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Wike: Supreme Court Dismisses Alleged DSS Interrogation Of CJN

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The Supreme Court on Tuesday evening in Abuja, dismissed an insinuation that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, CJN, Olukayode Ariwoola was subjected to Interrogation by the Department of the State Service DSS over alleged pro-Wike political remarks.

The Apex Court also debunked claims that five Justices of the Court have demanded resignation from office by CJN over the same issue.

In a statement by the Director of Information and Press of the Court, Dr Festus Akande, the Apex Court warned those peddling the rumours to desist in their own interests.

The reaction of the Supreme Court is in response to a publication by an online medium, “People’s Gazette,” which reported that Justice Ariwoola has been grilled by DSS over his alleged political remarks in Port Harcourt at a public function.

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The statement read in part “We have read with dismay and shock a publication with the above caption by an online media outfit, “People’s Gazette,” alleging that the Chief Justice of Nigeria, Hon. Justice Olukayode Ariwoola, was grilled by the DSS for the remarks he made in ‘Port Harcourt at a state banquet’ and that ‘five Justices of Supreme Court are calling for his resignation.’

“Just like our earlier press statement debunking this barefaced falsehood and mischievous antics aimed at scoring very cheap and unpopular political gains in this era of aggressive and mudslinging politicking.

“We wish to state in very clear and unmistaken terms, that this is yet another round of the avalanche of lies that have been disingenuously packaged by individuals with unenviable pedigree to malign the character and personality of not just the CJN but several other Judicial Officers that they considered to be too unpliable and principled to be approached for any form of underhand dealings, especially as election cases (petitions) will soon be streaming to the tribunals (courts) for adjudication.

“It has become very obvious that those with sinister motives have perfected plans to unleash all manner of coordinated attacks on Judicial Officers, starting from the CJN with a view to arm-twisting and blackmailing and ridiculing them to silence, ultimately for their ulterior motives.

“For sure, it will only take an undiscerning mind to believe this string of falsehood, misinformation and blackmail. Nigerians are much wiser to fall for this armchair criticism and disingenuous sponsorships of paid crowds who masquerade as ‘civil society organizations’ to help them further their inordinate ambition of gagging and fettering the Nigerian Judiciary so that they could cowardly do their biddings.

“The publication, which was laced with tissues of lies, non-existent sources of information and unsubstantiated claims, clearly showed the unwholesome intentions of the authors.

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“For the record, no single Justice of the Supreme has asked the CJN to resign, and no Justice of the Supreme Court has or is writing any letter of protest whatsoever.

“This stream of falsehood, as usual, is flowing from the same discredited source that is hell-bent on destroying the Judiciary for some selfish interest.

“The Supreme Court Justices are united and firmly behind the CJN; and are, as usual, all working assiduously to dispense justice without fear or favour.

READ ALSO: Tinubu Makes Demand From Justice OluKayode Ariwoola

“Neither the CJN nor the Honourable Justices of the Supreme Court or other Courts for that matter, are politicians, so, none of them should be dragged into politics in any form whatsoever.

“Our advice to this set of rabble-rousers whose stock in trade is character assassination via dissemination of false information to create tension and disaffection, is to have a rethink and engage in meaningful productive activities that will move the nation forward. A word is enough for the wise”, the statement said.

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INEC To Publish Edo Gov Candidates’ Credentials Saturday

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Ahead of the September 21, 2024, Edo State governorship election, the Independent National Electoral Commission has said it would publish the particulars of 17 governorship candidates and their running mates on March 30, 2024.

The personal particulars of the candidates would be published by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.

INEC’s National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, Sam Olumekun, disclosed this on Wednesday.

READ ALSO: [JUST IN] Okuama Killings: Army Declares Eight Persons Wanted [FULL LIST]

Olumekun said, “Following the conclusion of party primaries, 17 political parties have uploaded their candidates’ nomination forms for the Edo State Governorship Election by the deadline of 6 pm on 24th March 2024 when the dedicated portal automatically shut down.

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“The personal particulars of the governorship candidates and their running mates will be published on Saturday 30th March 2024, a week from the last date for the submission of nominations as provided in Section 29(3) of the Electoral Act 2022.

“The commission shall publish the personal particulars by displaying copies of Form EC9 along with all academic credentials and other documents submitted by each candidate at the state headquarters and the 18 local government offices across Edo State.”

