NGO Wades Into Gandujiyya /Kwankwasiya Dispute, Calls For Truce

By Ramatu Garba

Kano – A Kano-based Non Governmental Organization, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has expressed concern over the growing animosity between Gandujiyya and Kwankwassiyya factions of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state.

The CITAD Senior Programme Manager, Mr Isah Garba made the remark at a news conference in Kano.

NAN reports that while Gandujiyya faction is in support of the incumbent governor, Dr Abdullahi Ganduje while the Kwankwassiyya faction is controlled by the immediate past governor, Engr Rabi’u Kwankwaso.

He said the ugly trend in the state which is without doubt the centre and driving force of politics in Northern part of the country, had become a serious issue of concern to all peace loving and patriotic citizens of the state.

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“The nature of political scene in Kano today is becoming a serious issue of concern to all peace loving and patriotic citizens.

“The growing intra party enmity between the Gandujiyya and Kwankwassiyya groups of All Progressives Congress which sounds drums of war is going higher on daily basis.

“This, is posing threat to the peace of the Centre of commerce and at the same time showing wrong directions to the politics of Northern Nigeria in general,”he said.

He said the most recent dangerous development in the crisis was the incessant blowing of conflict trumpet by the two groups, especially with respect to the planned visit of the former governor and current Senator representing Kano Centre, Engr Rabi’u Kwankwaso and the reactions of the Gandujiyya group on the matter.

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He cited the recent statement by the state Commissioner of Special Duties, Alhaji Abdullahi Abbas where he was quoted in a video clip allegedly calling on their supporters to stone “The political satan of Kano”.

“As peace advocates and organisation working in the area of peace building and conflict mitigation, we have serious concern with this statement.

He, therefore , called on the two warning groups to give peace a chance in the state in order to promote peaceful coexistence for the development of the state and the country at large.

Kano APC crisis: Group calls for interrogation of commissioner Abbas

By Richard P. Ngbokai, Kano.

Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), a nongovernmental advocacy group in Kano has called on security agencies in the state to invite the state commissioner for special duties, Alhaji Abudullahi Abbas Sanusi for interrogation over statements credited to him on a video clip, inciting youths to stone former governor Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso on his proposed visit to Kano state.

Speaking at a press conference in Kano, senior officer, peace project CITAD, Malam Isah Garba described the rifts between Kwankwasiyya and Gandujiyya ideological groups in the state’s chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as fatalistic and dangerous to the growth of democratic governance in the country.

He said ‘’democracy and democratic governance can only be strong and effective if there is strong and vibrant opposition that stimulates the party in power to deliver the mandate given to it by the electorate, unfortunately while we celebrate the growth of our democracy with about two decades free from any interruptions by the military, the key actors in the political scene are dragging the development backward through their undemocratic actions.

‘’Kano is without doubt the centre and the driving force of the politics in northern Nigeria however the nature of politics in Kano today is becoming a serious issue of concern to all peace loving and patriotic citizens.

‘’The growing intra party enmity between the Gandujyiya and Kwankwasiyya groups of All Progressive Congress (APC) is going higher on daily basis and posing threats to the peace of the state and at the same time showing wrong directions to the politics of Northern Nigeria in general.

‘’The most recent dangerous development in this crisis is the incessant blowing of conflict trumpet by the two groups, especially with respect  to the scheduled visit of the former governor and current Senator Representing Kano Central, Dr Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the reactions of the Gandujiyya group on the matter.

‘’This becomes clear when a senior official of the Gandujiyya Group, a Commissioner was spotted in a video clip calling on their supporters to stone what he referred to as “the political Satan of Kano” this Commissioner in person of Abdullahi Abbas Sanusi indirectly in the clip confessed to have organized the crisis in Minjibir and the clash at the Hawan Daushe which resulted to the maiming of many people’’ he alleged.

The group feared that if the matter is not investigated and the culprits prosecuted it may derail the enduring peace of the state.

‘’We have serious concern with this statement considering the fact that it is coming from a person of greater influence, who is exploiting current apprehension, mobilizing  constituents to stone other people. Given his official strength, it is certain that if nothing is done, the mobilized constituents will execute the call to action.

