NEWS
When You Create Crisis Online, It’ll Translate to Crisis Offline, Prof Pate Warns
From Yagana Ali, Yola
The Vice Chancellor of Federal University Kashere, Professor Umar Pate has warned Media practitioners against the dangerous use of rumours and lies to generate context that will disinform, misinform, and mal-inform the general public culminating into fake news.
Pate said this when he gave a public lecture on “The Media, Social Media, and National Security: Balancing the free flow of information with responsible journalism in Nigeria” organized by TGNEWS, an online media organization with its corporate Headquarters in Yola.
Pate who is an ace broadcaster and veteran journalist and an internationally renowned Mass communication expert said Credibility, truthfulness, reliability, and dynamism are hallmarks of practicing principles of good journalism.
He warned journalists, especially those taking the Advent of technology to practice online journalism to run away from generating fake news as content for the general public because it changes the psychological mindset of people especially in crisis situations.
According to him when a journalist creates a crisis online, it will translate to a crisis offline which will lead to serious chaos, killings, and bloodbaths across many parts of the country, each having its own share of insecurity challenges including bandits, Boko Haram, kidnappers, Shila Boys, and Many others.
“When you create a crisis online, it translates into a crisis offline as a result of poisoned information that will always poison the psychology of the citizens.
“When this is achieved there will be a crisis in interpersonal relationships among communities, and once relationships are not properly defined, conflicts, chaos, killings, and bloodbaths will envelop the entire nation,” Pate said
He warned Media men never to allow the challenges caused by the advent of the internet and the revolution of information and communication technology, ICT, to stop them from maintaining ethical standards because it’s the only way that fake news, disinformation, and other media mishaps like Quack journalists are using to cause confusion and lack of trust among people, communities, individuals, societies, organizations, and nations
He worried that the conventional media are grappling with the challenges of Credibility, funding, and intellect because of the bottleneck of the advent of modern technology.
“In the past media organizations could easily depend on adverts and sales of their products and survive but today the concept has collapsed. Google, Amazon, and many other big organizations have taken advertising concepts from conventional media because of the wider advantages of technology they are leveraging.
Pate who was also an awardee of the TGnews for dedication service was honoured and extolled as a Man with the heart of goal for humanity.
Pate alongside Rt Hon Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri of Adamawa State, immediate past secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF), Boss Mustapha, former governor Muhammadu Umaru Jibrilla Bindow, and the member representing Fufore/Song Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Aliyu Wakili Boya.
Those conferred with meritorious service award include; Archbishop Panti Philibus, Sheikh Nuruddeen Khalid, HRH Kurhaye Hassan Dishon Dansanda II, Kwandi Nunguraya, HRM Daniel Shaga Ismaila, Hama Bachama, HRH Umar Sanda, Gangwari Ganye, HRH Abubakar Isa Ahmadu Emir of Mubi and Alhaji Abubakar Murtala, Dan Lawan Mubi and district head of Belel.
Personalities who were conferred with award for dedication and quality service include; Rear Admiral Jamila Malafa (Rtd.), Prof. Umar Pate, Dr. Abdullahi Dauda Belel, Barr. Chafari Kanya Shadrack and Mal. Hamisu Idris Medugu.
Those conferred with TGNews unsung heroes award include; Shoe Cobbler, Ardo Usman, and groundnut seller, Celina Peter.
NEWS
Police Detain Woman for Alleged Killing of Co-wife in Bauchi
The police command in Bauchi State, said it has apprehended a housewife over alleged killing of her co-wife following a domestic violence incident in Bauchi metropolis.
This was contained in a statement by the spokesman of the command, SP Nafiu Habib, on Monday in Bauchi.
He said that the command detained the suspect (name withheld) on Sept.
27 for alleged culpable homicide following a domestic incident at Tafawa Balewa Housing Estate in Bauchi.Habib said that on Sept. 27, at about 4:05 p.m., the Police C-Division, Bauchi, received credible information that there was a domestic incident between two wives residing in the same household belonging to their husband.
He said that preliminary investigation revealed that the 33-year-old suspect, who is the second wife, allegedly acting under hallucinations, struck the first wife with pestle on the forehead, and the victim fell unconscious.
“Upon receipt of the report, detectives attached to C-Division immediately mobilised to the scene.
“The scene was documented, and the victim was rushed to the Specialist Hospital, Bauchi, where she was certified dead by a medical doctor. The corpse has been deposited at the hospital mortuary for autopsy,” he said.
Habib said that the police recovered the pestle used in committing the offence.
He quoted the Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, as directing the transfer of the case to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for discreet investigation and prosecution.
Aliyu condoled with the bereaved family and cautioned against domestic violence.
