POSTING OF SEX TAPES AND OTHER INDECENT VIDEOS ON THE INTERNET IS CRIMINAL, PUNISHABLE BY LAW AND ALSO OFFENDS PUBLIC MORALITY

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In recent times, Nigerians have had to endure and confront series of obscene display of nudes and the sharing of sex tapes on the internet. While the morality and integrity of victims and those sharing same may be subjected to public debate, it is essential that those involved in the act put the members of the public in consideration while flying such horror and indecent files on the internet as same is capable of causing damage on public decency and national morality. More importantly, it is a criminal act punishable by law.

A cursory appraisal of the extant laws in Nigeria show that the sharing of sex tapes, nudes and pornography on media is a grievous offence punishable with severe penalty under the Cybercrimes (Prevention and Prohibition) Act, 2015, the Criminal Code and the Penal Code.

Under the Cybercrimes Act, 2015 applicable in all States of the federation including FCT-Abuja, Section 24 of the Act provides thus;

(a) Any person who knowingly or intentionally sends a message or other matter by means of computer systems or network that is grossly offensive, pornographic or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character or causes any such message or matter to be so sent;… commits an offence under this Act and shall be liable on conviction to a fine of not more than N7, 000,000.00 or imprisonment for a term of not more than 3 years or to both such fine and imprisonment.

In the same vein, Section 170 of the Criminal Code Act provides;

Any person who knowingly sends, or attempts to send, by post anything which;

(b) encloses an indecent or obscene print, painting, photograph, lithograph, engraving, book, card, or article, or which has on it, or in it, or on its cover, any indecent, obscene, or grossly offensive words, marks, or designs; is guilty of a misdemeanour and is liable to imprisonment for one year.

See also the provision of Section 463 of Penal Code.

From the analysis above, it is crystal clear that the sharing of indecent files on the internet or other related gadgets is an offence which the law frowns upon. Apart from the personal injury and effect on the victim, flying of same across the internet is equally capable of causing public nuisance which may result in the breach of public peace if handled lackadaisically.

In addition to this, it is imperative to understand that as Africans we hold morality and decency in high esteem and this generation of ours must act cautiously while using media and the internet in order to protect the sanity of our culture.

While appealing to users to keep national values and respect the rights of others in view at all times, we equally implore our law enforcement agencies to be up to their task in upholding the rule of law in this grey area.

Veteran singer, Femi Anikulapo Kuti has revealed the reason why he would want his body to be cremated.

According to the 59 year old musician, he wouldn’t like a big burial ceremony but a simple ceremony and would prefer his body to be cremated.

The sensational musician and the grandchild of political campaigner, Funmilayo Ransome-Kuti had stated on Saturday during his performance at the New Africa Shrine.

“When I die, please cremate me, burn my body. It is the most hygienic way. Have you all thought about Ikoyi cemetery, this Lagos has been in existence for let’s just say 60 years and people die, if they don’t die today, they will die tomorrow and that burial ground has never been full and if you check it, it is not like it’s 1 million acres since I was little when we used to bury people there.”

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Nigeria’s ex-military head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar has stated that the nation doesn’t need “leaders with walking stick”, hence, younger generation should be allowed space and opportunity to govern the country.

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He spoke over the weekend at his hilltop country home, Minna, when a presidential hopeful, Prince Adewale Adebayo paid a consultation to him ahead of the 2023 general election.

The ex-leader reasoned that governance has gone digital now compared to their time, noting that the younger ones who understands the times, would better the society than the elderly whose mindsets were not compatible with the current realities.

According to him, it was a good development that youngsters were already interested in presidency, given the high number of those declaring their ambitions, adding that they would surely takeover from the elderly ones.

Commending the presidential hopeful for telling him of his ambition, Abdulsalami said Nigeria with a population of over 200 million needed serious leadership to make it greater.

“Like you rightly said the world is going digital and I believe the younger generation are more exposed internationally in ICT more than the older generation.

“I am happy that you are thinking of moving the country forward and I believe with your ideologies and your youthful and vibrant ambition, I think Nigeria is on the right part and wish Nigeria will be great.

“Thank you for finding me fit to come and visit me to tell me of your ambition. You can count on our support always trying to do the right thing.
He thanked the former minister for sports Barrister Solomon Dalung for bringing his friend to visit him,” he said.

Earlier, Prince Adebayo recalled how the ex-general midwived democracy in 1999 and expressed gratitude to him for relinquishing power to democratically elected leaders, adding that history will forever be fair to him.