CITAD described alleged action of the commissioner as irresponsible, and a criminal attempt to foment trouble in the state and also urged the security agencies to press on him to provide more details about the level of his involvement in both Mijbir and the Hawan Daushe Kwankwasiyya/Gandujiyya crises.

CITAD warns of the potential dangers of hate speech in Kano

By Abdallah el-Kurebe.

The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has warned against the dangers of hate speech in Kano’s political space .The group cautioned  that something  be urgently done to guard against hate speech resulting from political bickering between supporters of different political parties in Kano state.

Addressing a Press Conference in Kano on Thursday, the Centre, through its Senior Programmes Officer, Isah Garba noted that the trend would result in dangerous tide if nothing was done about it.

“This press conference is intended to draw the attention of all stakeholders on the potential dangers to the state in particular and the country in general as a result of the elite contestation for positions, bargaining for power, expression of disappointments and frustration for being sidelined.

“Democracy and democratic governance can only be strong and effective if there is there strong and vibrant opposition that stimulates the party on the throne to deliver the mandate given to it by the electorate through constructive criticism and actions that can be called ombudsman work, without which the ruling party may possibly be reluctant and in effective,” the statement read.

CITAD observed that in spite of the nation’s democracy of two decades, the key actors in the political scene were dragging the development backward through the growing inter and intra party enmity, which was posing threat to the democratic processes in the country at the advent of the 2019 general election.

The Centre further observed that with Kano as the driving force of politics in northern Nigeria, the current political bickering is a serious issue to pay attention to.

“Kano is without doubt the centre and the driving force of the politics in northern Nigeria which makes it to serve as a pointer to the direction of politics in the region either positively or negatively. The nature of the political scene in Kano today is becoming a serious issue of concern to all peace loving and patriotic citizens.

The growing inter party enmity between the Gandujyiya and Kwankwasiyya groups of the All Progressive Congress (APC), which sounds of the drums of war is going higher on daily basis and  posing threat to the peace of the centre of commence and at the same time showing wrong directions to the politics of Northern Nigeria in general,” it observed while describing as dangerous, recent development in which supporters of the two groups blow trumpets of conflict each time opportunities arose.

CITAD expressed concern on a statement allegedly made by a serving commissioner and published on an online medium (not Newsdiaryonline.com), warning that if nothing was done the situation may result to anarchy. “It is almost certain that if nothing is done, the mobilized groups mayexecute the calls of their principals to action.”

The Centre called on Kano state government “Not to allow itself to be used by political conflict entrepreneurs who enrich themselves through conflicts; to condemn the alleged statement through the media if the speaker was not speaking for the government; to seek means of resolving the inter party differences amicably without given chance for bloodbath; the Governor shouldshow example by disassociating himself from the growing spread of hate speech with impunity among political party supporters.”

While calling on the Kano Emirate Council to intervene in this issue “by issuing statement callingfor calm and peace,” it also called on Kwankwasiyya group to, “remain calm and not be provoked by the alleged statement; not take laws into their hands but rather seek for legal redress on any perceived threat; collaborate with security agencies in the state to ensure that the programme is peacefully conducted and Dr. Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso to call on his supporters to remain calm and law–abiding

The Centre advised security agencies in the state to “be objective in handling political matters in the state; not be allowed to be used by any group to achieve political or any other interests; invite anyone alleged to make statements that are capable of threatening peace and unity in the state.”

Why Northern Girls Fail Computer-Based Exams – CITAD

The Centre for Information Technology And Development, CITAD, has attributed the mass failure recorded in the 2017 Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination, UTME, especially among female candidates in northern Nigeria, to lack of internet access.

In a research it conducted, which was presented at a 2-Day Stakeholders Meeting to Greater Access to Internet for Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State, CITAD pointed out that lack of and internet access was the reason why the girls failed Computer Based Test, since it was by JAMB, 3 years ago.

Maryam Haruna, a Programme Manager at CITAD, who presented the research on Sunday, revealed that 90% of girls secondary schools in Kano lack computer laboratories, let alone, internet access.

She added that in spite of the fact that computer studies is compulsory for all students of secondary schools, according to the national education curriculum, many girls students were only coming into contact with the computer at the examination halls.

Mrs Haruna said, “In May 2017, the Joint Matriculation Examinations Board (JAMB), Nigeria’s tertiary admission examination agency, conducted for the fifth time Computer Based Test (CBT) for admission to tertiary institutions.

