From Ibrahim Sidi Muh’d, Gusau

A Kano state-based non governmental organization, Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed commitment for the provision of access information regarding preventive measures against cattle rustling and method of engagement with relevant stakeholders on how to achieve to minimise the ugly terrain in Zamfara state.

The Leader of a team on the platform of the organisation, Malam Sufiyanu Lawal Kabo, who presided over major part of the technical session held in Fulbe Villa hotel in Gusau, the state capital, noted that cattle rustling has been one of the greatest challenge bedevelling the country especially North-eastern part following some of the local based NGO’s were suffering dearth of appropriate capacity to access data pertaining cattle rustling to share with relevant stakeholders with a view to acquire a lasting solution to the problem.

Malam Kabo, who urged members of the Civil Society to remain pro-active in supporting CITAD to succeed it aims, informed that a team of volunteers would be mobilsed in the State immediately after the establishment of Center for Cattle Rustling Information System so that relevant information regarding cattle rustling could eventually be accessed and shared among the stakeholders for continuous advocacy and engagement.

The Center has equally organised training for the members of the Civil Society in the state on the use of the Social Media in promoting peace among the Nigerian citizenry.

The workshop has succeeded to have inculcate the stakeholders on the importance of using social media as an effective instrument for ensuring sustainable peace-building, thereby caution participants on the dangers surrounding use of social media as means of attacking personalities as well as base less campaigns.

The State Focal person of CITAD, Malam Musa Umar explained that, the objective of organising the capacity training was to engage all the relevant stakeholders especially members of the Civil Society to embark upon intensified campaign for peace and find a lasting ways to end the unwanted cattle rustling in the State.

By Sufyan Lawal Kabo

In addition to the previous Social Media for Peace Advocacy workshops in Kano, Bauchi, Abuja and Jigawa state, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from MacArthur Foundation conducted a one-day training on Use of Social Media for advocacy for CSOs in Zamfara state. Twenty (20) organizations attended the workshop which held at Fulbe Villa Hotel, Gusau, capital of Zamfara state on 12th of June, 2015.

The workshop was organized over the course of one day and it included combination of presentations, interactive discussions, and roundtable sessions.

The specific objectives of the workshop was:

1. To conduct training for civil society organizations members to use social media to promote tolerance, diversity and peace in Northern Nigeria
2. To encourage CSOs to setup social media platforms for peace campaign
3. Develop and deploy social media platforms to be used to promote tolerance, unity in diversity and peace in Northern Nigeria
4. Engage civil society organizations and other stakeholders to articulate alternative appropriate and effective framework for addressing the myriad of violence afflicting the country

 

Malam Musa Umar, CITAD’s Focal Point in Zamfara gave the welcome remark which he in it described the background and objectives of the workshop. He further stated that social media is a powerful and widespread communication platform for exchanging ideas and information among citizens, institutions and communities and it has presented enormous opportunities in utilizing them for peace campaign and other socio-economic development.

 

The first presentation was on Understanding Social Media facilitated by Malam Musa Umar. He described ICTs as a media shorthand for new communications technologies and can be unique in three important ways: these are Ability to transcend time and space constraints,  de-professionalization of information processing and Integration of the various forms of media into a common platform. Besides, it is a web-based and mobile technology to turn communication into an interactive dialogue.

CITAD Media Officer, Sufyan Lawal Kabo took the next paper titled Case Study which explained the myriads of unrests engulfing the northern part of Nigeria as a result of insurgency attacks. This was made to be more of an interactive session in order to gain inputs and for experience sharing among the participants. The presentation also explained the objectives, goal and methodology of the peace project initiated by CITAD.

The next item was the theoretical and practical on Use of Facebook, Twitter and YouTube apps by CITAD Peace Club Officer Malam Kamilu Isa– these include how to build friends and followers.

Other papers being presented during the workshop were: Planning Social Media for Advocacy, Using Social Media for peace campaign and Evaluating Social media campaign.

During the group work session, the participants split in three groups and came up with some recommendations as follows:

• Civil societies should synergize to advocate to the legislators for network improvement by the service providers for effective social media advocacy.
• CSOs should collaborate with media organizations/Media Houses to disseminate peace messages
• CSOs should try to make good use of use of social media for their activities.
• Government should make bandwidth more affordable to citizens
• CSOs should work actively towards sensitizing the people at the grassroots on the use of the social media for advocacy
• CSOs should use social media to promote peace and national unity

 

By Sufyan Lawal Kabo

Introduction

About 23 members of the Kaduna state chapter of the Fulbe umbrella body organization Miyetti Allah, participated in the workshop on Using Social Media to Fight Cattle rustling. The participants were drawn from some rearing areas of Kaduna state namely Chikuri, Buruku, Brnin Gwari, Kagarko, Kachia and Chukum.  These are areas where cattle rustling enigma worsened. Held on 28th June 2015 at Aso Motel along Muhammadu Buhari Way Kaduna, the workshop was organized by Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) with support from MacArthur Foundation.

 

The objectives of the workshop:

1. To sensitize participants to the use of social media in reporting and tracking cattle rustling
2. To initiate a network of  volunteers for tracking and rescuing rustled cattle
3. To brief the participants on the Cattle Rustling Information System (CaTRIS) that CITAD is developing to document, track and help to rescue cattle from rustlers.

 

The workshop

During the workshop, the participants were taken into a background presentation on the case study which is Cattle rustling and the consequences they come with which includes loss of lives, conflicts, increase in spade of violence in the country etc, then a discussion on the need for the creation of a national framework to address the problem.

CITAD’s Media Officer Sufyan Lawal Kabo further extended to the participants CITAD’s plan on initiating the Cattle Rustling Information System (CaTRIS). The CaTRIS which involve geo-mapping of cattle tracks and grazing reserves on the Ushashidi platform will allow victims to send in information using either text message, whatspps or other forms of social media to the network control centre, which will then broadcast the information using various channels to a network of volunteers who would volunteer to help in locating the rustled cattle. Since the information is geo-referenced, volunteers will have instantaneous idea of where the rustling had taken place and with a geo-mapped of the routes will know the likely routes that the rustles will take in the neighborhood. The system is also going to work with shared codes for people do not know how to write to send in reports using codes and symbols.