Prince Adebayo said: “You are one of our greatest leaders, you are to us what Abraham Lincoln is to the Americans. Because Lincoln founded America, it wasn’t George Washington, he reformed the character of the country after the civil war and you after many years of military wilderness showed to us that you are an officer and gentleman and you kept your words which was not easy to do and you did it.

“But it wasn’t that day that you became who you are, you have always been a good citizen. You paid grievous sacrifices in the past when there were opportunities that you could be anything in the country to go abroad, or you stay here and become a medical Doctor, lawyer, you chose a profession where you had to give your life to the country.

“At that time you never knew you could be head of State. You thought you could be eliminated in the war front but you have given your life to the country.”

“If every youth lives their lives as you had lived that time, some will be head of State, some will not be but everyone would be a patriot and the country is built by patriots not by people in government and the calamity that we suffer in the country is not the misbehavior of people in Government, it is the effect of the disbelieve that it has created on the minds of the people and the generational inheritance of that doubt that things can be good.”

The anti-indecency campaigner and deeper life member, Prince Dele Banjo has staged a peaceful protest at the Deeper Life Headquarters at Gbagada, Lagos.

The protest is in connection with the introduction of unconventional music to Deeper Life.

Prince Dele Banjo stated:

“We are surprised about the introduction of unconventional music as well as the invitation of Gospel rock stars to Deeper Life. We are also surprised about the invitation of local Christian musicians that are not advocates of modesty to deeper life.

We are surprised because pastor Kumuyi who is our father in the Lord did not raise us his children with such music. Instead, he raised us with modesty, holiness and the belief that we should worship God with our book of hymns alone using low toned and humble songs.

Pastor Kumuyi was the one that taught us all we know about modesty and holiness, so we are surprised that our teacher is changing direction and he is inviting international Gospel rock stars and local musicians that are not advocates of modesty to come and sing at deeper life.

We strongly believe that as a holiness church, deeper life ought to stick with our choir and our God given hymn book alone. We don’t need unnecessary noise from these American gospel rockstars and these local Christian musicians.

Our God given and humble choir at deeper life that consists of those lovely teenagers, keyboardists and trumpeters is enough for us at deeper life.

Since he is our father in the Lord, we hereby request an explanation from him; we want to our dear father in the Lord to defend the invitation of rockstars and local Christian musicians that are not advocates of modesty.

We hold in our hands the book of hymns in order to prove to everyone that all we need in deeper life is our God given book of hymns.

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The General Evangelist, Worldwide of the Christ Apostolic Church (CAC), Prophet Samuel Kayode Abiara on Saturday told Nigerians, especially the people of Lagos State to shun those he described as prophets of doom.

He gave the charge during the New Year Service held simultaneously by Christian and Muslim faithful in Lagos House, Marina at both the Chapel of Christ the King for Christian faithful and the State House Mosque.

Prophet Abiara, at the Christian worship prayed for Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his family, members of the State Executive Council and Lagos State. He urged people not to listen to prophets of doom against Nigeria and her leaders at the national and state levels.

“Don’t listen to prophets of doom against Nigeria, our nation and the leaders. Don’t listen to prophets of doom against Lagos State. The future of Nigeria and Lagos State is bright,” Prophet Abiara declared.

The renowned cleric who commended Governor Sanwo-Olu on his compassion for the downtrodden and the masses implored public office holders to emulate the governor and be passionate about the people they are serving.

In his sermon, former Vice-Chancellor of the Ajayi Crowther University, Oyo and Bishop of Church of Nigeria (Anglican Communion), Rt. Revd (Prof.) Dapo Asaju, said Governor Sanwo-Olu has shown good leadership in Lagos State.

Bishop Asaju, who titled his message, “God, the rulers and the people,” declared that Governor Sanwo-Olu has done very well and prayed that the governor will finish well and be celebrated like the late first civilian Governor of Lagos State, Alhaji Lateef Jakande.

“The Bible tells us that when the righteous are in power, the people will rejoice. We are rejoicing in Lagos State because we have a Godly governor. If I can assume the role of the good people of Lagos State, I will like to pass a message across to Governor Sanwo-Olu that we love you, we appreciate you and we are proud to be your subjects. We thank God for what He is doing in your life.

“Mr. Governor, you have been running this administration very well. You have done very well but your tenure is going gradually and as another election is coming, there shall be a new song. You will finish well and you will be celebrated. Like Lateef Jakande was celebrated, you will be celebrated and the glory of the future would be greater.