READ ALSO: Man Slumps, Dies During Fight In Kwara

The commission appealed to Nigerians to scrutinise the document (particulars of the candidates) when published.

“We appeal to Nigerians to scrutinise the documents. Any aspirant who participated in his/her party primaries with reasonable grounds to believe that the information provided by the candidate is false can challenge the nomination in a Federal High Court as provided in Section 29(5) of the Electoral Act 2022,” the National Commissioner said.

The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmood Yakubu, had last week expressed the frustration of the electoral body over the rancorous primary elections in various political parties ahead of the September 21, 2024 governorship election in Edo State.

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Yakubu, who spoke in Abuja at the first regular quarterly consultative meeting with political parties, said INEC found the infighting within political parties disruptive of its activities, adding that INEC also wastes funds to defend litigation arising from controversial primaries.

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Commission Probes 400 Cases Of Privacy Breach In Online Loan Apps

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The Nigeria Data Protection Commission has said it is investigating over 400 cases of privacy breaches involving online loan apps.

Cases of data privacy breaches have become prevalent in recent times due to the proliferation of digital lending platforms.

The commission made this known in its 2023 Annual Report made available to The PUNCH on Thursday.

It noted that its ongoing investigations have revealed that “loan apps are overly intrusive.”

NDPC is also seeking a ban or restriction on mobile numbers found to have been used by lenders to breach the privacy of their customers.

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READ ALSO: How 15,000 Ethiopian Bank’s Customers Returned Cash Illegally Withdrawn During Glitch

“They generally violate the principles of Data Protection and Privacy because they have access to contacts, pictures, messages, etc. of data subjects,” the commission stated.

This indicated that despite an April 2023 policy introduced by Google banning loan apps from accessing photos and contacts of users, the practice has continued.

Acknowledging that privacy breaches by loan apps are a systemic problem, the commission said it is also adopting a systemic solution by working with other regulators and third-party platforms being used by the lenders.

A user of a loan app, Haruna Michael, who spoke to The PUNCH on Thursday, said that one of the digital lenders used his photos and tagged him as a fleeing criminal because he defaulted in paying the loan he received within the stipulated time.

READ ALSO: Nine Things To Know About Ship That Collapsed Baltimore Bridge

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He said his contacts were reached and he was reported as a fraudster.

“Over 400 cases of privacy breaches involving shadowy loan sharks are being addressed at the systemic level.

“The commission has now drafted the Nigeria Data Protection Act-General Application and Implementation Directive which addresses the abetment of data breaches, the need for data ethics and privacy by design and by default among others.

“Under abetment, the third-party platforms through which data privacy breaches take place will now be required to deny access to those who use their platforms for privacy breaches.

READ ALSO: Man Slumps, Dies During Fight In Kwara

“Organisations, particularly communication networks should be willing to restrict or ban telephone lines that are implicated in privacy violations,” the commission said.

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The NDPC added that it is also collaborating with regulators under the Joint Enforcement and Regulatory Taskforce to sanitise the digital lending space.

It noted that the Federal Competition and Consumer Protection Commission now requires lending companies to obtain data protection clearance from NDPC before operation.

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JUST IN: Military Yields To Pressure, Frees Abducted Lagos Editor

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Military authorities, on Thursday, yielded to pressure and released the Editor of FirstNews, Segun Olatunji, who was abducted from his home in Lagos State on Friday, March 15, 2024.

The PUNCH can confirm that he was released to some media stakeholders, including Yomi Odunuga of The Nation newspaper and Iyobosa Uwugiaren of Thisday Newspaper in Abuja on Thursday after sustained pressure from the media.

They were asked to guarantee that they would make Olatunji available if needed again.

READ ALSO: Alleged Defamation: Foremost Edo-based Human Rights Activist Granted Bail

The International Press Institute, the Nigeria Guild of Editors, and Olatunji’s employers had in separate statements, faulted his incarceration, asking authorities to either release the editor or charge him to court.

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Recall that Olatunji, a former Kaduna State correspondent of The PUNCH, was abducted by men in military uniform from his home in the Iyana Odo, Abule Egba area of Lagos State.

The IPI, on Wednesday, said it traced Olatunji to the custody of the Defence Intelligence Agency.

The DIA is an agency under the command of Major General Emmanuel Undiandeye, who reports to the Chief of Defence Staff.

The PUNCH learnt that media stakeholders will address journalists by 11am in Abuja on the development.

 

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