The objectives of CaTRIS are:

• To provide rearers with training on use ICTs to send or receive alerts on rustling attempts
• To provide cattle rearers with reporting mechanism should their cattle be taken
• Provide an alert system to provide information to volunteers who will help in tracking stolen cattle
• To document cases of cattle rustling so that we can have a robust database for advocacy purposes
• Provide rearers with the training on use of modern tools that will help in tracking stolen cattle etc.

CITAD’s Peace Clubs Officer, Malam Kamila Isa facilitated the next presentation which was a hands-on training on use of Whataspp for reporting cattle rustling. He started by providing a list of lit handset that could download the apps and install; thereafter he assisted some of the participations to install the application in their handset. He then took them through setting up their personal accounts and then making post. During the exercise, Kamilu Isa introduced them to Moftal Fulbe, a Whatzapp group that was earlier created during the Zamfara workshop on Using Social Media to Fight Cattle Rustling held on 11th of June 2015 (See www.citad.org)   Instantly, some of the participants that are already on Whatzapp joined the group and those with smartphones were taught how they can subscribe to the application and he as well illustrate to them various ways in which the herders could share information as well as report cattle rustling.

The next item was training on use of simple codes to send alert/tracking messages unto a database for others to see and take quick actions on rustling attempts or if their cattle are eventually rustled. CITAD came up with this considering the fact that except a few Fulbe youths, most cattle rearers barely use smartphones that supports applications like Whatzapp. The session was practiced and after a deliberation, some codes were suggested to use as symbols of alerts and for tracking.

Lastly, an interactive session was held. In it the participants narrated different ordeals of the cattle rustling incidences they experienced. Such were:

• A large number of cattle were rustled from the Fulani in most cattle rearing areas of Kaduna state.
• Rustlers have now instigated the act of abducting women during their raids.
• For over five years, herdsmen living in most rearing communities sleep with one of their eyes open for fear of sudden attacks by rustlers.
• The cattle rustlers arm themselves with sophisticated weapons and walk freely in towns, rearing communities chanting threats.
• The few security agents that government use to deploy barely go to the hot zones where cattle rustling occur. They only hang in towns and threaten innocent people.
• Security agencies especially the Police are doing nothing to combat the phenomenon. Rather, they are using it as opportunity to extort money from cattle rustling victims. There are cases where these agents detain Funalis who report such cases to them and until they collect huge amount of money from their family members, they barely release them.
• The mystery of cattle rustling cannot be handled by Hardos (Fulani leaders) and Fulbe organizations. It requires the core interference of the state and federal government.
• Cattle rustling culture is gradually diminishing as most Fulanis are now abandoning it due to fear.

They recommend that:

1. Government interference in cattle rustling phenomenon should go beyond sending handful security agents to combat cattle rustling paradox
2. Government should work hand in hand with Fulbe organizations in combatting cattle rustling in the region.
3. Fulbe organizations and other volunteer groups should organize a peaceful demonstration for government to interfere in their plights.
4. CSOs to mobilize the Fulani to form organizations and interactive forums that will comprise their fellow rearers and leaders in assisting each other especially on security issue

By Sufyan Lawal Kabo

The second workshop on the training on use of Social Media for reporting cattle rustling was held at Old Central Office behind Emir’s palace, Emir’s Drive, Azare, Bauchi state on 17th of June 2015. The second of the series as well held for Fulbe organizations, field cattle rearers, Hardos (Fulani leaders), community leaders etc. It was attended by representatives from various Fulbe organizations across Bauchi state. These include:

• Members of Fulbe Development Association of Nigeria
• Miyetti Allah
• Fulbe Youth

The workshop started with a background presentation on Using Social Media to Fight Cattle Rustling was taken by CITAD’s Media Officer Malam Sufyan Lawal Kabo. In it, the phenomenon of cattle rustling was presented alongside the Cattle Rustling Information System (CaTRIS).

The objectives of CaTRIS are:

• To provide rearers with training on use ICTs to send or receive alerts on rustling attempts
• To provide cattle rearers with reporting mechanism should their cattle be taken
• Provide an alert system to provide information to volunteers who will help in tracking stolen cattle
• To document cases of cattle rustling so that we can have a robust database for advocacy purposes
• Provide rearers with the training on use of modern tools that will help in tracking stolen cattle etc

The CaTRIS which involves geo-mapping of cattle tracks and grazing reserves on the Ushashidi platform will allow victims to send in information using either text message, whatspps or other forms of social media to the network control centre, which will then broadcast the information using various channels to a network of volunteers who would volunteer to help in locating the rustled cattle. Since the information is geo-referenced, volunteers will have instantaneous idea of where the rustling had taken place and with a geo-mapped of the routes will know the likely routes that the rustles will take in the neighborhood. The system is also going to work with shared codes for people do not know how to write to send in reports using codes and symbols.

The second session was a hands-on training on use of Whataspp for reporting cattle rustling. This was facilitated by CITAD’s Peace Programme Officer, Malam Abdulganiyyu Rufa’i who started his presentation by providing a list of handsets that could download the apps and install, and thereafter assisted some of the participations to install the application on their handsets. Having done that, he introduced them to Moftal Fulbe, a Fulbe socio-cultural WhatsApp group which was earlier created by the coalition of Fulbe groups during the Zamfara workshop on cattle rustling. The participants’ phone numbers were added to the group as its new members.

It was followed by a session on the use of ordinary phones for reporting.  For the non –literate Fulanis, illustrative codes were developed and agreed to be used in reporting and tracking incidences of cattle rustling.

