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LEKKI TOLL PLAZA: CNN FACES TEST OF INTEGRITY BY SAMUEL OMOJOYE

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LEKKI TOLL PLAZA: CNN FACES TEST OF INTEGRITY– The morning after the night when protesters at Lekki toll gate were supposedly massacred by the Nigerian Army, the BBC News hour programme interviewed Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu around 6am on whether he invited the army and who gave orders that unarmed protesters be shot.
The governor confirmed that he invited the army but that they were supposed to arrive later than the time they came. Did he order the shooting of protesters? “I am not the C-in-C,” he said, adding that the army does not take orders from him. He was then asked if he knew who the people that did the shooting were and he replied, “from the videos I’ve seen, it was the army”.
Sanwo-Olu, RMD, Kunle Afolayan, Ashiru, Tunde Okewale, Tokunbo Wahab, Sujimoto, Others for Aristocrat Institute and Flagship Store Opening

Later at a press briefing, apparently after having some intel, the Governor announced that there were no fatalities. Note also that the army had already tweeted “fake news” earlier in the day when the social media was awash with videos of soldiers in an armoured tank, shooting sporadically in a direction and scores of videos of bodies with body parts littering the ground had been spread as victims of Lekki massacre.

A certain DJ Switch has released several videos, one LIVE, in which she claims that the military were killing protesters and that a lot of people had died and they were trying to remove a bullet from  one person’s leg. She was relaying these events, but not showing a single footage of the most important videos, A. Of dead bodies, B. Of the soldiers shooting at people, C. Of blood stain on the floor, D. Of the process/procedure when the bullet was removed, E. When soldiers were carrying the bodies, F. When DJ Switch and her people were carrying bodies and dumping them in front of the soldiers (as she claimed). Rather, she was verbalising the narrative she wanted to drive even though that was not what was happening. Then her second video showed her talking to a friend and, all of a sudden, she started running and asking imaginary people to bend down and hold their flags. His friend on then said “daaaamn” after which he covered his face as if he had just witnessed something gruesome. That, no doubt, was mere acting and a bad one at that. DJ Switch gave an impression that the army or police were still shooting protesters at Lekki even in the morning. Then she said “they shot all night”. Then she did another video where she apologised for not being online for some time. She then proceeded to reminisce about the fateful night and, at that point, she started to address the issue of numbers.
Fashola’s eureka moment at Lekki tollgate By Tunde Odesola
It was then the death toll of over 80 suddenly reduced to 12. She also claimed that the DJ Switch account which posted over 80 deaths was a fake account and not hers. Really? I am damn sure that if the digital footprint and registered details of that account were searched, they will show that it’s her account, but away from that, she started to narrate her ordeal and how the police fired teargas and described it like “Cotonou pepper”. Someone who has just been traumatised and witnessed a carnage a few days earlier making jokes about pepper? Body language experts have analysed that her behaviour is not commensurate with that of a victim of trauma and her description of how she carried and deposited bodies at the feet of soldiers defies logic. It is fight or flight. Soldiers opening fire and you taking bodies to them seem a drama taken too far; it is highly unlikely.
Fashola’s eureka moment at Lekki tollgate By Tunde Odesola

Now let’s go to the facts. Till today, there are no relatives who have come forward that their family members are missing. A woman in London claimed her son was killed at the Lekki Toll Plaza, but it turned out that she was lying. He died in a motorcycle accident. Also pictures that were touted as victims of the Lekki massacre turned out to be pictures of people who had died in separate circumstances – one from a bike accident and the other a stab wound victim. Those found in the hospitals who got injured from Lekki were as a result of stampede, and the injuries ranged from broken bones, cuts, bruises and slash wounds. No record of death as a result of gunshot wounds from the Army’s weapons, but the social media was awash with people in hospital, who claimed that they were shot by soldiers at the toll plaza.

In reality, there was chaos in nearby Ajah-Badore where gangs were fighting. Some policemen and many innocent citizens died. To make matters worse, because of the  lie by DJ Switch about a massacre, a lot of angry protesters came out of their homes and in their bid to retaliate by killing police officers or burning police stations, many people got shot by policemen and a lot of lives were lost.  DJ Switch, who was seemingly defiant in the eyes of death, now suddenly disappeared, rather than bring her evidence to the commission of enquiry to help this investigation. Now she’s trying to seek asylum under the guise of running for her life, but when she was confronted with gunshots by the army, she didn’t run away? Isn’t that a cue to show that this woman is an anarchist or a pathological liar? She was probably trying to trend or perhaps there is a more sinister angle into this.

Regarding the shameful way some media houses covered this story, NBC has to keep an eye on such media houses, who have a responsibility to show that they are worthy of their licences. Many of them showed unverified social media footages as “live”, thereby misleading the audience. One newspaper wrote a piece titled “Sanwo-Olu finally admits inviting the military”. At no time did Governor Sanwo-Olu deny inviting the military. He said the military does not take orders from him. It was his interview with Becky Anderson on CNN (days after speaking with the BBC where he confirmed that he sought military help, following the anarchy that had seized many parts of the state) that people saw and decided the governor “finally admitted”. I suppose this is the same report that the army read for them to have said they were not happy the Governor denied inviting them.

