Category: Uncategorized

South African opposition leader and President of the Economic Freedom Fighters (EFF), Julius Malema, yesterday called for Africa to unite under a single economy, one currency, and one military command to end what he described as “continued subjugation” by developed nations.

He said Africa must break its cycle of dependency and stop exporting raw minerals only to buy back finished products at exorbitant prices. According to him, unity is the only way for the continent to harness its strengths and claim its rightful place in the global order.

“We demand one Africa, we demand a borderless Africa, we demand an Africa with one president, one currency, one military command, with one parliament,” Malema declared. “We know the currency of Africa will be much stronger against the American currency. We don’t care what Donald Trump or any other leader thinks of us.”

“Africans must love themselves, not kill one another. Black people are not loved in Africa, and not loved abroad either, but we must treat ourselves better,” he said.

Malema also called for visa-free movement across the continent and warned African leaders against plunging future generations into debt traps with reckless foreign loans.

“The land belongs to Africans, and the minerals of Africa must be returned to Africans. We must never allow imperialist forces to divide us in order to take our wealth,” he said.

latestnewsupdate

This is according to a statement issued by NITDA on Monday.

The statement read in part, “NITDA wishes to present to the public a Code of Practice for Interactive Computer Service Platforms/Internet Intermediaries for future review and input.”

The Code of Practice was developed by NITDA alongside the Nigerian Communications Commission and National Broadcasting Commission,with input from platforms such as Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, and Tik Tok.

One of such conditions in the Code of Practice is that each online platform is required to have a country representative, who will interface with the Nigerian authorities.

This means that Twitter, Facebook, WhatsApp, Instagram, Google, Tik Tok and other interactive online platforms are required to have country representatives.

Other conditions include registering with the Corporate Affairs Commission as a legal entity, complying with tax obligations, and abide by regulatory and legal demands.

The Code of Practice is aimed at safeguarding the fundamental human rights of Nigerians and non-Nigerians living in Nigeria, and regulating interactions on online platforms.

The Nigerian Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine has advised Nigerians in the country to be calm and vigilant in light of the invasion of the country by Russia.

“The embassy wishes to add that should any of Nigerians nationals consider the situation emotionally disturbing such national may wish to temporary relocate to anywhere considered safe by private arrangement.”

According to a release issued by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, the president will join other African leaders in finding solutions to political, economic and social challenges facing the continent, guided by the theme, “Building Resilience in Nutrition and Food Security on the African Continent: Strengthen Agriculture, Accelerate the Human Capital, Social and Economic Development.”

On the sideline of the AU meetings, President Buhari will hold bilateral meetings with some leaders, with shared interest in improving trade relations, partnering to tackle security challenges, and maintaining relations with multilateral institutions for sustainable development.

The president is being accompanied on the trip by the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama; Minister of Health, Dr Osagie Ehanire; Minister of Agriculture, Mohammed Abubakar and Minister of Humanitarian Affairs, Disaster Management and Social Development, Sadiya Umar Farouk.

The National Security Adviser, Maj. Gen. Babagana Monguno (rtd) and Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Ambassador Ahmed Rufai Abubakar, would also join the president at the AU meetings.

Mutinous troops in restive Burkina Faso arrested President Christian Kabore and detained him in army barracks a day after staging an uprising, security sources told AFP.

“President Kabore, the head of parliament and the ministers are effectively in the hands of the soldiers” at the Sangoule Lamizana barracks in the capital Ouagadougou, a security source said, with another source confirming the arrest.

The situation was tense and confused in the capital, where mobile internet had been cut on Sunday, making it difficult to verify rumours of a coup in progress.

An AFP journalist said around 10 hooded troops had posted themselves in front of the national broadcaster RTB on Monday, but it was not immediately clear if they were from the mutineers or had been sent in by the government.

Kabore, first elected in 2015 before winning re-election five years later on campaign vows he would prioritise the fight against the jihadist insurgency, has faced rising public anger about the failure to stop the bloodshed.

Punch/AFP

The bill was passed after the removal of clause (84) requiring political parties to only select candidates through direct primaries.

Both chambers of the National Assembly, the Senate and the House of Representatives, however, deleted compulsory direct primaries from the bill.

The Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor, made this known during an interview on Sunrise Daily, a Channels Television’s programme, ahead of the Armed Forces Remembrance Day.

“Today, I believe that Nigerians are no longer in doubt as to the subordination of the military to civil rule; I believe that no one is in doubt that democracy has come to stay,” he said amid the recent military takeover of government in some African countries.

“I believe that no one is in doubt any longer that the current military leadership, and of course, since the democratisation in 1999, that the military is well focused to perform its constitutional roles,” he added.

His statement came amid recent military coups in West African countries such as Mali and Guinea; as well as North-Eastern nation, Sudan.

“Going forward, I believe that some of these misperceptions that some Nigerians have had with respect to military engagement will begin to change,” he said.

Latestnewsupdates

This was disclosed in a press statement signed by the Director-General of the National Information Technology Development Agency and Chairman Technical Committee Nigeria-Twitter Engagement, Kashifu Abdullahi.

The statement read in part, “The Federal Government of Nigeria directs me to inform the public that President Muhammadu Buhari, has approved the lifting of the suspension of Twitter operation in Nigeria effective from 12 am tonight, January 13, 2022.

“The approval was given following a memo written to the President by the Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Prof Isa Pantami.”

Punch