Finally, an interactive session was held. In it, the myriads of cattle rustling in Bauchi state and other related issues were discussed. Some of the participants shared their experiences on cattle rustling in their communities. Suggestions by the participants on how Cattle Rustling phenomenon can be tackled include:

1. Fulbe organizations to pay advocacy visits to government and other stakeholders to complain the depth of their plights
2. More Civil Society Organizations to join in the fight against cattle rustling in the northern region
3. Fulbe organizations to create communication strategies among them
4. Participants to share the knowledge acquired during the workshop to sensitize their members

Introduction

Cattle rustling refers to the mass stealing of grazing cattle. It is a situation in which farmers lost cattle to cattle thieves while grazing. Traditionally, cattle rustling have been driven by the criminal intent to expropriate cow for meat or for sale. Pertinently, it must have served as a means of primitive accumulation of cow-herd in the contexts of subsistence and commercial pastoralism. Over the years, cattle rustling have evolved into a pattern of organized crime with immense criminal sophistication and efficiency. Hence, contemporary cattle rustlers operate with modern weaponry and their operations are marked by trans-locational and trans-national syndication. Some of the consequences of cattle rustling include:

• Frequent ethno/religious conflicts with loss of lives
• Increasing spade of violence in the country
• Loss of GDP by affected states
• High social costs to both individuals and the nation

 

Over the years, cattle rustling in northern Nigeria has become a great issue that is threatening the cattle rearing culture and business associated with it. It has manifested in various scales and dimensions across the regions impending in various strategies and aftermaths.

 

The Workshop

Considering the aforementioned, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) as part of its peace building effort decided to organize a series of one day workshop on using social media to track cattle rustling. The first of the series held on 11th of June 2015 for Fulbe organizations, field cattle rearers, Hardos (Fulani leaders), community leaders etc at Fulbe Hotel, Gusau, Zamfara State. It was attended by representatives from fifteen (15) organizations, including other influential personalities in Zamfara attended the workshop. Some of the organizations were:

1. Miyetti-Allah organization, Zamfara state chapter
2. Fulbe Development Association
3. Fulbe Nane Haame
4. Farmers/Fulani Reconciliation Organization
5. Dan Sadau Youth Organization
6. Voluntary Aid Initiative
7. Ministry of Commerce
8. Save the Society
9. N.U.R.T.W. Zamfara state
10. Save Mothers and Children Initiative
11. Fulani group
12. Initiative for Muslim Women of Nigeria
13. Fulani Initiative for Protection of Environment and Less privilege

 

The objectives of the workshop were:

1. To sensitize participants to the use of social media in reporting and tracking cattle rustling
2. To initiate a network of  volunteers for tracking and rescuing rustled cattle
3. To brief the participants on the Cattle Rustling Information System (CaTRIS) that CITAD is developing to document, track and help to rescue cattle from rustlers.

The workshop started with a background presentation on Using Social Media to Fight Cattle Rustling was taken by CITAD’s Media Officer Malam Sufyan Lawal Kabo. In it, the phenomenon of cattle rustling was presented alongside the Cattle Rustling Information System (CaTRIS). The CaTRI which involve geo-mapping of cattle tracks and grazing reserves on the Ushashidi platform will allow victims to send in information using either text message, whatspps or other forms of social media to the network control centre, which will then broadcast the information using various channels to a network of volunteers who would volunteer to help in locating the rustled cattle. Since the information is geo-referenced, volunteers will have instantaneous idea of where the rustling had taken place and with a geo-mapped of the routes will know the likely routes that the rustles will take in the neighborhood. The system is also going to work with shared codes for people do not know how to write to send in reports using codes and symbols.

The objectives of CaTRIS are:

• To provide rearers with training on use ICTs to send or receive alerts on rustling attempts
• To provide cattle rearers with reporting mechanism should their cattle be taken
• Provide an alert system to provide information to volunteers who will help in tracking stolen cattle
• To document cases of cattle rustling so that we can have a robust database for advocacy purposes
• Provide rearers with the training on use of modern tools that will help in tracking stolen cattle etc.

Following the background presentation, the participants broke into small groups and brainstormed on how the issue of cattle rustling could be addressed. The groups later make presentation of their deliberation as follows:

On the side of government:

1. Government should engage Fulani community leaders in designing frameworks for tackling the menace of cattle rustling
2. Government should provide good education and other necessities for the Fulani communities
3. Government to increase budgetary allocation for the development of grazing reserves
4. Government to address the grievance of cattle rustlers
5. Government to provide effective security measures in all rearing communities and nomadic routes
6. Government should intervene in all rusting cases hanging in courts, police stations and with other security agencies to ensure that justice is done

 

On the side of CSOs and CBOs

1. CSOs to mobilize the Fulani to form self-help organizations and interactive forums that will comprise their fellow rearers and leaders in assisting each other especially on security issues
2. Conduct advocacy visits to the government agencies and other stakeholders for the implementation of policies and measures that will solve cattle rustling
3. CSOs to volunteer in sensitizing the Fulani on using modern communication technologies in reporting and tracking of stolen cattle
4. To collaborate with Fulani traditional rulers, community leaders, youth and women leaders in order to achieve desired objectives

The third item was a hands-on training on use of Whataspp for reporting cattle rustling. This was facilitated by CITAD’s Peace Clubs Officer; Malam Kamilu Isa. He started by first providing a list of lit handset that could download the apps and install, thereafter he assisted some of the participations to install the application in their handset. He then took them through setting up their personal accounts and them making post. A demonstration group, Muftal Fulbe was set up which was then used for the training to illustrate various ways in which the headers could share information as well as report cattle rustling.

The final session was on next steps which was to identify what other follow up activities should follow. It was agreed that there should be advocacy to key stakeholders and sensitization activities among herders. It was also agreed that participants will share the knowledge with others. CITAD will on its own after doing the first round of consultation call review meeting to update the participants on its findings and the state of the CaTRIS.

eace Clubs, Students Peace and Empowerment Mentorship Volunteers – Kano State

 

The List of Peace Clubs, Students Peace and Empowerment Mentorship Volunteers (SPEV)

 

S/N

SCHOOLS

PATRON

MENTORS

PRESIDENT

1.

G.G.S.S SHEKARA

 

ZUWAIRA RABIU

MALAM MAHMU KABIR

& BALA ALI

HABIB M TUKUR

2.

G.G.A.S.S TAHIR

ABDULLAHI AHMAD TAHIR and ADAMU SALUHU

UWANI AHMAD BALARABE

HAUWA MUHD

3.

