ASUU to hold emergency meeting over suspension of strike

The striking Academic Staff Union of Universities, ASUU, will on Thursday, October 13, convene an emergency National Executive Council, NEC meeting, to review recent developments, especially the positive response from the federal government to its demands.

Ahead of the meeting, the leadership of the union has asked its zonal branches to collate the views of members through votes and transmit the outcome at the meeting to be held in Abuja on Thursday.

The outcome of Thursday’s meeting would result in the suspension of the strike late Thursday or Friday morning.

The leadership of the union held a meeting with the leadership of the House of Representatives on Monday, September 10 and hinted on calling off the eight-month old strike in the coming days.

Lai Mohammed leads team to meet Twitter over suspension

President Muhammadu Buhari has approved a Federal Government team to engage with Twitter over the recent suspension of the company’s operations in Nigeria.

Minister of Information and Culture, Lai Mohammed, who will chair the team, announced the approval in a statement on Tuesday, June 21.

The Federal Government’s team also comprises the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Pantami.

Others are; Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geoffrey Onyeama, Minister of Works and Housing, Babatunde Fashola, Minister of State for Labour and Employment, Festus Keyamo as well as other relevant government agencies.

Following the indefinite suspension of its Twitter’s operations in Nigeria for ”activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”, the US-based firm wrote to President Buhari seeking to engage with the Federal Government over the suspension, with a view to charting a path forward.

Twitter reacts to FG’s suspension of its operation in Nigeria

Tech giant, Twitter has expressed “deep concern” over the federal government’s decision to suspend its operations in Nigeria.

Sarah Hart, Twitter’s Senior Policy Communications Manager for Europe, Middle East and Africa, who made this known in a statement, said the company is investigating the development.

“The announcement made by the Nigerian Government that they have suspended Twitter’s operations in Nigeria is deeply concerning.

“We’re investigating and will provide updates when we know more,” the statement said.

Recall that the federal government suspended Twitter’s operations in a statement on Friday.

Lai Mohammed, Minister of Information, said the government was forced to act because of “the persistent use of the platform for activities that are capable of undermining Nigeria’s corporate existence”.

Activists call for suspension of #ENDSARS protest

A civil society group, Activists for Good Governance (AGG) and its allies have called for suspension of the #EndSARS protest to allow the Federal Government and police authorities carry out the promised reforms.

AGG made the call at a press conference on the #EndSARS protest at the International Press Centre at Ogba on Friday.

Co-Convener of AGG, Comrade Gbenga Soloki, said the government has to demonstrate genuine commitment to fulfill the promises made so as to restore the confidence of the people.

The Convener, Comrade Declan Ihekaire, called on the Inspector General of Police Mohammed Adamu to step down honourably and apologise to Nigerians it took this long to scrap and replace SARS despite series of their activities he had been aware of.

Soloki said. “The sad truth is, trust has been lost! But the Nigerian government has the opportunity to rally the civil society and the organized private sector now to stem the tide and win the trust of the Nigerian people by implementing a comprehensive reform of the Nigerian police.”

AGG stated further if within one week it does not see a genuine demonstration of the commitment, it will not hesitate to call out its members across the nation for a coordinated action against the Federal Government “that will make the on-going rehearsal look like a kindergarten prep”.

While acknowledging the disbanding of SARS by the IG, Soloki said what is required today is complete review and overhaul of the policing system in Nigeria.

He said: “We are of the view that the hasty renaming of SARS as another Special Weapon and Tactics Team (SWAT) is a poorly concieved approach to solving an endemic problem.

“We don’t just want a change in name but a complete reform of the standard operating procedure of the new crime-bursting outfit and indeed the Nigerian police.”

AGG asked government which to put an immediate end to all forms of police brutality, setting up of a judicial commission of inquiry into the operation of the disbanded SARS to bring offenders to book.

Other activists present at the briefing were: Rasak Oladosu of Grasdroot Democratic Initiative; Shina Loremikan of Campaign Against Impunity and Raheem Ajayi of The Development Initiative and others

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