“People will decide the kind of Governor that they have. So people of Lagos should better open their eyes and pray for another governor like this and I pray that God Almighty will give you the grace even to continue in the name of Jesus Christ. If it is a political statement, I say it with every sense of confidence that God Almighty will give you the possibility to perfect what you have started in Jesus name”, the Bishop prayed.

Speaking during the Christian service, Governor Sanwo-Olu in his New Year message said Lagos has a brighter future and urged his cabinet members to work toward achieving the Greater Lagos agenda.

Governor Sanwo-Olu, who read the second lesson from Philippians 3:12-16, charged members of the State Executive Council to lead with the fear of God, make good things out of their life and ensure that people remember them for good things.

He said: “Let us open a new chapter and know that the new chapter is about togetherness. They have said to us that we all have a brighter future.

“Our State has a bright future. But it is really for us to open our eyes very well and see the bright future. We should connect to God Almighty and ask for His direction in everything we do.”

Speaking at the Muslim Service, Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat, while assuring Nigerians of a better life in 2022, asked all religious leaders to continue emphasising religious tolerance.

He said only unity, peace and love can engender prosperity in any society.

“It is practically difficult, if not impossible to achieve prosperity where insecurity permeates in any society. I, therefore, urge every Nigerian to support the government in her quest for socio-economic and political development.

“The THEMES agenda of Sanwo-Olu administration encompasses every aspect of the life of every Lagos resident. Therefore, we solicit the support of everyone so that our noble objectives may be a reality,” he said.

During the Christian and Muslim New Year prayers were attended by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu, his deputy, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat; First Lady, Dr. Ibijoke Sanwo-Olu; Head of Service, Mr. Hakeem Muri-Okunola; Lagos State Command Commissioner of Police, Mr. Hakeem Odumosu; commissioners and special advisers to the governor, among others, clerics prayed for Nigeria, Lagos State and public office holders.

The Senior Pastor of Dunamis International Gospel Centre, Dr. Paul Enenche has released 10 things that would happen in the year 2022.

Enenche said those tormenting Nigeria and Nigerians will not see the end of the year 2022.

He said God shall declare judgment on those shedding blood in Nigeria.

The cleric said Nigerians would experience generational recovery.

Issuing the prophecies during DIGC crossover service at the Church’s headquarters in Abuja, Enenche said 2022 will see the rise of Godly homes in the country.

Tagged the year of ‘Overflowing Grace and Glory’ Enenche also declared war on every killer in Nigeria.

He said, “ Where blood is wasted, yours shall not be wasted. We declare the death of every killer in this nation.
“Every enemy of this nation, shall not cross this year.”

See full list of the revelations.

1. A generational crown belonging to a people that got lost had been found and there was jubilation
   – Something that was lost in your lineage; a generational mantle that the devil tried to take from your father’s house has just been released just now!
2. There will be the rising of godly homes and godly marriages for those who will wait on God’s counsel; marriages of men and women that will correct the notion that godly marriages don’t exist anymore, will be raised in this season!
   – Every daughter or son of Zion whose time is due for marriage shall be settled this year!
3. There shall be the reversal of destiny exchanges.

The revelation received was of a family of a man who was influential before and the man died and 60%-70% of the children were grounded and crawling on the ground; it was as if the man’s greatness was achieved at the expense of his children’s destiny.

PRAYER: In the name of Jesus, I refuse and reject every transaction in my lineage that tampered with my life and welfare in the earth; oh you demonic transaction, you are nullified, neutralised and destroyed by the Blood of Jesus and the fire of the Holy Ghost now!

4. There shall be explosion of revival in rural areas – communities, villages; there shall also be the digging of the wells of revival and the move of God in places that had revival before and it disappeared! There shall be the experience of the power, glory and Spirit of God as it was in the past and even beyond.
5. There shall be the speeding up of things because the time is short; the Lord is set to do a lot of drastic work with as many as are ready – apostolic work, prophetic work, massive financial releases!
6. There will be a great demarcation between those who are serving God in truth and reality and those who are not serving Him.
7. There will be so much investment and entrustment of Divine resources to those who can be trusted and who are truly faithful – be it in the realm of the anointing, power, or financial resources.
8. It is a season of great acceleration and accentuation of things.
9. The judgment of Jehovah will move out of the way every man, woman and thing that is standing in the way of the move of God in the church, in nations and territories and for your life; it is a season of recompense and reward for the ungodly!
   – Any man or woman standing in the way of the move of God for your life and destiny, in this season, they are moved out of the way!
10. It is a season of increased authority for the child of God; a season of increased authority and royalty for the church; there shall be an increase in level of command; the realm of saying it and seeing it! Not just the pastor but the church.