RUMFA COLLEGE

SAKINA HARANA MUSA and HAFSAT IBRAHIM DANTIYE

SHEHU SANI

 

4.

S.A.S

YAHADI YUSIF FARUK and RABI UMAR USMAN

HAFIZU CHIROMA KABARA

ABDULLAHI AMINU

5.

G.G.S.S. GANDUN AL-BASA

 

 

 

6.

G.G.A.S.S GWAMMAJA

 

 

 

7.

G.G.S.S JOGANA

KHADIJA

MUHD SANI ISMAIL

ABDULLAHI

8.

G.G.A.S.S MARYAM SHEKARAU

LUBABATU SURAJO

UMAR MUHD UMAR

 

9.

G.S.S SHARADA

MAL.HAFIZU HARUNA

IBRAHIM GARBA AMINU and MAL. SAIFULLAHI

 

10.

G.G.S.S HASSANA SUFI

 

 

 

11.

G.G.S.S FATIMA MUHAMMAD

 

 

 

12.

G.G.C KANO

HAJIYA DIJE SUMA’ILA

MARYAM LAWAN and AMINU UMAR IDIRS

 

13.

G.G.S.S AISAMI

 

 

 

14.

G.G.S.S DAKATA

 

 

 

15.

G.G.S.S. YAKASAI

 

 

 

16.

G.S.S UNGUWA UKU

 

 

 

17.

G.SS STADIUM

 

 

 

18.

G.S.C.S MAI KWATASHI

 

 

 

19.

G.S.S KWANDILA

 

 

 

20.

G.G.S.S GIGINYU

 

 

 

21.

G.G.A.S.S GORON DUTSE

 

 

 

22.

MUHD VICE ADAMU (MVA)

 

 

 

23.

G.J.S.S DAURAWA

 

 

 

24.

G.G.S.S MARYAM ABACHA

 

 

 

25.

G.S.S KOFAR NASARAWA

 

 

 

 

By Khadeeja Idress Ismail

On Thursday, 23rd Thursday, 2015 being the 4th Thursday of April was marked globally as the International Day for Girls in ICT, a day set aside to draw attention to the need to bridge the gender dimensions of the digital divide .as part of this, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) organized a public lecture for women and young girls with a view to sensitizing them to the relevance of Information Communication Technology (ICT) particularly for young girls and for them explore opportunities that knowledge of ICT would open for them.

The public Lecture which took place at CITAD’s Conference Room, Kano was by over twenty 20 girls. The event started with a welcome address by Khadeeja Idress Ismail, Youth and Gender Officer of CITAD who also explained the purpose of the meeting, she said this was to encourage girls to embrace and consider making a career in the ICT profession. This was she noted in addition to the fact that ICTs are very important tools to our daily lives and activities.

The welcome address was followed by a presentation by Kabiru Saidu Dakata, Senior Programmes Officer on Understanding the Importance of the Girls in ICT Day during which he and gave a brief history of International Telecommunication union (ITU) which recommended the day celebration.

He was followed by Fatima Ibrahim who talked on ICTs as Tools for Personal Empowerment. She argued that ICT skills was now mandatory as no know can hope to make success of whatever she does without using ICT tools. Other speakers were Abdullahi Jido, Hamza Ibrahim, Ado Shehu. Ado Shehu who spoke on Educational uses of ICT said that nowadays even to gain apply for admission to higher education required ICT skills. The event was rounded up by question and answer session

 

By Sufyan Lawal Kabo

Passing through Thomas Dam in Danbatta, Kano State on the way to Kazaure, the capital of Kazaure Emirate in Jigawa State gives you an opportunity to reflect on what Boko Haram insurgency in much of north east and parts of North West of the country. Here was abandoned the land, fear of attacks especially in Yobe and Bornu has driven away the farmers from the land. This was in the our minds as we set to meet the Emir of Kazuare, Alhaji (Dr) Najib Hussaini Adamu (CON) on a scheduled peace advocacy meet on Tuesday, 21st April 2015. There is also the fact the Emir, ever gracious of his time, has given as lunch time as the time to meet him.

Led by Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai, the team met the Emir in his palace along some of his kingmakers as well as courtiers. Malam Ahmad thanked the Emir for the warm reception and also briefed the palace on the purpose of the visit which was to solicit for his voice and influence in speaking out for peace. Mal Ahmad said that CITAD, has with the support of MacArthur Foundation, been implementing a project on promoting peace and national unity, primarily using social media titled CITAD4Peace with the purpose of contributing to the restoration of peace especially in the northern part of the country where Boko Haram insurgency has been ravaging communities. Yakasai also explained other components of the project which includes conducting training for civil society organizations members to use social media to promote tolerance, diversity and peace in Northern Nigeria, developing and deploying social media platforms to be used to promote tolerance, diversity, peace and facilitate the formation of peace clubs in secondary schools and tertiary institutions across the region. He then ended his brine will a call on his Royal Highness for his fatherly advice and support and to join the growing voices of people of influential that are specking for peace in the country.
In response, the Emir thanked the team and pledged his full support to CITAD4peace. He urged all Nigerians to embrace the use of social media for peace promotion instead of using it to promote negative widespread of hate speeches especially the types being instigated by the bad ones in the society. He particularly was delighted to see that organizations like CITAD were putting social media to good cause and advised that more education should be conducted among the populace to enlighten them these positive aspects of the social media.

At the close of the meeting, the team leader handed over an advocacy kit to the Emir, containing copies of the book on Insurgency and Human Rights in Northern Nigeria, Social Media Peace Campaign: Training Primer as well as policy briefs, leaflets offering suggestions on tackling the issues and addressing the plight of internally displaced people In the region.

 

Introduction

The Coordinating Committee on Hate Speech comprising of MacArthur Foundation, NSRP and CITAD on 23rd March held a one-day Stakeholders Forum on hate speech and the 2015 elections in Nigeria. It was conducted at the Board Room of Yaradua Centre, Abuja. It brought together civil society activists, media practitioners and regulators, political parties’ representatives, and human rights activists.