The CP also advised husbands to seek timely medical and psycho-social support for members of their families exhibiting mental health challenges. (NAN)
NEWS
FRSC Deploys 170 Ambulances Nationwide for Emergency Rescue
The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has deployed more than 170 ambulances across the country as part of efforts to strengthen emergency response and rescue operations on Nigerian roads.
The Corps Public Education Officer (CPEO), Osondu Ohaeri, disclosed this on Monday in Abuja, while responding to questions on the operational capacity of the corps emergency ambulance network and its response to Road Traffic Crashes (RTCs).
Ohaeri said the FRSC had the largest number of ambulances among emergency response agencies in Nigeria, with more than 170 ambulances and 60 Zebra points across the country.
He said the figure should however not be interpreted as the number of ambulances currently operational or serviceable as of September 2026.
According to him, an accurate current figure of serviceable ambulances will require the latest fleet-status report from the corps medical and rescue office.
He explained that the figures demonstrated the scale of the corps emergency response network, while the availability of individual ambulances was managed operationally based on their location, condition and assignment.
On the adequacy of the ambulances for emergency rescue, he said the corps continued to maintain and deploy its assets as part of its emergency response responsibilities, stressing that the status of individual vehicles could vary depending on their operational condition and assignment.
The CPEO said the corps was also focused on improving its emergency response capacity, particularly by strengthening rescue deployment and collaboration with other relevant agencies.
He also said that the corps had historically recorded an average response time of about 15 minutes under its documented emergency-response programme.
He cautioned against presenting the figure as the current nationwide average without updated operational data.
According to him, response time varies depending on several factors including the location of a crash, traffic congestion, distance from the nearest ambulance point and accessibility of the crash scene.
He added that the accuracy and timeliness of information provided by callers could also affect the speed with which rescue teams reached crash scenes.
Other factors he said include the possibility of emergency teams responding to other incidents simultaneously.
Ohaeri stressed that the corps had identified faster response to road traffic crashes and other emergencies as one of its management priorities in 2026.
He said efforts were therefore ongoing to strengthen rescue deployment and inter-agency collaboration to improve emergency response to road crashes.
He added that the FRSC remained committed to improving emergency rescue operations, strengthening the deployment of its resources and working with relevant stakeholders to ensure better outcomes for road crash victims.
He reiterated that complaints concerning emergency response, evacuation, treatment of victims or other forms of alleged misconduct should be channeled through the appropriate authorities for investigation and necessary action.
The CPEO further assured that the corps would continue to strengthen its emergency response mechanisms as part of broader efforts to reduce the consequences of road traffic crashes and improve the safety of road users nationwide.(NAN)
NEWS
NBA Decries Rising Insecurity in Plateau, Urges Urgent Action
The Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) has decried the spate of security challenges currently confronting Plateau and other parts of Nigeria.
The Chairman of Jos Branch of the association, Morgan Dung, said this during a joint news conference on Monday in Jos.
Dung spoke on behalf of the Jos, Bukuru and Pankshin branches of the association.
The chairman particularly decried the recent attacks and killings in Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos, Bassa, Wase and Kanam Local Government Areas (LGAs) of the state.
Dung, who described the continuous killings of innocent residents as “unfortunate and unacceptable”, called on the Federal Government and the security agencies to tackle the menace.
“The protection of lives and property remain the most fundamental responsibility of government as contained in section 33 of the 1999 Constitution as amended.
“NBA frowns at the inability of the government to prevent the continuous loss of lives and property in Plateau and beyond.
“We particularly condemn the recent killing of members of community vigilantes at their duty posts in Mangu, Barkin-Ladi, Riyom, Bokkos and Bassa LGAs
“We call on the government and security agencies to bring the perpetrators to book. This menace must also stop,”he said.
Dung, however, commended president Bola Tinubu over his recent visit to Plateau and the move to establish State Police in the country.
He further called on the government to sponsor an executive bill to fully domicile security issues under the concurrent legislative list.
Dung urged the government to properly and adequately equip security agencies, strengthen border surveillance and secure all forests serving as hideouts for bandits and other criminal elements.
The chairman also commended Gov. Caleb Mutfwang for revamping Operation Rainbow, a state-owned security outfit and training of 2,000 personnel of the neighbourhoods watch.
He, however, called for the licensing of Operation Rainbow to operate with kinetic facilities, implement the anti-land grabbing law and provide structures for police division and forward operation bases in the state.
Dung advised security agencies to deploy more personnel and equipment to flashpoints in the state, insisting that such a move would ensure prompt response to threats.
The chairman, who called on the judiciary to ensure timely dispensation of terrorism cases, advised governors to sign death warrants of convicted terrorists to serve as a deterrent to others.
He pledged NBA’s readiness to promote access to justice, document evidence of atrocities and pursue public interest litigation to ensure accountability (NAN)