“A national outcry followed the release of the examination which saw massive failure, especially among female candidates in the north.

“One of the reasons implicated in the mass failure was the lack of access to computers and internet facilities in the schools in spite of the fact that computer studies is compulsory for all students of secondary schools according to the national education curriculum.

“Instead, many students were only coming into contact with the computer at the examination halls.

“The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) conducted a research to establish the extent of access to internet and computing facilities in girls’ public secondary schools in Kano State, the most populous state in the country with a population of 9,401,288 in the 2006 census and currently now having about 16 million people.

“Like many states in the north, Kano State runs separate schools for males and females at senior secondary school level, thus allowing the possibility of differential access to internet and other facilities in the schools along gender lines.”

On her part, a lecturer with the department of Computer Studies, Bayero University Kano, Sana Muazu, called on schoolgirls in Kano to embrace Information Technology to enhance their academic activities.

According to her, the alarming rate of girls not opportune to have internet access in girls secondary schools called for great action on the part of stakeholders.

She noted that the stakeholders were responsible for providing internet facilities for the girls to have an impeded access, especially now that the digital revolution had taken over.

She however called on the schoolgirls to embrace internet with sole aim of enhancing their academic career, not an avenue to engage on nasty stuff capable of ruining their future.

Ganduje’s Commissioner Should Be Arrested For Inciting Violence- CITAD

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Thursday demands security agencies to arrest and investigate Kano state Commissioner for Special Duties Abdulahi Abbas for reuesting his supporters to stone former governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso who is the Senator representing Kano Central at the Senate.

Abdullahi Abbas had appeared in a viral video clip that emerged on Wednesday asking his supporters to stone Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso during his scheduled visit to Kano by the end of this month.

CITAD said Abdulahi Abbas comments are capable of disrupting the peace enjoyed by the people of the state given his social and political standing in the society

At a news conference on Thursday, CITAD Senior Program Officer Isa Garba warned that the intra party rivalry  between the Gandujiyya and the Kwankwasiyya camps which all belong to the All Progressives Congress ( APC) is posing serious threats to Kano state.

“The most recent dangerous development in this crisis is the incessant blowing of conflict trumpet by the two groups, especially with respect to the scheduled visit of the former   governor , Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso and the reaction of the Gandujiyya group on the matter.”

“ This becomes clear when a high profile official of the Gandujiyya group who is also a commissioner was quoted in a video clip calling on their supporters to stone what he referred to as “ the political Satan of Kano”

The Civil Society Group said the state Commissioner for Special Duties Abdullahi Abbas indirectly in the video clip confessed to organizing the crisis in Minjibir and the clash at Hawan Daushe which resulted to the maiming of many people.

CITAD recommended that security agents should invite Abdullahi Abbas for investigation on the statement and his planned   actions on the visit of Senator Kwankwaso to the state.

The security agents should also use the statement in furthering their investigation on the Hawan Daushe crisis as well as urging the security agents to always handle issues objectively

CITAD charges CSOs,Media on tackling hate speech

By Ahmed Jada

The Senior Programme Officer of Centre for Information Technology and Development, (CITAD), Isah Garba has has calls for active participation of Civil Society Organizations (CSO’s) and Media practitioners in tackling hate speech in Nigeria.

Garba made the call weekend in Bauchi during a one day workshop organized by Bauchi State Coalition for Improvement of Public Expenditure Management (BACIPEM) with support from CITAD for CSO’s and Media on how to use technology tools to counter hate speech and Peace building

in Nigeria.

According to him, CITAD has been sensitizing people across the country both online and offline on the danger and the need to counter hate speech.

He stressed the need for involvement of CSO’s, Media and other stakeholders in tackling hate speech particularly on social media as 2019 general elections approaches in order to ensure peaceful polls.

Garba advised Nigerians especially politicians to avoid hate speech campaign noting “no nation can enjoy peace and development with the use of hate speech because hate speech causes violence in the society hence the need to avoid and campaign against hate speech.

He explained that CITAD has conducted training on hate speech in different states which includes Bauchi, Gombe, Kano, Abuja, Akwa Ibom, Imo, Jigawa among others.