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The Lagos State Judicial Panel of Inquiry on Restitution for victims of SARS-related abuses and other matters on Monday presented its report which revealed that 11 protesters were killed at the Lekki Tollgate on Tuesday, October 20, 2020.

Four persons were declared missing while 24 others were injured that night.

“I swore by the Holy Qur’an that I will serve in accordance with the constitution and leave when my time is up. No “Tazarce’’ (tenure extension). I don’t want anybody to start talking about and campaigning for unconstitutional extension. I will not accept that.”

So declared President Muhammadu Buhari at a meeting in Makkah with a select group of Nigerians resident in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia where he just ended a visit.

President Buhari also tacitly expressed support to efforts to increase the role of technology in the nation’s elections, arguing that the introduction of the card reader and electronic register was God’s answer to his prayers, having been cheated of his victory in three previous elections.

“After the third so-called defeat, I said, ‘God Dey’. My opponents laughed at me but God answered my prayers by bringing in technology. At that point, nobody can steal their votes or buy them,” the President added.

President Buhari, who ended his visit to the Kingdom with the Friday Prayers at the Grand Mosque in Makkah said he will continue to abide by the constitution in all its ramifications and he will at all times supervise and deal with his ministers on same basis.

He gave assurances at the meeting that in the balance of “eighteen months or so of my time left, whatever I can do to improve the life of Nigerians, I will do it for the country.”

The President commended diaspora Nigerians in the Kingdom for representing the country well and projecting its good image.

He also used the opportunity to urge citizens at home to be fair to his administration at all times, asking the critics to compare the security situations in the North East and South South in 2015 and how things have improved as at now.

“My problem is the North West where people are killing and stealing from one another. I had to be very hard on them and I will continue to be very hard until we put them in line and bring back order,” he said.

President Buhari urged Nigerians living in the country to respect the laws, remain law-abiding and do nothing to derogate from the many years of friendly and mutually beneficial relationships between the two countries.

A leader of the community, Dr. Abdulkadir Maikudi, who spoke on behalf of the group requested the President to assist the privately-run Nigerian International School in the Kingdom by equipping it to provide science and technical education.

The Nigerian Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Yahaya Lawal and the Consul-General in Jeddah, Ambassador Abdulkarim Mansur attested to the good conduct of the nearly 1.5 million Nigerians there.

According to them, “Nigerian professionals are doing well and projecting a good image of our country.”

Faith Church Worldwide, also known as Winners’ Chapel International, Bishop David Oyedepo, has been identified in the list of Nigerians that set up offshore companies in the British Virgin Islands.

The investigation is part of the global International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ)-led Pandora Papers project and which Nigeria’s PREMIUM TIMES is a part of.

The project involved 600 journalists from 150 news organisations around the world sorting and analysing a trove of almost 12 million confidential files, tracking down and interviewing sources, and adding context using public records and documents.

The leaked files were retrieved from some offshore services firms around the world that set up shell companies and other offshore entities for clients, many of them influential politicians, businesspersons, and criminals seeking to conceal their financial dealings.

Former Governor of Anambra State and Vice Presidential Candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, Peter Obi, Governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu and that of Osun State, Gboyega Oyetola were the other prominent Nigerians that have been exposed in the tax haven scandal.

According to the report, Oyedepo in August 2007 contracted the services of Business Centrum Limited, a London-based agent, to help him set up a company in the infamous tax haven for him and his immediate family members.

“Business Centrum subsequently subcontracted Trident Trust Group, one of the world’s leading secrecy enablers and one of the most notorious providers of offshore corporate and financial services.

“The company, Zadok Investments Limited, was set up on August 20, 2007 with 50,000 ordinary shares with a value of $1.00 each.

“Although the directors of the company are Mr Oyedepo and his two sons – David (Junior) and Isaac, every member of Mr Oyedepo’s family are listed as shareholders.

“Mr Oyedepo and his wife, Faith, are the largest shareholders with 30 per cent of shares each.

“His children – David (junior), who in 2016 was appointed resident pastor of the headquarters of the church, known as Faith Tabernacle, has 10 per cent while Isaac, who is the resident pastor of the church’s branch in Maryland, the United States of America, also has 10 per cent of the shares.

“Love and Joy – the two daughters of the cleric – were similarly given 10 per cent shares each.

