambridge University.

In public service, he has led various divisions some of which includes: Member, Presidential Economic Management Team; Vice-Chairman, Nigeria Governors Forum; Chairman, South-East Governors Forum, and the Governor of Anambra State.

Peter Obi is an astute professional who has laid his footprints across the corporate world. He was the Chairman, Board of Security and Exchange Commission (SEC); former Chairman, Fidelity Bank PLC; former Chairman, Guardian Express Mortgage Bank; former Chairman, Future Views Securities; former Chairman, Paymaster Nigeria; former Chairman, Next International Nigeria; former Director, Guardian Express Bank PLC; former Director, Chams Nigeria PLC; former Director, Emerging Capital: former Director, Card Centre PLC.

He is a member of the British Institute of Directors (IOD), Nigerian Chartered Institute of Bankers and Nigerian Economic Summit Group (NESG)

Source: NAN

Facebook Inc on Friday said attackers in the mass security breach it announced late September accessed the accounts of about 30 million people in total and stole names and contact details for 29 million.

Facebook found no theft of highly personal messages or financial data, and saw no use of Facebook logins to access other websites, all of which would have been cause for greater concern.

Instead, stolen data on 14 million users included birth-dates, employers, education and lists of friends.

All of those could help a fraudster pose as Facebook, the employer or a friend.

They could then craft a more sophisticated email aimed at tricking users into providing login information on a fake page or into clicking on an attachment that would infect their computers.

Were cooperating with the FBI, which is actively investigating and asked us not to discuss who may be behind this attack, Facebook said on a blog post.

The social network said in late September that hackers stole digital login codes allowing them to take over almost 50 million user accounts in its worst security breach ever.

However, Facebook did not confirm if information had actually been stolen.

Facebooks latest vulnerability has existed since July 2017, but the company first identified it in mid-September after spotting a fairly large increase in use of its view as privacy feature.

It determined that it was an attack on Sept. 25.

Within two days, we closed the vulnerability, stopped the attack, and secured peoples accounts by restoring the access tokens for people who were potentially exposed, Facebook said.

The view as feature allows users to check their privacy settings by giving them a glimpse of what their profile looks like to others.

But a trio of errors in Facebooks software enabled someone accessing the feature to post and browse from Facebook accounts of other users.

Facebook shares fell 2.6 per cent after the breach was announced in September and they were down more than 1 per cent following the updated disclosures on Friday

Source: NAN

Ekiti State Governor Ayo Fayose Friday evening handed over the instruments of office to the Head of Service, Dr. Gbenga Faseluka.

He gave the handover note to Faseluka at an emotional special cabinet meeting at the new Governors Office in Ado-Ekiti, the state capital.

It was attended by traditional rulers, legislators, senior government officials and party leaders.

The meeting was his last as governor and he may well have said bye-bye to the people of the state, four days to the enthronement of his successor Kayode Fayemi.

Fayose said history would be kind to him the way he managed the resources in trust for the people of the state.

The departing governor said he would be available to answer questions on how he ruled the state anytime he is called upon to do so.

What has a beginning must have an end. It is not the number of years spent but the quantity and quality of achievements.

I thank the people of the state for their cooperation and urge them to extend same to the incoming administration.

There should never be a vacuum; our priority in Ekiti must be discharge of our duties.

Im a man who came, saw and conquered. I cant finish all, I have done my best.

History will be kind on me as a man who has given his best to the people. I will remember all for your support, I bear no grudges against anyone.

Thanking the people of Ekiti for their support, Fayose urged them to cooperate with the incoming administration to take the state to greater heights.

Also on Friday, Fayose inaugurated the new Speakers Lodge named, Kolawole Oluwawole, who was impeached as speaker on Thursday.

Source: NAN