CNN, unprofessionally, did a package in which it attached social media videos to what could have been an educational piece of journalism. A satellite image showed the army leaving their base in two pick-up vans. It showed them fire into the sky, but sadly the unverified social media videos attached to that package ruined it. It reeks of prejudice and bias. CNN is desperate to show that the Nigerian government massacred young people and, sadly, they neglected their ethos. There was an image of an old man in native attire covered in blood. That man must have a relative somewhere.  Did the soldiers take his body away? If he is dead, who was he? He must have friends or family members.

One important question to ask is why the satellite image which showed the army drive to the toll gate couldn’t show the army picking up bodies or dropping them somewhere. There should be an image showing people on the floor, dead as a result of a massacre. Some observers have said that the Federal Government should not have confronted CNN. I disagree. What Nigeria has done through the Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, is within its rights. CNN has a duty to investigate its reports thoroughly and present such reports with facts and figures, not mere eyewitness accounts and doubtful social media videos that have failed the simple test of integrity. CNN must substantiate its claims, not repeating the offence.

Omojoye wrote in from Palmgroove, Lagos.

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Warmest Birthday Wishes to an Exceptional, Gracious Woman, Mrs Folake Fabiyi ~Oluwaseun Fabiyi

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Warmest Birthday Wishes to an Exceptional, Gracious Woman, Mrs Folake Fabiyi
~Oluwaseun Fabiyi

 

On this momentous occasion, I am thrilled to honor my beloved sister, Falake, a paragon of kindness and industriousness, on her birthday, today, Friday ayaba Fabiyi Supo, 15th November 2024. Ma, the divine benevolence of God Almighty has bestowed upon you another year of life, replete with promise and opportunity.

It is also an opportune moment to reflect on your blessings and methodically enumerate them, thereby acknowledging the remarkable accomplishments of God in your life

As you commemorate another year of existence today, may the Supreme Being graciously continue to endow your life with success, benevolence, and unwavering favour, and henceforth, every utterance and account regarding you and your household shall be replete with good tidings

I fervently pray that God’s divine guidance and favor will continually be upon you, and may He graciously bestow His kindness upon you now and forever. Please accept my warmest congratulations and sincere best wishes

To my dearest Mummy Precious, I offer my warmest felicitations and hope your birthday celebration is exceptionally eventful.

Warmest Birthday Wishes to an Exceptional, Gracious Woman, Mrs Folake Fabiyi
~Oluwaseun Fabiyi

Oluwaseun Fabiyi a seasoned Journalist writes from Lagos

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JUST IN: Supreme Court dismisses Govs’ suit against EFCC legitimacy

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JUST IN: Supreme Court dismisses Govs’ suit against EFCC legitimacy

 

The Supreme Court has dismissed a suit filed by state governors challenging the legality of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) Act and two other anti-corruption agencies.

The court ruled that the suit before it lacked merit, affirming the legality of the EFCC’s establishment and the two other anti-corruption agencies.

More details coming

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The Limit Breaker Sierre Leone Day 2- Spirit Brings Liberty When You Obey Instructions – Dr Chris Okafor.

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The Limit Breaker Sierre Leone Day 2- Spirit Brings Liberty When You Obey Instructions – Dr Chris Okafor.

…. Obedience is the Solution to Limitations

If somebody can start it, somebody can end it, obeying instructions can change any evil patterns in the life of people, pattern of sickness, Poverty, Late marriage and what have you, when you obey instructions you will breakout of the Limitations in your father’s house.

This was the case study at the day 2 of the ongoing The Limit Breaker Conference in Freetown Sierre Leone where over 2 million faithful received Prophetic Blessings from the servant of God, The Generational Prophet of God.

Teaching on the Topic, Breaking out from the Limitations of my Father’s House Part 2, The Convener Chris Okafor world outreach Ministry COWOM and Senior Pastor Grace Nation Global Dr Chris Okafor continue on the highlights said when you obey instructions, you are prone to be free from any bondage of your father’s house.

The Generational Prophet of God also remarked that , it is not that the devil is powerful but because of the lack of Knowledge of the People, he said ignorance is a licence to bondage therefore obedience is majorly the solution to ancestral Limitations, when you obey instructions the spirit that brings liberty locate you and you will be free from bondage and every spirit of Limitations from you father’s house, you will be free from it.

It was another Powerful and Prophetic movement of God at the Conference, God uses his servant the Generational Prophet of God Dr Chris Okafor to do what he knows how to do best, Addressing Various issues, calling Names, Names of villages, while Every evil altars holding people inheritance exposed, Profiling solution to every case file brought to the conference, it was indeed a life changing Prophetic encounter in the life of the good people of Sierre Leone, the testimonies that will come after the three days prophetic encounter will be enormous and according to a participant who will not want her name mention.

The conference continues on Friday 15th November 2024 ,Same Time and Venue

 

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