Attended by 45 people from various stakeholder organizations, the meeting had the goal ‘share understanding of the frame work on hate/ dangerous speech monitoring and categorisations and to identify other gaps that may possibly be filled up before the general elections in areas of dissemination of findings’. The specific objectives were:

 

• Share findings of  what is happening in terms of hate / dangerous speech

• Provide information about the work everyone is doing to counter hate / dangerous speech

• Think together what else can be done before  the elections and also in the long term

 

Opening

The Forum commenced with a welcome remarks by Princilla Anut, the Deputy Project Manager who was represented by Lauratu Abdulsalam. She welcomed the participants to the meeting and expressed her appreciation that in spite of the many events happening that they, the participants opted to honor our invitation.

Discussion

The first session was chaired by Saudatu Mahdi of WRAPA. In her opening remarks, she drew attention to the fact electioneering campaign in the country was suffused with hate speech and that we needed to do something to ensure that this did not degenerate to violence. She he invited Y. Z. Ya’u of CITAD to set the scene for the meeting, in setting the scene for the meeting, YZ said that this was a follow up to the earlier conference held in January at the end of which several organizations pledged to carry various activities around curbing hate speech., he said that the meeting today was to provide an opportunity for the different organizations to share  their experiences in the last two months, explain their successes and key challenges and for the meeting to collectively discuss on how to overcome these challenge, the forum he added would also allow the stakeholders to identify gaps as to areas left uncovered and develop better collaboration strategies and mechanisms for working together reduce hate speech in Nigeria political landscape. He added that although the meeting was holding just four days to the election, it was important to note that often the consequence of hate speech was usually felt more following election than during the campaign period when the statement made.

1. Z. Ya’u then discussed the framework for the monitoring of hate speech in the country. He outlined the key attributes for the identification of hate speech in the Nigerian context. In the Nigerian context, he sees dangerous speech any speech act that is aimed at inciting the audience to denigrate against people others of the basis of ethnicity, religion, gender, geography and any other socially conceived parameter with the purpose of marginalizing them or placing them at some disadvantage that is contrary to the provisions of the universal declaration on human rights as well as the international covenants on rights of the people. Substantively, dangerous/hate speech in the Nigerian context is a speech act has that:

1. Insults people for their religion
2. Abuses people for their ethnic or linguistic affiliation
3. Expresses contempt against people because of their place of origin
4. Disparages or intimidates women or girls because of their gender
5. Condones discriminatory assertions against people living with disability
6. Abuses or desecrates symbols of cultural or religious practices
7. Denigrates or otherwise ridicules traditional or cultural institutions of other people
8. Deliberate spread falsehood or rumours that demeans or maligns or otherwise ostracizes other people on the basis of religion, ethnicity, gender or place of origin for the accident of one form of disability or the other

He then linked this to the Susan Benesch frame work in outlining the Hate and dangerous speech in Nigerian context which provides the basis for the categorization used in the monitoring of the hate speech by CITAD. He also informed that while adapting the UMATI coding framework, CITAD had added a couple of things including gender related aspects of danger speech.

In the last segment of his presentation, he gave out the key findings of the monitoring that CITAD had on hate speech for the period covering January to Mid-March, 2015. Among these were:

• That about 70% of the people disseminating hate speech in the Nigerian social media space uses their identity and can therefore be reached in case of countering and follow up actions
• That 76% of the hate speeches in Nigerian social media space were transmitted through face book either as a post in a private Page/group ,a Post in a public page/group or  a response to a post/forum, followed by online articles and twitter respectively.
• English language is the major language used for dissemination of hate and dangerous speeches with a visible content in Hausa Language in the Nigerian Social media space.
• Over 65% of hate speech practitioners were males with female making a small %
• Greater percentage of the contents the posts uses a coded language and had been used in the fast and led to violence/harm.
• There a number of messages circulated whose circulation earlier had caused violence in the country

This session was followed with comments and questions from the audience and was responded by Y.Z Yau

The second session was to be chaired by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu, who he had to leave mid-way as the Human Rights Commission had an appointment with Chief of Staff, thus in his place Dayo Olaide of MacArthur Foundation chaired,. But he before leaving Prof. Chidi Odinkalu made his contribution by first commending the organizers of the event, noting its significance in our efforts to ensure that we keep the peace. This session was chaired by Prof. Chidi Odinkalu the Chairman of National Human Rights Commission (NHRC). During this session Prof Chidi Odinkalu, who represented the Human Rights Commission, expressed concerned over the failure of political leaders in the country. Said political leaders have failed Nigerians and accused both General Muhammadu Buhari, the APC’s presidential flag bearer and President Good luck Jonathan, the PDP’s presidential flag bearer of not doing anything against those propagating hate speeches, in their names. Nigeria’s unity is not negotiable, politicians are destroying our country and we seem helpless. He added that the NHRC would come up with an accountability report after the 2015 General Elections, and warned that 2015 would be the last time politicians would commit electoral violence, hate speech as well as electoral malpractices and got away with it. He said he the NHRC which had been monitoring hate speech among other thing was ready to partner with CITAD and other to push for legislation that will criminalize hate speech with clear. NHRC would come up with an accountability report after the 2015 General Elections, and warned that 2015 would be the last time politicians would commit electoral violence, hate speech as well as electoral malpractices and got away with it

The session received presentations from the Press Council and APCON. Also speaking at the forum, Mal Ahmed Yelwa of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, said they were on daily basis receiving complaints from both APC and PDP concerning hate speeches and added that his council never authorized any advertisement that was contrary to Nigerian laws. The APCON Representative lamented that the organization did not have the power to “organizations, we can only fine media organizations.  If we had powers to close down media organizations, the level of compliance would have been increased,” complained Mr.  Yelwa. He also mentioned that fines were too low and too easily paid by offenders.