Also speaking, Mohammed Chiroma from BACIPEM said the training was a step down training following the intensive training organized by PeaceTech Lab in collaboration with Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on how use technology tools to better counter hate speech online.

Chiroma said the participants were trained on how to use Google Image Verification Tool, Google Forms and Facebook for Hate speech countering.

He pointed out that hate speeches said on social media have the great potentials to ignite violence considering the large audience it can reach within short period of time.

One of the participants at the training, Adama Ibrahim of Women Fellowship of Nigeria admitted that this is her first time to be sensitized on hate speech saying she only hears about it on TV or Radio.

She thereby commended BACIPEM and CITAD for organizing such training which according to her will go along way in ensuring peace in the society.

The training has in attendance 20 participants drawn from CSOs and Media organizations in the state.

Group advocates legal framework on hate speeches

Participants at a one- day forum organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Owerri have advocated a legal framework and enabling laws to handle the growing and disturbing issues of hate and dangerous speeches in the country.

Media practitioners were also urged not to give prominence on the pages of the newspapers and time on the electronic outfits to promoters of hate and dangerous speeches.

In a 15-point statement issued by the group, they expressed concern about the devastating effects of hate speeches in the country, regretting that the root cause of it emanated from alleged marginalization and lopsidedness in appointments and resource allocations.

They decried federal and state governments indifference in addressing the issues raised by agitators.

In their presentations, a Senior Programmes Officer (Curbing Hate -Speech Project of the CITAD, Isah Garba and the Research and Media Assistant of the group, Hamza Ibrahim, said the monitoring and evaluation of survey conducted in 2016, using contents on the pages of the newspapers revealed that 6,258 hate speeches were recorded.

The duo said hate-speeches were identified to be speeches made in both pictorial forms or words against a group and not just an individual.

Garba said breakdown of the figures showed that religious related issues recorded the highest with 2,603, representing 46 per cent.

The second are hate-speeches against ethnicity, which occured 2,449 times, representing 33 per cent.

Continuing, he said politics had 421; Biafra issues, 283; resource control, 338 and terror with related issues, more than 32 times.

On the mode of communication, they said English had 98 per cent, while pidgin had 0.4 per cent. They regretted that most hate-speakers were identified as educated personalities, having 22 per cent and 62 per cent of inflammatory and coded moderately inflammatory patterns respectively.

In hate-speeches conveyed through Facebook, Ibrahim said 59 per cent was recorded mostly use of false pictorial representations.

Budget Tracking Key to Transparency, Accountability

By Bashir Mohammed

Kano.

Senior Programme Officer, Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), Malam Isiyaku Garba Yakasai, has described consistent budget tracking by citizens as a veritable key to ensuring transparency and accountability in ideal democratic setting.
Speaking at a one day stakeholders’ forum on budget tracking, organised by CITAD in Kano yesterday, Yakasai said the essence of electing leaders to positions of authority was for them to live above board by fulfilling their campaign promises to the electorate, adding that the organisation had come up with the programme to remind leaders of their responsibility to the people.
According to him, open budget was all about enhancing transparency and accountability and fostering the people’s participation in governance by demystifying government budgets, positing that people across the country were keen to understand and participate meaningfully in discussions on budgets and governance.
He stated that citizens in many countries are keen in pressurising their governments for accountability, pointing out that whatever elected leaders promised when the last votes were cast and counted, the critical question was how governments actually manage their funds to address the challenges of poverty, provide essential services such as education and healthcare as well as make public investments to secure their future.
He further revealed that 20 years ago, hardly any organisation focused on budget transparency as key to improving democratic accountability and improving outcomes for the poor, adding that over 200 groups in at least 119 countries engaged in such work, according to the international budget partnership, a global research and advocacy organization that collaborates with budget groups around the world.

