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Telegram Gets 25 Million New Users In Three Days After WhatsApp Introduced Controversial Privacy Conditions

The encrypted messaging app, Telegram, has registered 25 million new users in the past 72 hours, its Russia-born founder, Pavel Durov, said Tuesday, on the heels of WhatsApp announcing a change to its privacy terms, AFP reports. Durov, 36, said on his Telegram channel that the app had over 500 million monthly active users in the first weeks of January and “25 million new users joined Telegram in the last 72 hours alone”. The surge in downloads comes after WhatsApp, which boasts over two billion users, introduced controversial changes to its privacy conditions that will allow it to share more data with its parent company, Facebook. “People no longer want to exchange their privacy for free services,” Durov said without directly referring to the rival app. WhatsApps’s new terms sparked criticism as users outside Europe who do not accept the new conditions before February 8 will be cut off from the messaging app. Telegram is a popular social media platform in a number of countr

Effiong Akwa And The NDDC By Reuben Abati

Reuben Abati The Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) was in the news for all the wrong reasons in the year 2020. The agency that was established 20 years ago to bring development to the nine oil-bearing communities of the Niger Delta became an embarrassment to the Nigerian government. In 2019, President Buhari had ordered a forensic audit of the agency’s accounts, a move that was hailed as long overdue by many Nigerians. This was also said to be consistent with the administration’s anti-corruption campaign. What should be a smooth administrative process however, became a battle for the soul of the agency itself. The conflict was in the shape of controversies over the appointment of a Board for the NDDC. A Board was constituted only to be suspended and replaced with an Interim Management Committee. While the President opted for Interim Management Committee and urged the team of auditors looking into the books of the NDDC to do a thorough job, the National Assembly also launc

Gospel Musician, Jovani Accused Of Rape In Police Custody, ‘Victim’ Allegedly Negotiating Settlement

A gospel musician, Biodun Badejo, popularly known as Jovani, accused of rape by his female friend, has been arrested by police officers in Ipaja, Lagos. Badejo, who was arrested by the police on Saturday and currently in police detention, had told SaharaReporters that he did not rape the young woman. He described what happened between them as a ‘lovers’ quarrel’.  Speaking with SaharaReporters on Monday, Chief Operating Officer, Advocates For Children And Vulnerable Peoples Network (ACVPN), Ebenezer Omejalile, confirmed the arrest, stating however, that the victim was delaying the case as she had refused to show up for further investigation to be done. He also said there were speculations that the victim was negotiating a settlement with the family of the accused though the claims could not be verified. “We have heard a rumour that there are negotiations ongoing to pay her N30,000. The Divisional Police Officer called me and explained to me that she had asked the lady to co

India Deports Two Nigerians

Indian authorities have deported two Nigerians for not possessing valid visas. According to a statement posted on Delhi police Twitter page on Monday, the two were among 10 Nigerian nationals recently arrested in the country. The 10 Nigerians were picked up by the police at the Uttam Nagar area in New Delhi’s Dwarka district on Wednesday, January 6, 2021.  “Their visas have also expired but they are continuously staying in India which is a gross violation of the Indian visa norms. They have not provided any suitable reason and supportive documents for their overstay in India,” said Santosh Kumr Meena, DCP Dwarka. Due to visa violations, the Nigerian nationals were sent to the Lampur Sewa Sadan in New Delhi’s Narela area pending when their travel arrangements would be made. #ActionsMustHaveConsequences 2 #Nigerian nationals were deported, who were found staying illegaly, without having valid Visa & Passport, by the staff of PS Uttam Nagar during #Patrolling duty. @D

Husband, Wife Crushed To Death By Truck In Ogun Accident

An auto accident involving a Toyota Camry car, Sino truck and a motorcycle around Odogbara, on the Sagamu-Ogijo Road, has killed two persons suspected to be husband and wife. Babatunde Akinbiyi, Spokesperson, Traffic Compliance and Enforcement Corps in the state, reported the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria in Abeokuta on Tuesday. Akinbiyi said the accident occurred at 7.40 am.  He said it was caused by speeding, recklessness and brake failure on the part of the motorcycle with no registration number carrying a man and a woman. He stated that the motorcycle hit the car marked FKY-733 GF at the rear end and the two passengers on the motorbike were crushed to death by an oncoming truck. The rider was said to have survived, but with severe injuries. Akinbiyi said, “According to an eyewitness, the motorcyclist was going to Sagamu from the Ogijo axis, when in an attempt to overtake the Camry car, after already overtaking three trailers, hit the car from behind before fal