The Nigeria Press made a presentation of its work on monitoring of the media. Presented by Mr. Nnamdi Njemanze, the full report, which was to be circulated later by email to participants, focused more on compliance of the media with ethics than just hate speech. The NPC monitors a couple of newspapers and magazines and assess them along certain themes such as balance, professional ethics, gender and languages. It is under language that hate speech comes under. He said that the organization issues a monthly report of its monitoring and invites stakeholders to take action based on the findings. The work of the NPC however, like NBC and APCON was hampered by the factor that law establishing them do not provide them with sufficient power to deal with erring journalists or media house.

The third session was chaired by Dr. Kole Shettima and was meant for stakeholders to share their experience in dealing with hate speech. There were:

1. CITAD: The CITAD’s Program officer in charge of peace project Malam A.R Maidumbayya presented their efforts on countering Hate and dangerous speech. He out line four major strategies deployed by the organization in hate speech countering efforts such as:
   1. Influencing the Speaker through Counter speech in unison: In this methodology each monitor is assigned to engage two consistent hate speakers from among his source list. The monitors uses soft language to call on the hate speakers to order by outlining the danger of what he usually  post in the social media space and call on him/her to embrace peaceful alternatives for expressing his/her  views in public.
   2. Developing Audience Resistance to Dangerous Speech: Civil society organizations, media houses and influential leaders or co can force an influential dangerous speaker to withdraw certain hate speech incidences by speaking out loud against it, creating critical mass around the issue through massive condemnation and call for withdrawal of the speech. Using this methodology CITAD quickly responds to dangerous speeches made by high public figures through organizing press conferences in various offices, calling on its partners and other civil society organizations to do the same and calling on media houses to create critical mass around the issue with the sole aim of compelling the individual to denounce or reverse his comment before the public
   3. Counter speech By Influential Leaders: It is established that some of the indicators of successful counter speech are the same as the indicators of dangerousness for inflammatory speech. For example, there is evidence of success when a speaker with influence over the relevant audience gives a strong signal of disapproval of inflammatory speech – or of violence itself its, the audience tends to agree with him not to react to such a speech. In recognition of that CITAD raises media team to meet numerous community leaders ,celebrities and religious leaders ,get peace messages from them ,the media tem presents those messages in and interesting info graphical messages and promote the same via various social media platforms of the organization. In line with this CITAD made this visit to almost all the influential emirs of all the traditional states in the North east and the Northwest taking their powerful peace messages to the public. The team also introduces those among them that has presence in social media to CITADs various peace platforms in the social media and encourages them to make use   of them for campaign against hate speech
   4. Counter speech to refute falsehoods and supply reliable information-Adopting the Kenyan Uchaguzi.
   5. Reporting to Regulatory Agencies
2. TMG which represented its report which countering a section on hate speech: Mr Salami who represented TMG shade light on how they deployed thousands of volunteers across the country who reports critical incidences of hate speeches in mass media, political rallies and other ]traditional medium. TMG make use of Rapid SMS technology in reporting the incidences from across the country which display its self automatically in to the dash board of TMG’s National information center. He expresses the trends in the incidents of hate speech across the different geopolitical zones of the country. He father restated that the incident of dangerous speech by politicians is ‘in the increase as the 2015 election draws closer.
3. Office of HCHR: Mrs Adwoa Kufuor of the OHCHR made brief intervention that the office had been concerned about human rights situation in the context of the election and had been monitoring the situation IN Nigeria. The office welcomed the concern of this forum with hate speech as hate speech had been known to cause violence in many settings. She said the office was ready to collaborate with stakeholders in the efforts to curb hate speech in the media
4. The APC Media Office represented by Alaba Yusuf made remarks on the fact that his party had been at the receiving end of hate speech especially by the government control media and have been denied opportunities by these organizations to even respond. He disclosed that the party had made formal complaints to the regulation agencies such as the NBC and APCON but so far no action has been taken
5. The APC Campaign Committee represented Mrs. Lauretta Onochie: briefed the meeting of how the campaign office has made efforts to popularize the Peace Accord among campaign coordinators at the grassroots level by
6. Although PDP was represented by the Special Adviser to the President on Police, Prof Rufai Alkali, he left without making any presentation or leaving any represented to make intervention

The final session which originally was meant to hear from security and law enforcement agencies was changed to an open session as these stakeholders did not. The session was chaired by Chitra Nagarajan of NSRP. Issues raised during the session included:

1. Need to review the laws setting up some of the media regulatory agencies
2. Indeed for media regulatory agencies to take onboard online advertising
3. Need for closer collaboration among those involved  in efforts to curb hate speech in our media
4. Sharing more strategies for countering hate speech
5. The need for media unions to protect the jobs of their members who are victims for upholding professional ethics
6. There was need for the NBC and the Press Council should operate in a more even-handed way in meting out sanctions to federal, state and private broadcasters
7. The disregard of the requirement for APCON certificate to appended to advert submissions by media organizations
8. The overbearing influence on political figures on media managers during campaign

Recommendations: arising from the Meeting

• That more efforts needed to prepare against the upcoming elections of 2015
• That concerted efforts needed to bring the perpetrators to book should any one uses dangerous speech
• That regulatory agencies must be more proactive in exercising their constitutional rights of prosecuting the culprits
• That there must be synergy between the various regulatory agencies to combat hate and dangerous speech in the mass media
• The enabling laws of the regulatory agencies should be reviewed and be amended to prove steeper fines and sanctions for media houses disseminating dangerous speech must be reviewed
• That there is there need to collectively push for a specific legislation against hate speech following the elections
• That partners would continent to collaborate in seeking efforts to curb hate speech in the country
• That media organizations must insist to have APCON certificate before placement of adverts

By Ayuba Yusif Abubakar, CITAD, Bauchi Office

Katugum Emirate in Bauchi State is at the cross road of two major political centres, the old Kano and Bornu kingdoms. It had to maintain its autonomy because of the delicate balance that the two powerful neighbors had to maintain. Alos known as Guduri, the land is also a confluence of linguistic and cultural expression. With its people mainly consisting of Hausas, Fulanis and Kanuris as well as sprinkle of minority ethnic groups such as Bade, its presents a unique Hausa culture that is distinctive of all Hausaland. Fate can sometime be cruel: having in the past serve as a buffer zone in the unending conflicts between Kano and Bornu, now Katagum is still a buffer zone, this time against the onslaught of the Boko Haram insurgents across Yobe State along the border with Potiskum. It has had its unsavory experiences of the insurgent attacks with many people killed. So it was not accidental that it registered prominently on our peace advocacy mission.