Communiqué Issued at the End of the 2-Day Stakeholders’ Meeting on Promoting Greater Access to Internet for Public Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State Organised by Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD), at Mambayya House, on 18th-19th December, 2017

Preamble.
The Centre for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) held a two-day Stakeholders Meeting on Promoting Greater Access to Internet in Public Girls Secondary Schools in Kano State. The meeting, held on and 19th December, 2019 at Mambayya was attended by over 50 people representing education authorities, parents, Teachers, students, civil society organizations and journalists. The meeting which was part of a larger engagement supported by the Association for Progressive Communications (APC) was meant to deliberate on the findings of the Survey on Access to Internet in Public Girls Secondary in Kano State conducted by CITAD and to propose solutions to address problems identified from the survey. The survey itself was motivated by the massive failure of students, especially females in the 2017 computer-based Unified Matriculation Examination (UME) of Joint Matriculation Examinations Board (JAMB). Many students it was reported were using the computer for the first time in the life during the examination and consequently did not know how to interact with the systems to write the examination. The objective of the survey was to assess the actual state of things in public secondary schools and develop an appropriate advocacy plan to support the campaign for the promotion of greater access to internet for females students of secondary schools in the state.
The keynote address on ICT, Girls and Education” was delivered by Malama Sanah Mu’az (Faculty of Computer Science, BUK) while another supporting presentation on Sources of Support for Schools” was made by Isyaku Garba. Also students and teachers gave testimony at the occasion. The survey report was presented and discussed in four sessions.
Observations
The meeting noted from the survey report the following:
• Result showed that 84.6% of the students do not know how to use internet
• Ten 10.8% of the students said they learnt to use the internet from their homes, and do not have access to internet in their schools
• Only 24.9% respondents said they have computer laboratory in their schools
• Only 4.7% respondents said they have internet in their schools
• Only 50 out of a total 204 schools have computer laboratory
• Only about 9% said are allowed by their parents to use the internet while the rest discouraged from using the internet for various reasons (23.3%, Moral concerns 26.0%, Exposure to boys and men 11.1% and Waste of time 8.5%).
• Only 3.35 said they had received advise from colleagues against using the internet show that peer influence is low
• Only one of 0.12% of the respondents said they could afford to subscribe internet access and a computer
• The schools that have computers have insignificant numbers of the computers and often when they breakdown, schools have no provision to repair them
• None of the schools have sustainable internet connectivity
• Schools have no resources to provide fuel for the generators to use in the absence of grid electricity supply
• In some schools, they have Computer teachers who teach Computer Science theoretically, but they have no computer labs
• Some schools have the computer labs, but lack computer teachers
Participants further identified the following as key factors constrain the effective use of the internet by female students:
• Lack of awareness on the importance of ICT both from the parent side and from the students’ side
• There is ignorance and misconception among parents, especially in rural areas which create negative attitude to the internet in the students
• Prevalence of gender based violence from the internet
• Lack of computers & insufficient qualified teachers
• Poverty among parents that many girls cannot afford paying for access to internet because many of them have no jobs and no means of livelihood
• Few number of female teachers in the ICT to provide encore and role model for the students
• The non-implementation of the current national secondary school curriculum in full which makes computer studies compulsory
• That although the state is one of few states to have in the mid 2000 to have developed a state-level ICT policy with a section developed on ICTs in Education, this policy which has lasted more than 10 years is not being implemented
Recommendations
Participants recommend that:
1. Governments at all levels should as a matter of urgency equip female schools with ICT facilities and internet access as well recruit sufficient number of qualified ICT teachers
2. Schools should be supported by their proprietors and other stakeholders to have resources to repair, maintain and upgrade their systems as well as pay for internet connectivity
3. Principals and other school administrators should be creative in the efficient and effective use of the available ICT facilities in their schools to ensure that all students have access to and use these facilities
4. Proprietors of schools must meet their obligation of providing adequate ICT facilities given that computer studies is now compulsory and the fact that the Universal Matriculation Examination is computer-based
5. Stakeholders should sustained high level of advocacy to government, philanthropists, donor agencies and other stakeholders to support yhe provision of ICTs facilities to girl’s secondary schools.
6. There should be massive sensitization to parents, traditional and religious leaders and CBOs etc, to encourage positive use of Internet among female students.
7. The school managements should, out of their PTA/School fees and other sources of incomes, try to pay Internet services and provide ICT facilities.
8. State government should encourage female indigenes of the state to study computer related courses at tertiary level so as to provide the state with both sufficient number of female ICT teachers and role models for the students to emulate
9. As part of Community Social Responsibility (CSR), Internet Service Providers (ISP) should play their roles by subsidizing Internet access to public secondary schools.
10. Parents and teachers should educate and monitor the usage of the internet by the students and make them more aware on how to protect themselves from cyber bullying.
11. Government should employ qualified ICT teachers, train them and make them up-to-date on how to use and teach ICT in schools.
12. The Kano State government should review its ICT Policy with a view to update and implement it, especially as its affects the education sector given the demand for ICT knowledge and skills in the educational pursuit
13. ICT subjects should be made compulsory in reality as provided in the current curriculum like Mathematics and English Language.
14. Parent-Teachers Associations (PTA), School Based Management Committees (SBMC) and other educational authorities/stakeholders should develop a zeal to ensure that schools have adequate ICT facilities and teachers.
15. Government, especially at the federal level should articulate and implement an digital inclusion agenda that will seek to bridge the gender digital divide, among others aspects of the digital divide
Communiqué Team
1. Dr. Adamu Turaki (Chairman)
2. Malam Zakariyya Abdullahi Balarabe, KSSSMB (Member)
3. Alhaji Wakili Shehu Abubakar, State PTA Chairman (Member)
4. Maryam Ado Haruna, CITAD (Secretary)

