ExtMedia

  The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, confirmed this when he featured on “Politics Nationwide,’’ a Radio Nigeria call-in programme in Abuja. “ I can confirm that Twitter has written the Federal Government that they are ready to talk. “as we have always maintained, the door is not locked and we are open minded but Twitter must work toward it, ” he said. The minister reiterated the government’s position that it would not tolerate any platform that would be used to destabilise the country. Mohammed said among other conditions for Twitter to resume operation in Nigeria, there must be an agreement as to what contents it could post. He said Twitter and other platforms must also register as a Nigerian company, obtain license from the National Broadcasting Commission(NBC) and be guided by the rules of the licensing as well as pay taxes. According to the minister, regulation of social media platforms is becoming a global practice. He said most countries were just w...

The Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, on Tuesday, said it was not the responsibility of the Federal Government to prosecute suspected kidnappers and bandits. He said kidnapping and banditry were not federal offences. Mohammed said this at a press conference in Abuja. He was responding to statements credited to the opposition Peoples Democratic Party on the security challenges facing the country. The minister said, “The PDP alleged that kidnappers and bandits are not being brought to justice. This is apparently aimed at the Federal Government. It is shocking that a party that ruled this nation for all of 16 years does not know that kidnapping and banditry are not federal offences. The PDP should therefore call out the states, including those being controlled by it, to ensure a rigorous prosecution of arrested kidnappers and bandits. Meanwhile, PDP conveniently forgot that as far as terrorism, a federal offence, is concerned, this Federal Government has successful...

The President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration has blamed the insecurity situation in the country on the inability of late General Murtala Muhammed’s regime to carry on with its policy on compulsory free education for citizens born after 1970. Murtala Mohammed, who overthrew Yakubu Gowon’s regime, was Nigeria’s military ruler from July 1975 until when he was assassinated on February 13, 1976.  On Monday, information minister Lai Mohammed says the nation’s current woes could be traced to the failings of the past military junta. He said, “ The fact is that in 1973, we were informed by the lead discussant and that the government of the day they had a retreat and said there must be a national pledge that what is that thing that we must do to ensure that we did not go through another civil war. “The government of that day came out with a decision that what will prevent another civil war is to ensure that anybody born after January 1970 has free and compulsory primary education.” The ...

Minister of information and culture Lai Mohammed denied media reports that he ordered the Nigerian Broadcasting Commission to suspend the Big Brother Naija show due to the current pandemic. It was earlier reported this week that the minister in a memo gave an order to the NBC to stop the reality show due to corona virus risk. but in a ststement by his media a ids on Saturday, the minister debunked the media claim saying 'the report was not credited to him or his ministry' . Describing the report as speculative, the minister added  that there was no memo to support the claim that he order  the NBCto suspend the show on DSTV. Statement: The report is not credited to the minister, we will not dignify speculative reports. If a minister issues a directive, it will not be issued verbally. Theres going to be a memo to that effect that e will send; anybody that is sure that the minister made this statement should provide the memo.