There is also another confluence of sort in Katagum. Home to the both Jama’are and Katagum rivers, it has expansive flood lands and rich fadama which make not only suitable dry season farming that is so lucrative but also make fishing also a major occupation. The fishermen say if you want make a good catch, go to the river early. Os it was that in order to make the best our peace advocacy in Katagum Emirate, we decided to make it a breakfast meeting at the palace in Azare.

Our team led by Mal Ahmad Abdul Yakasai (along with Sufyan Lawal Kabo, Ayuba Yusif Abubakar, Programmes Assistant, CITAD Bauchi, Abdulla Yakubu, Logistic Officer and the home based of Isah Garba, Programmes Coordinator, CITAD Bauchi and Barau Abdullahi, Programmes Assistant, CITAD Azare) was on Saturday, 28th February, 2015 at the palace by 9am at Azare. The team had gone to see the Emir of Katagum, HRH Alhaji Dr. Muhammad Kabir Umar (CON) as part of the advocacy to get influential people to lend their voices to the peace campaign.

The team was met by the Makama of Katagum, Alhaji Aliyu Hussain on behalf of the Emir. Accompanied by the Secretary of the Emirate Council, the Makama warmed welcomed the team into the palce and explained why the Emir was not personally present to receive them. Responding, the leader of the delegation, Mal Ahmad Yakasai said they were in the Emirate first to express their solidarity and condolence to the people of Katagum Emirate over the various attacks by the insurgents in the Azare town that led to the death of several people. He said CITAD4Peace, the platform on which they were visiting the Emir was a project aimed at contributing in the restoration of peace in the northeast by mobilizing people and communities to collectively wok towards peace building. He explained that CITAD has been working with various partners in the different states sensitizing people on this civic responsibility. He said it was in this effort that the organization has undertaken a series of advocacy visits to influential voices in the region with a view to getting them to all speak out against violence and add their voices in the call for citizens to commit themselves to peace processes. He finally expressed the team’s appreciation and gratitude for the honor done to it by the Emir who graciously accepted to receive them at short notice.

Responding, the Emir thanked CITAD for the visit and commended her for her patriotic efforts in development overtime. He called on Nigerians to embrace peace and advised youths to resist being used as political thugs. He added that politicians who use youths to engage in political violence are compromising the lives of our youths. Instead of providing themselves to bad politicians as machinery for violence he urged youth to key into vast opportunities in the fast growing ICT sector that has being the mainstay of most developed countries.

At the end of the visit, the Emir was presented with some peace related publications on CITAD4peace and who on received the documents prayed for the success of the mission and wished the delegation a safe journey back home.

 

In its effort to promote entrepreneurship and create awareness on information and communication technology (ICT) among the citizens, the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) in partnership with the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development, Dutse on Tuesday 27th January, 2015 organized one-day YouWin Sensitization lecture. The lecture was organized in consideration of the need to promote women participation from the state in the scheme, as a lot of the women in the state lack the technical skill to register with YouWin and develop good business plan. This results the massive failure of the women in the previous awards, as the award is solely an ICT based.

The sensitization lecture was conducted at NULGE Secretariat Dutse, Jigawa State and attended by about 50 participants. Alhaji Magaji Uba Idris Permanent Secretary Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development Jigawa State made the opening remark on behalf of the Honorable Commissioner Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development. In his remark, he welcomed the CITAD team and the participants and expressed his gratitude on the activities of CITAD in Jigawa State especially those that are related to the ministry and the women. He then drew the attention of the participants to try as much as they could to benefit from the YouWin fourth round award.
The first presentation was on the YouWin program from the first round to the fourth round of the scheme. Malam Sagiru Ado Abubakar CITAD’s program officer, entrepreneurship, highlighted the history of the program. He told that the Youth Enterprise with Innovation in Nigeria (YouWiN!) Program is a collaboration of the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Communication Technology (CT), the Ministry of Youth Development and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Social Development that will launch an annual Business Plan Competition (BPC) for aspiring young entrepreneurs in Nigeria, in line with the Federal Government’s drive to create more jobs for Nigerians. The program will be implemented in partnership with Nigeria’s private sector, which will be requested to provide funding support. Sagiru Ado also stated the goals and objective of the program and the criteria of the eligibility to apply for the business plan competition.
Shehu Usman Halipha made the second presentation on the YouWin registration procedure. Malam Halipha stated all the requirements for the registration ranging from personal details, address, education and qualifications. The last presentation was on developing the YouWin business plan. The presentation demonstrated the nature of good business plan with examples.
Hajiya Halima Isyaku Director Planning of the ministry made the vote of thanks. She thanked CITAD for organizing the sensitization lecture and urged the participants to follow all the guidelines and the procedures of the program in order to benefit from the award.

We applaud the signing of an accord by leading candidates in the elections to keep to the code of conduct already signed by all registered political parties in the country and be civil and courteous during the campaign. The value of such an accord is however not in the signing but in keeping to the letters and words In this regard, we are concerned about the series of reckless and inflammatory statements as well as hate speech coming from some members of the political class. For example, on the 19th of January, Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State sponsored an advert in three national dailies suggesting that if elected into office, Muhammadu Buhari of the APC might die in office. He had photographs of three previous heads of state from the North West who died in office and a question mark on the photo of Buhari. Publishing a “death wish” for your political opponent is completely unacceptable and we condemn it.

For the second time, a high-ranking official of the All Progressive Congress (APC), this time, its National Chairman, has repeated the statement that the party will form a parallel government if the 2015 elections are rigged. It was the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Ameachi, who first made this statement.

Also in his recent statement, Asari Dokubo stated that “election results are known and there will be war if not accepted” not only impugned of the credibility of INEC but also gives credence to the equally reckless statement by the APC that elections are already rigged. Such statements coming from highly placed politicians are dangerous as they are capable of mobilizing citizens and catalyzing them to taking unconstitutional actions of ‘serve yourself’ type even before the elections are conducted.