Group Calls For Patriotism And Selflessness To End Hate Speech in Nigeria

By Joseph Edegbo
Kaduna (Nigeria)– Nigerians have been urged to imbibe the spirit of patriotism and selflessness to avoid hate and dangerous speeches in the country.
 
The advise is contained in a communique issued at the end of a one- day Public Sensitization on Hate and Dangerous Speeches organized by the Centre for Information Technology and Development CITAD held in Kaduna, north west of the country.
The Communique also stressed the need for justice and fairness to prevail in the society, while those in authority should live exemplary lives and set good benchmarks for others to follow.
Security Agencies, the Communique recommends, should respect the rights of citizens and operate by their positive rules of engagement.
The participants affirmed that no religion preaches violence and hatred among people hence the need for clerics to strictly avoid the use of hate speeches in their preaching.
They suggested constant and synergetic collaboration among various peace stakeholders in Nigeria and the need for politicians to be seen to respect moral and societal ethics by avoiding any speech that is capable of mobilizing people to acts of violence especially, as the nation approaches the 2019 General elections.
CITAD is an NGO which raises awareness and enlighten the public on the consequences arising from hate and dangerous speeches..
Participants at the forum were drawn from the CSOs, Media, Students Union, religious leaders and traditional rulers.

Online hate speech has been identified as catalyst of conflict

By Hassan Umar Shallpella

 Worried with the havoc caused by online hate speech in the society, the PeaceTech Lab and Centre for Information and Technology Development (CITAD) recently organized 3 day workshop for Journalists and Civil Society Organizations tagged ‘PeaceTech Exchange for combating hate speech in Nigeria” held at Ventures Park Abuja.

Participants drawn from across Nigeria were taught how to use modern technology in combating hate speech online so as to have a free online hate speech society that will improve the peaceful coexistence among various segments of people in Nigeria.

Theo Dolan, Director Peacemedia and Peacetech Lab Africa said the essence of the workshop is to train participants on how to use media technology in preventing violence and building peace in Nigeria as the country is heading for 2019 general election.

He urged the participants to utilize the knowledge acquired for the betterment of the country.

Declaring the workshop open, the Chairman and CEO of Channels Television Mr. John Momoh, while commending the organizers for the foresight and expressed optimism that the workshop will go a long way in countering online hate speech in Nigeria which has been a major challenge to the country and will impact positively on the lives of young people.

Momoh also expressed dismay with the attitude of some media outfits that disseminate news and hate speech for their selfish gain without minding its consequences and urged them to refrain from using words that are capable of breaching the peace.

“We should stop using the word Fulani herdsmen in our reportage because other criminals that are not Fulani engage in cattle rustling.” He said

He said that Nigeria has been divided due to political, ethnic and religious differences instead of using religion and culture to bring people together.

Momoh stated that hate speech hurt and can destroy country and attributed the causes of conflict in the society to lack of understanding, misinterpretation and intolerance.

In his remark, Yunusa Zakari Ya’u, the Executive Director of CITAD, said participants would be train on tracking, monitoring and combating hate speech online, maintained that CITAD has been working with other partners to combat hate speech among young ones who uses social media frequently so as to disabuse their minds from using hate speech on anything capable of causing violence in Nigeria.