“The documents did not reveal the exact businesses and transactions the offshore company was set up to conduct. The entity however appears to be the family’s investment vehicle under which the family’s wealth is warehoused for offshore management,” the report read in part.

The harassment and arrest of celebrated Nollywood actor, Mr. Chiwetalu Agu, on Thursday, 7th October, 2021 by the Nigerian Army is illegal, unconscionable and unwarranted. The actor has not committed any criminal offence known to law. The Nigerian Army should stop ridiculing itself before the international community.

Supposing without conceding that the dressing of the legendary actor amounts to “incitement” as claimed by the Army, it is the Nigeria Police Force that should have responded. There is no evidence of incitement against him. Nothing was inscribed on the said cloth to incite the public.

Is the Army suggesting that wearing clothes with certain colours or identifying with certain colours amounts to inciting people to violence or that any colour identical to the Biafran flag is inciting?. That will be a dangerous proposition. If they are convinced about such whimsical argument, the government should test it in a competent court of law. The allegation that he is recruiting for or supporting IPOB is unsupported by evidence. It is a way of calling a dog a bad name in order to hang it. Discerning Nigerians can see through the smoke screen.

The military has no power in a constitutional democracy to arrest citizens; except in very special and exceptional circumstances like during war, state of emergency, insurrection or riot. Even at that, it has to be shown that the Police has been overwhelmed. That is the purport of Section 217 of the 1999 Constitution which limits the role of the Armed Forces to defending the territorial integrity of Nigeria and acting in aid of civil authorities. Is Nigeria at war?

What did Chiwetalu Agu do that overwhelmed the Nigeria Police Force to warrant the Army stepping in to aid the police in arresting him?

We have become so used to lawlessness, impunity and flagrant disregard for the fundamental rights of citizens that we now condone whatever nonsense is thrown at us by the authorities.

Wearing a cloth with colours similar to the Biafran flag is not defined as an offence under any written law in this country. It is IPOB that was proscribed, not Biafra.

A significant portion of the Nigerian population still sees Biafra as an idea. No government can kill an idea that people are emotionally attached to by deploying the military. History has shown that the best way to defeat an idea is by propagating a superior and more persuasive idea. In the last six years, the Buhari regime has been propagating the idea that the best way to govern a diverse country like Nigeria is by pursuing a vindictive policy of exclusion, religious bias and ethnic supremacy which has further polarized the citizens and isolated different parts of this country.

By promoting nepotism and ethnic irredentism, Buhari is not qualified to propagate a Pro-Nigeria ideology that can counter the renewed agitations by a section of the South East for Biafra. Rather than heal old wounds, Buhari is ferociously opening new ones. Yet, he continues to parrot the fallacy that the unity of Nigeria is non-negotiable.

While I wholeheartedly condemn the wanton killings in the South East and the ensuing violence, there should be no tolerance for high-handedness and blatant disregard for the rights of the citizens. Rules of Engagement must be strictly followed.

By the combined effect of Section 36 (8) and (12) of the 1999 Constitution, an act or conduct is only a crime if it is so defined in a written law which must also prescribe the punishment for the offence. The Supreme Court had resolved this matter long ago in the celebrated case of AOKO V. FAGBEMI (1961) 1 NLR 400 and more recently in the case of GEORGE V. FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF NIGERIA [2014] ALL FWLR (pt. 718) 879.

The very idea of telling citizens what colour of cloth to wear is not only ludicrous but offensive. We are not in Communist China or North Korea.

It is a sad commentary that the Buhari regime is working day and night to turn Nigeria into a police state.

If the military authority has a movie role for Chiwetalu Agu, they should approach him with respect with their offer and desist from making a mockery of the security situation in the South East. The attack on Chiwetalu Agu is a painful reminder that the Buhari regime is ruling Nigeria with the mindset of the civil war.

Under this regime, peaceful young Nigerians were shot and killed by the same Nigerian Army while raising the Nigerian flag and singing the national anthem at the Lekki Toll Gate. Till date, no single soldier has been court-martialed for that abominable desecration of what is supposed to be sacred national symbols. Yet, the same Army arrested Chiwetalu Agu for wearing a cloth identical to the Biafran flag.

In other words, under the draconian Buhari regime, both ‘Biafran colours’ and Nigerian colours are symbols of “incitement” with severe punishment that includes death. That is not how to build and unify a nation.

The Army should apologize to the iconic actor and pay him adequate compensation for subjecting him to harassment and public humiliation.

INIBEHE EFFIONG, ESQ.

inibehe.effiong@gmail.com