We condemn the statements as reckless and unwelcome in the context of our commitment to furthering and deepening of the rule of law.

We call on all politicians and indeed all citizens to remain law-abiding and have faith in rule of law and due process. All politicians should address their grievances and misgivings through legally established channels.

In the same vein, we call on all government institutions and agencies to discharge their responsibilities in strict conformity with the law establishing them and to refrain from acts, either of omission or commission, which cast them as partisan. It is in this light that we condemn the persistent efforts of the DSS to disrupt the functioning of the secretariat of the APC in Lagos State. The DSS should be mindful of its role of preventing the breakdown of law and order, which its current posturing undermines by casting it in the grab of partisan institution. While it has responsibility to investigate and prosecute any allegations, it should not appear to be the prosecutor and the judge in the case that it is investigating. Such acts tend to enthrone impunity, which in the end breeds the sort of statements that the APC are making.

 

It is indeed incomprehensible that while law enforcement agency will spend hours looking through envelopes in the secretariat of the APC to fish out alleged foreigners, it has done nothing to curb the persistent inflammatory statements. These statements are not only hateful but are made with the intent to create a climate conducive for catalyzing people to violence.  We condemn the statements, and  urge them to stop from further poisoning the minds of Nigerians.

Signed

1. Y. Z. Ya’u , Centre for Information Technology And  Development(CITAD)
2. Uche Wilson Dureke, Centre for Peace across Boarders
3. Dr. Hussiani Abdu, Action Aid Nigeria
4. Dr. Abiola Akinyode -Afolabi, Women Advocates’ Research and Documentation Center (WARDC)
5. Saudatu Mahdi, Women’s Rights Advancement and Protection Alternative, (WRAPA)
6. Isah Garba, BACIPEM, Bauchi
7. Saludeen Hashim , West Africa Civil Society Forum (WACSOF-Nigeria)
8. Anya Okeke, State of African Union (SOTU)
9. Auwal Musa Rafsanjani, Civil Society Legislative Advocacy Centre (CISLAC)
10. Ezenwa Nwagwu, Partners on Electoral Reform
11. Jaye Gaskiya, Protest to power movement
12. Idayat Hassan, Centre for Democracy and Development (CDD)
13. Lukman Adekunle , Zero Corruption Coalition (ZCC)
14. Dr.Godwin Ojo , Environmental Rights Action (ERA)
15. Gen.Ishola Williams, Pan-African Strategic and Policy Research Centre (PANAFSTRAC)
16. ZIK Ibrahim, Resource Centre For Human Rights& Civil Education (CHRICED)  
17. Bilkisu Yusuf, Advocacy Nigeria
18. ZIK Ibrahim-Transition Monitoring Group (TMG)
19. John Odah -Abuja Collectives, Abuja
20. Ezenwa Nwagwu   Say No Campaign
21. Emma Ezeazu, Alliance for Credible Elections (ACE)

1. Chido Onumah, African Centre for Media & Information Literacy

January 19, 2015

WE CONDEMN THE PUNCH FRONT PAGE ADVERT OF MESSAGE OF DEATH

The front-page of the Punch of Monday, 19th January, 2015 carried an unusual advert with the caption” Nigerians be Warned: life and Death” and a subtitle of “Enough of state burials”. The title is a return to the infamous unfortunate statement by former president Obasanjo that election was a do or die affair. The subtitle prophesied that one of the candidates if voted could die in office. Taken together, the two statements are not only provocative but meant to incite emotion and inflame the already charged atmosphere of the campaign. The front page advert in the Punch is not only in bad taste but also a complete repudiation of the accord that the two presidential candidates just signed to refrain from inciting campaign and urgent their followers to keep the peace.

CITAD4Peace finds this advert as totally out of tune with the peace accord. We condemn it in the strongest terms possible crass displayed of efforts aimed at provocation. We call on the placers of the advert to offer an apology to Nigerian and the PDP for dragging it to the warmongering position and call on both its presidential candidate and its campaign team to disassociate themselves from the advert. We further call on all politicians to keep to the terms of the accord that they should ensure that they and their supporters do not engage in inciting and inflammatory language. We call on the relevant regulatory agencies to take action against the Punch Newspapers for willing to allow its pages to the space for dangerous speech.

Election is not opportunity for citizens to make decision for the future. It is not about deciding on how to kill each other. We call on all well meaning Nigerians to not only apply moral sanctions against politicians who indulge in dangerous speech but also continue to educate both citizens and politicians on the needs to civil in their campaign utterances for after election is a civil duty and civic responsibility for which only peaceful conduct can guarantee the results that we all want. On our part we continue to No to inflammatory and dangerous statements in campaign!

1. Z. Yaú

Executive Director

 

 

 

January 17, 2015

The Governor of Kaduna State, Ramalan Yero has joined the disturbing list of Nigerian politicians that are at more with making dangerous statement. The Governor in an address to his supporters in Zaria during the opening of his campaign on Monday threatened to call out his supporters to inflict damage on the opposition All Progressives Congress [APC] if his team is ever attacked while campaigning. Year, arrogating himself powers unknown our constitution boosted that “If I say you should not come to Kaduna, I swear you cannot come. If I say you should not leave your house, I swear you cannot leave,”

 

We at CITAD4Peace condemn statement as relentless, unbecoming of his person.  Nigeria has had enough of violence election in the past and would want all to move the country forward to the reign of peaceful conduct of elections. We call on other well-meaning Nigerians to join us in condemning this unhealthy utterance. Politicians must at all time put the peace the country and safely of Nigerians at the top of their campaign engagements and refrain from acts that can incite ordinal citizens to violence.

 

CITAD4Peace, further in the spirit of the signing of the peace accord between the two top presidential candidates in the coming election, call on Gov Ramalan Yero to retract the statement and embrace the path of peace and base his campaign on issues that will impact of the lives of the citizens of his state. He should emulate the presidential candidates and seek to sign a similar understanding with other Governorship opponents in the state

 

 

1. Z. Yaú

Executive Director