Ya’u  noted that the use of technology tools in combating hate become necessary following the damage hate speech has done to the country especially during previous elections, maintained that peace can only prevail in a hate speech free country .

He hoped that the participants who sue the knowledge gained so as to reduce hate speech online that has been a catalyst of conflict in the country.

Stigma and Societal Neglect Seriously Hamper Disabled People’s Lives-Associate Prof. Jibrin Isah Diso.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

As the last episode for this year, the monthly Inspiring Leadership Reflection Interactive Series (ILERIS) of the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has featured a visually impaired Associate Prof. Jibrin Isah Diso as the guest speaker for the youths inspiring and development programme. Giving opening remarks on behalf of the Executive Director, Training Coordinator Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai observed that, inviting Ass. Prof. Diso is meant to serve two purposes, one, to inspire and challenge the participating youths to work hard in their different endeavors, and secondly to also inspire and be a role model with his rich profile to both people living with special needs and the participating normal people.

The guest speaker, Ass. Prof. Jibrin Isah Diso kick started the interaction with an elaborate background of his educational struggle and later to his career as an academician, born in 1957, he started his primary education in 1963 at a primary school in Galadanci quarters in Kano metropolis, before proceeding to secondary school, Bayero University for his undergraduate studies and United Kingdom for post graduate studies. Ass. Prof. Diso passionately narrated his successes, failures, challenges and he was able to withstand pressure and handle challenges that would have ordinarily stopped him from becoming an Associate Professor as a visually impaired person. Commenting on the experiences of people living with disability, he said “the continued stigma and societal neglect towards people living with disability is psychologically affecting them, PWDs are people that need to be cherished and supported by everyone because they also have a positive role to play in societal development”. When asked by a participant on what makes him happy, he said he feels accomplished for securing 370 job slots for people living with disability when he served as special adviser to Kano state governor on people living with disability and for convincing the then Malam Ibrahim Shakarau administration to make education free for people with special needs in the state. He responded to numerous questions and comments regarding his endeavors. The event entertained several questions and comments from the participants, it finally ended with a vote of thanks and publications presentation to the speaker by Projects Coordinator Malam Isyaku Garba. Participants at this month’s interactive lecture included staff, volunteers and interns of CITAD, members of civil society groups, students bodies, youths groups, joints association of people living with disability, lecturers from BUK, journalists, SCEEP community members from Nasarawa, Kano Municipal and Gaya local governments etc.

Stakeholders Meet to Validate Research on Gender Violence Against Women Online.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

As technology related violence against women online continues to hinder women’s desire to effectively benefit from the unlimited opportunities on the internet, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) has with support from Association for Progressive Communication (APC) conducted a research on the theme in order to scientifically and broadly understand the underlying issues on gender based violence against women online and eventually come up with findings that will help address the worrisome situation experienced by women. Previously, CITAD has carried out a similar research to find out factors that inhibit women from making use of the internet in northern Nigeria, that research led to the publication of a book titled “Internet for Men? The Digital Marginalization of Women in Northern Nigeria”. Gender Based Violence Against Women Online is becoming rampant and negatively impacting in the way women use the internet, therefore CITAD did a study, having generated and compiled data, the organization today held a validation meeting with different stakeholders in attendance to be able to polish and enrich the data.

Welcoming participants to the validation meeting, CITAD’s Executive Director who was represented by Training Coordinator Malam Ahmad Abdullahi Yakasai said promoting development through ICT is a cardinal principle of the organization, and gender violence against women remains a challenging situation that demand the attention of stakeholders at different levels in order to free women from shackles of online violence, he advised the participants to make tangible inputs on the research and join the campaign against violence against women online. Survey, Focus Group Discussion (FGD) and Desk Top research findings were presented by Maryam Ado Haruna, Hamza Ibrahim and Salmat Abdulwaheed respectively. Many concerns were raised by the participants and appeals made to different stakeholders, a participant Anas Ibrahim Abubakar advocates for the provision of special court to deal with gender based violence against women online. A communiqué reflecting the concerns and recommendations of the participants was released at the end of the validation meeting. The meeting was attended by academics, civil society groups, students associations, International Federation of Women Lawyers, National Association of Women Journalists, Kano state HISBAH Board, religious leaders, secondary school teachers, journalists and other women and youths groups.

