General
CNN Now in Trouble for Using Unverified #EndSARS Videos—FG
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The federal government has said respected international news platform, CNN, has put itself in a mess for relying on videos from social media to compile its report on the October 2020 #EndSARS protests.
The Minister of Information and Culture, Mr Lai Mohammed, while addressing broadcasters on Friday, stated that the station was now making efforts to get out of the trouble.
Mr Mohammed held a meeting with members of the Broadcasting Organisations of Nigeria (BON) in Abuja today to engage them on the recent happenings in the country.
During his speech, the Minister said what began as a peaceful protest was hijacked by hoodlums, who unleashed terror on law-abiding citizens, destroying their properties and killing people, including six soldiers and 37 policemen.
The Minister wondered why the protesters continued with their actions after the federal government had met their five demands, including the call for the disbandment of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS).
According to him, the federal government was “not only responsive but was also very responsible in its handling of the demands of the EndSARS protesters,” stressing that social media was used to escalate matters through fake news, which he said caused the killings, maiming, arson, looting etc.
“This did not come to us as a surprise,” Mr Mohammed said, noting that this administration had warned of the implication of fake news as far back as 2017.
He said this was why the National Broadcasting Commission (NBS) fined three broadcast stations N9 million for relying on social media materials he described as “unverified and dangerous information.”
The Minister said CNN also relied on these same videos for its reports, which he said have put the platform in serious trouble, saying that it is now “grasping at straws in desperation to justify its inaccurate and unbalanced investigation.”
“The use of unverified videos and the non-adherence to the basic tenets of journalism have combined to land an international broadcaster, CNN, in trouble. This station has been caught in the web of fake news and disinformation after it relied heavily on videos it took from social media for a supposed exclusive investigation on the incident at the Lekki Toll Gate on October 20,” he said.
However, he noted that the federal government awaits the outcome of the investigation it requested after a letter was written to the company “to use its own internal mechanism to probe its investigation.”
“We have received an acknowledgement of our letter, saying the letter has been referred to CNN’s Editorial Team,” he said.
He called on local stations to take up the challenge of reporting issues concerning Nigeria and not wait for foreign stations, noting that the “CNN’s faux pas” has magnified “the failure or inadequacy of our own broadcast organisations.”
By Adedapo Adesanya
Nigeria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed that the latest United States airstrikes on Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) targets in northwest Nigeria were conducted at the request of the Nigerian government.
According to reports, the US struck at ISWAP targets in Jabo, Sokoto State, on Christmas night.
The ministry described the operation as a product of established counterterrorism cooperation between both countries.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the Ministry said the strikes were “undertaken following formal engagement and with the full knowledge and coordination of the Government of the Federal Republic of Nigeria.”
“The Government of Nigeria wishes to clarify that the airstrikes conducted by the United States against Islamic State elements in parts of northwest Nigeria were carried out at the request of Nigerian authorities and in line with existing bilateral security cooperation frameworks,” the statement said.
The Ministry stressed that Nigeria “remains firmly in control of all counterterrorism operations within its sovereign territory,” adding that international partners only provide support “where such assistance aligns with Nigeria’s national security objectives.”
According to the statement, the strikes form part of Nigeria’s broader strategy to “degrade terrorist capabilities, disrupt logistics networks, and protect civilian populations from violent extremist threats.”
The Foreign Ministry further emphasised that the federal government “will continue to work with trusted international partners to confront terrorism, banditry, and transnational criminal networks that threaten national and regional stability.”
Reacting to concerns around sovereignty, the Ministry said:
“At no time was Nigeria’s sovereignty compromised. All actions were conducted with due respect for Nigeria’s laws, institutions, and command structures.”
The statement also cautioned against mischaracterising Nigeria’s security challenges, noting that extremist violence “has affected communities across religious and ethnic lines and should not be framed in sectarian terms.”
Nigeria reaffirmed its commitment to a multi-layered response combining military operations, intelligence sharing, community engagement, and socio-economic interventions, adding that counterterrorism efforts remain focused on protecting lives and restoring stability.
The US Africa Command (AFRICOM) said the strikes were carried out in Sokoto State and that multiple militants were killed.
US President Donald Trump described the strikes as “powerful and deadly,” saying they were directed at Islamic State militants responsible for violent attacks on Christians in Nigeria.
The Nigerian government has clearly denied that only Christians are affected by the killings, saying the terror spread across all faiths.
Meanwhile, US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth has warned that “more to come” as part of sustained efforts against extremist groups.
By Aduragbemi Omiyale
The United States government gave some terrorists in Nigeria a Christmas gift that sent many of them to the great beyond.
On Thursday, December 25, 2025, the United States President, Mr Donald Trump, directed his country’s military to launch air strikes on camps of members of the dreaded Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in Sokoto State.
According to Mr Trump, the military action, which he threatened to carry out a few weeks ago if the Nigerian government does not stop the killing of Christians in the country, occurred on Thursday night.
“Tonight, at my direction as Commander in Chief, the United States launched a powerful and deadly strike against ISIS Terrorist Scum in Northwest Nigeria, who have been targeting and viciously killing, primarily, innocent Christians, at levels not seen for many years, and even Centuries!
“I have previously warned these Terrorists that if they did not stop the slaughtering of Christians, there would be hell to pay, and tonight, there was.
“The Department of War executed numerous perfect strikes, as only the United States is capable of doing.
“Under my leadership, our country will not allow radical islamic terrorism to prosper. May God bless our military, and Merry Christmas to all, including the dead terrorists, of which there will be many more if their slaughter of Christians continues,” Mr Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
In a video on X, formerly known as Twitter, the Department of War of the United States posted the below video of the air strikes;
https://twitter.com/DeptofWar/status/2004351717131903272
By Modupe Gbadeyanka
The presidency has reacted to speculations that Mr Femi Gbajabiamila has been removed as the Chief of Staff to President Bola Tinubu.
It was alleged that Mr Gbajabiamila has been replaced with the President’s Principal Private Secretary, Mr Hakeem Muri-Okunola.
Mr Muri-Okunola went to Abuja to take up this role after leaving as the Head of Service of the Lagos State Civil Service.
Reacting to the reports on social media on the purported removal of Mr Gbajabiamila, a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, the presidency said no such change has been made.
In a statement signed on Thursday by the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, Mr Bayo Onanuga, members of the public were advised to disregard the report as “there is absolutely no truth to this story.”
“The Chief of Staff remains in his position. The Principal Private Secretary likewise remains in his role. Hakeem Muri-Okunola has not replaced Femi Gbajabiamila as Chief of Staff.
“The viral claim is a fabrication by mischievous purveyors of fake news whose sole aim is to create disharmony within the government.
“We reiterate that news media should always verify their information before publishing or sharing on social media,” the statement said.
-
Feature/OPED6 years agoDavos was Different this year
-
Travel/Tourism9 years ago
Lagos Seals Western Lodge Hotel In Ikorodu
-
Showbiz3 years agoEstranged Lover Releases Videos of Empress Njamah Bathing
-
Banking8 years agoSort Codes of GTBank Branches in Nigeria
-
Economy3 years agoSubsidy Removal: CNG at N130 Per Litre Cheaper Than Petrol—IPMAN
-
Banking3 years agoFirst Bank Announces Planned Downtime
-
Banking3 years agoSort Codes of UBA Branches in Nigeria
-
Sports3 years agoHighest Paid Nigerian Footballer – How Much Do Nigerian Footballers Earn