Metro

Nigerians stranded in Libyan prison cry for help

Published

1 week ago

September 11, 2024

Some Nigerians who are languishing in a prison in Libya have cried out for help following the harrowing conditions they have been subjected to.

In a distressing viral video circulating on social media, the Nigerian prisoners, including women, girls and children, lamented their suffering, including poor sleeping arrangements and unsanitary toilets, while an infant is seen looking emaciated and seem to be suffering from malnutrition.

In the video, the women are seen locked up in what appears to be a compound, chanting ‘we want freedom’ at the top of their voices.

The detainees revealed that they have been imprisoned for over a year and five months, alleging that the Nigerian government collected money from them but has provided no assistance.

They highlighted their dire situation and threatened to take drastic measures if no help is forthcoming, noting that while other nationalities are fleeing, Nigerians remain to uphold their country’s name.

“Freedom! Freedom!! Freedom!!! See where we are sleeping, we are suffering, see our toilets. Nigerian people are suffering. We have been here for over one year and five months,” one of the woman narrated.

“The Nigerian president has collected money from us. Our Nigerian president collected N1,500 from us and he is doing nothing. We are dying.

“Please we need help or else we are going to burst this place because all other nationalities are running away. We Nigerians stay calm because we want to protect our country and our names.

“Now if you are not taking any step, we are going to take a step by ourselves.

“Please come to our aid. Look at this place, we need help, we are suffering. Freedom! Freedom!!! Freedom!!!”

The video then panned into what looked like the sleeping area while the narrator continued.

“Look at where we are sleeping. We are suffering. We want freedom. We need your help, or else we will bust this place.’

Meanwhile, the Nigerians in Diaspora Commission (NiDCOM), has promised to wade into the matter with a vow to rescue the trapped Nigerians.

A statement issued by Abdur-Rahman Balogun, NIDCOM Director of Media, Public Relations and Protocols Unit, said the Commission has been alerted to the video and the situation will be looked into.

“While this video will be looked into, it is worth noting that over 10,000 Nigerians were evacuated from Libya a few years ago, based on a memo by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa, approved by the then President and a coalition of multi-agency team set up to evacuate all Nigerians stranded in Libya.

“For the umpteenth time, there was a clear warning by Hon. Abike Dabiri-Erewa to Nigerians to desist from that dangerous path. But the warning was not yielded to.

“In the last couple of months, almost 4000 more have been brought back from Libya, thanks to the efforts of the International Organisation for Migration in Nigeria, which has been regularly evacuating Nigerians stranded in Libya back home.

“Sadly, many Nigerians continue to return to Libya and find themselves stranded again.

“It must be pointed out here that the Commission has brought the video to the attention of the office of the National Security Adviser who heads the multi-agency evacuation team as well as the International Organisation for Migration who has also rescued thousands stranded.

“However, we warn again that deadly pathways to migration must be avoided, and traffickers who traffic these victims need to be arrested, named and shamed.”

https://x.com/X_Dailly/status/1833436230333161897?t=nJO3Z8Or4p0e-CSTagBhtQ&s=19

In a post on X on Wednesday, Dabiri-Erewa also said:

“I was part of a team that went inside Libyan Prison to rescue over 10.OOO Nigerians in Libya, with a warning that they should desist. But they still return. Not even sure this is a new video because 140 were rescued again a few weeks ago by @IOM_Nigeria. The multi agency task force on evacuations will look into it. But Libya is to be avoided by irregular migrants. We warned severally.”

Related Topics:Featured Libya NIDCOM Nigerians Prison

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Metro

Nigerian govt to jail private employers paying below N70,000 minimum wage

Published

7 hours ago

September 19, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The Nigerian government has vowed to prosecute and possibly jail private employers who pay their workers below the N70,000 minimum wage recently approved for workers in the country.

The Permanent Secretary in the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment, Alhaji Ismaila Abubakar, who stated this while speaking at the 13th Annual General Meeting of the Employers Association for Private Employment Agencies of Nigeria held in Lagos on Wednesday, called on agencies recruiting for the private sector to adhere to the N70,000 minimum wage, warning that any deviation would not be tolerated.

Abubakar said the new minimum wage was necessary to address the current economic reality, emphasising that no Nigerian worker, whether in government or private employment, should be paid less than the minimum wage.

“The minimum wage is now a law, and as a result, it is a punishable crime for any employer to pay less than N70,000 to any of its workers,” he stated.

“The private employment agencies should make it compulsory in any contract they take from their principal that their workers should not earn less than the minimum wage. The least paid worker in Nigeria should earn N70,000, and I think that should be after all deductions.

“The minimum wage is a law, and you can be jailed if you fail to implement it. The Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the least paid worker goes home with N70,000.”

Metro

Combating misinformation, media deception

Published

23 hours ago

September 18, 2024

Isaac Dachen

The proliferation of misinformation, disinformation and fake news has become a pressing global concern and Zambia, like many other African countries, is not immune.

Misinformation refers to the unintentional spread of false information, while disinformation is deliberately fabricated to deceive, according to the Oxford Dictionary.

Fake news often encompassed both, usually with malicious intent.

Elizabeth Riziki, National Director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (MISA)-Tanzania, identified several factors contributing to information disorders globally, including in Zambia.

“These include barriers to accessing information, an information gap between urban and rural communities, government control of the media and youth unemployment,” Riziki said.

The spread of false information has far-reaching consequences, such as eroding trust in institutions, fueling social unrest and undermining democracy.

To mitigate these risks, Zambia needs to take proactive measures to sanitise its media space.

Prisiel Samu, Programmes Coordinator at ZimFact, noted that individuals with internet access are often involved in spreading fake news.

“Governments can play a leading role by regulating social media platforms, which have become breeding grounds for misinformation,” Samu stated.

In Zambia, the rise of social media and online platforms had created an environment conducive to the spread of false information, significantly impacting public discourse, policy-making and national security.

The consequences of misinformation, disinformation, and fake news in Zambia included undermining confidence in institutions, leaders and media outlets.

A study by researcher Gregory Gondwe, titled “Audience Perception of Fake News in Zambia: Examining the Relationship Between Media Literacy and News Believability,” suggested that formal education had a limited impact on detecting fake news.

Instead, the credibility of news sources was found to be an insignificant factor in determining trustworthiness.

Fabricated stories often incited violence, xenophobia, and electoral manipulation, disrupt markets, harm businesses and deter investment.

To combat these issues, Zambia must adopt a multi-faceted approach, including establishing a regulatory body to enforce ethical journalism and online content standards.

The Zambian government has recently announced a crackdown on the misuse of social media under Section 54 of the Cyber Security and Cyber Crimes Act No. 2 of 2021.

This crackdown extended to administrators of WhatsApp groups and other social media platforms, who are reminded of their legal responsibilities and the potential consequences of allowing harmful content.

“WhatsApp group administrators must curtail postings that are illegal and in bad faith, as they will be held responsible for the publication of such information,” cautioned Minister of Technology and Science Felix Mutati.

Various stakeholders have proposed several measures to address misinformation, including supporting independent fact-checking initiatives, promoting transparency in media ownership and funding, protecting individuals who expose misinformation and encouraging media outlets to adhere to ethical standards.

Additionally, educating citizens on critical thinking, media literacy, and fact-checking skills was crucial.

By implementing these measures, Zambia aims to foster a media environment that values truth, accuracy, and informed discourse.

This story is sponsored by Project Aliyense.