People Sensitized on Hate and Dangerous Speech in Bayelsa.

By Hamza Ibrahim Chinade.

In her quest to curb Hate and Dangerous Speech both online and offline, the Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) under it’s MacArthur Foundation’s supported project on monitoring and countering Hate and Dangerous Speech in Nigeria has embarked on public sensitization in different parts of the country with a view to educating people on the concept as well as equipping them with available mechanisms to join the crusade against Hate Speech. With growing number of Nigerians on social media and the continuous dissemination of Hate Speech and rumour on social networking sites, CITAD finds it useful to enlighten the public on Hate Speech and encourage them to avoid it for societal peace, unity and progress. Today’s public sensitization in Yenagoa, Bayelsa state is coming two days after similar sensitization has taken place in Owerri, Imo state. The public sensitization focused on making the participants to understand in clear terms what Hate Speech is, what it can cause, how it can be identified, how to avoid and counter it, how to report it especially on the platforms they are made and many other issues around it. Commenting at a general discussion session, some participants expressed concerns on Hate Speech on social media and called on stakeholders at different levels to wake up to their responsibility and salvage the threatened unity and peaceful coexistence among people of different religions and tribes, a participant, Pastor Wisdom Akinyosoye promised to take the campaign to his pulpit in order to get more people sensitized on Hate Speech. Participants to the sensitization included religious and traditional leaders, civil society organizations, youths groups, political parties representatives, women groups, students associations, people living with disability (PWDs), and the journalists among others.

Communiqué issued at the end of Public Sensitization on Hate and Dangerous Speech organized by Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) on Monday 18th December, 2017 at City Global Hotel, OWerri, Imo State. Preamble

The Center for Information Technology and Development (CITAD) is implementing a project on curbing Hate and Dangerous Speech with support from MacArthur Foundation, and a component of the project includes holding public sensitization on Hate and Dangerous Speech. The public sensitization was attended by civil society groups, political party representatives, women groups, youths organizations, traditional and religious leaders and the media among others. The sensitization at the end of extensive deliberations came up with the following communiqué;
A. CAUSES OF HATE SPEECH AND ITS DRIVERS

  1. Ethnic and group stereotyping
    2. Hateful and unguarded original speeches emanating from government quarters
    3. Increasing level of poverty
    4. Dissatisfaction of the citizenry with poor governance and maladministration
    5. Perceived marginalization
    6. Elite contest for position
    7. Shielding of corrupt leaders against trials and prosecution
    8. Unhealthy attitude to elections
  2. To curb Hate and Dangerous Speeches, the following recommendations were made:
    1. Promotion of nationalistic orientation as against ethnicity as a national norm.
    2. Strengthening national integration, reconciliation and peace building processes
    3. Bolstering the nation’s information and National reorientation departments to foster unity and peace
    4. Integration of civic and peace education as a compulsory subject at all levels of education
    5. Expunge federal character and quota system from the nation’s selection process
    6. Promotion of meritocracy as against ethnicity
    7. Provision of medium for genuine conversation towards promoting true national reconciliation
    8. Active mobilization for citizens participation in peace and consensus building
    9. Government should review media regulatory laws to curb Hate Speech
    10. Establishment of unity clubs in all levels of education to inculcate discipline in our young ones.
    11. Media should join the campaign against hate speech by providing space to counter hate and dangerous speech.
    12. Civil society organizations should facilitate ethnic and interfaith dialogue
    13. Media should refrain from providing space for the promotion of hate speech on their various media platform
    14. Government should enthrone good governance as a means to curb feelings of disaffection and marginalization among the citizenry to address social exclusion and economic imbalances
    15. Religious leaders should refrain from using inciting language and caution their fellows from doing same.
    This communiqué was read and agreed by all the participants and signed by:
    Ugory Chibuikem Kelvin-State Secretary, National Youth Council of Nigeria. (N.Y.C.N)
    Dr. Okafor, Ikechukwu Stanley – Imo Good Governance Advocates (IGGA)
    Ms. Udeh Anita. Program Officer, Citizens Center for Integrated Development and Social Rights (CCIDESOR)