News
Police Debunks Alleged Sit-at-home order in Anambra
The Anambra State Police Command has debunked the alleged sit-at-home order in the state while urging residents to go about their lawful activities and not to panic over rumours making the rounds.
The command dismissed the rumour, noting that residents of the state should ignore the false information.
The command spokesman, Tochukwu Ikenga, in a statement on Friday, said the panic was created by some “mischief makers” sharing false security alerts/messages and doctored old videos to cause tension and panic in the state.
This is coming after the pandemonium at some marketplaces in Onitsha and Nnewi where commercial activities were disrupted due to gunshots said to be fired by some unknown gunmen enforcing sit-at-home order.
There have been rumours across the state that some unknown gunmen have directed residents, traders, and schools to sit at home and remain indoors on Friday (today).
This created palpable tension across major cities of the state including Awka, Nnewi, and Onitsha.
It was gathered that the development made traders at the markets in the communities, who had earlier opened for business immediately close shops while parents were also said to have stormed various schools to pick up their children.
A trader in Onitsha Main Market who craved anonymity said, “Some people have warned that there is not going to be human movement today (Friday) and markets will not open. That people should remain indoors, but nobody knows the reason and the direction it is coming from.
“Some of us who came to the market this morning hung around and were watching development while some traders opened their shops partially. But pandemonium started when we heard gunshots being fired near the bridgehead and these made the traders and some people who were in the market to start running.”
But reacting to the development, Ikenga, dismissed the report, saying it was the handiwork of mischief makers sharing false security alerts.
He said, “The Anambra State Police Command today 7/7/2023 has observed with great dismay, the mischievous act of persons sharing false security alerts/messages, and doctored old videos of security incidents to cause tension/panic in the state.
“Given the above, the command shall invoke relevant cyber laws on persons found wanting in this regard.
“Meanwhile, the Command has noted that the confidence reposed on us by Ndi Anambra in the protection of lives and properties shall not be taken for granted.
“The police with other security forces have intensified patrols, improved security dominance and surveillance in the state.
“In the event of any request for security service, members of the public are advised to call the following phone numbers: the Command Control Room Number at 07039194332 or the Public Relations Officer PRO at 08039334002.
“The ‘npf rescue me app’ is also available for free download on both Android and Apple IOS, for Android and iPhone users respectively.”
News
Burial begins for Oyo school teacher killed by JAS terrorist group
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The burial arrangements for Adesiyan Adegboye, the teacher killed during last Friday’s coordinated attack on three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, began on Friday at Ayegun Baptist Church, Ogbomoso.
Adegboye, 49, was shot dead during the invasion carried out by armed bandits at Baptist Nursery and Primary School, Yawota, Community Grammar School, and L.A. Primary School, Esiele.
The deceased teacher is expected to be buried at his residence in the Owolake area of Ogbomoso.
The attackers reportedly stormed the schools around 9:30am, abducting several teachers and students during the operation that threw the communities into panic.
Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police, Olatunji Disu, visited the affected area on Saturday and ordered the deployment of additional detectives from the Force Headquarters in Abuja to support ongoing rescue efforts.
News
FG launches GovGuideNigeria to boost citizens governance access
GovGuideNigeria platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
The Minister of Communications, Innovation, and Digital Economy, Dr Bosun Tijan, has said that Nigerians can now access the government information and services through the newly launched GovGuideNigeria.
The artificial intelligence-powered platform was launched on May 21 by the government in collaboration with Meta, the National Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics (NCAIR), and local developer partner Publica AI.
According to the Minister, the platform is accessible through WhatsApp and the web, and is available in English, Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba to ensure wider accessibility for citizens across different linguistic backgrounds.
Tijani stated that the platform provides users with easy access to information from more than 35 federal ministries and over 60 government agencies.
He described the initiative as part of the government’s efforts to improve public service delivery through technology and digital innovation.
Sade Dada, Head of Public Policy, Meta, said during the launch “Meta’s open-source AI is critical to economic growth and productivity — and GovGuide Nigeria, is a clear example of what this looks like in practice.
Ignatius Willie, CEO, Publica AI said, “Today is not just a product launch. It is a step towards democratising how Nigerians engage with their government. With GovGuide Nigeria, we are not simply digitising access to public services; we are making them conversational, multilingual, and available on the channels Nigerians already use every day.
News
DHQ says JAS terrorists carried out Oyo kidnap
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
Photo: Maj Gen Michael Onoja
The Defence Headquarters disclosed that the attackers behind the Oyo abduction were members of the Jama’atu Ahlis Sunna Lidda’awati wal-Jihad terrorist group displaced by sustained military offensives across the country.
Latest week, schools in communities at Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, were attacked by terrorists ; they abducted pupils, teachers and other residents from Community High School, Ahoro-Esinle.
The incident also left several persons dead, while one of the abducted teachers, Michael Oyedokun, was later killed after a video linked to the attack surfaced online.
In a statement signed by the Director, Defence Media Operations, Maj Gen Michael Onoja, the DHQ confirmed said that the attack was perpetrated by terrorists of the JAS Group that have been dislodged from other parts of the country due to high-intensity operations being conducted all over the country.
The DHQ denied reports suggesting it referred to terrorists operating in the South-West as ordinary criminals, insisting that such interpretations were inaccurate and misleading.
“It is, therefore, inaccurate and misleading to suggest that the Defence Headquarters, at any point, referred to vicious and violent terrorists as criminals,” Onoja stated
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