Imagine a future where the most difficult part of setting up in any African country is the decision to do so. We are building
@Norebase
, because we believe the mechanics of scaling across Africa should be as simple as clicking a button.
You get an opportunity to interview a world-record holder who has had the best season of her career & is set to break even more records, and this is the headline & focus of your writing.
What a disgraceful use of journalism!
Can’t believe I put out a tweet for lawyers who wanted to volunteer to provide free legal services and we built a database of over 700 lawyers across the country, and these lawyers sacrificed time & skills to get release for strangers who were arrested. What a time to be alive!
We have reports that 3 female
#EndSARS
protesters have been detained at Shomolu Station, our lawyers need their names to get them released, please URGENTLY reach me
The
#EndSARS
Legal team has received a missing person report for:
Name: Ayo-Olagunju Chibuzor Ruben
Height: 6ft
Last seen: Festival of Light, Lekki toll
Please if you have seen this person or have any information about where he is, please reach out to me urgently.
Flutterwave 🦋
- US $1 Billion Valuation
- Raised $225 million
- 300 staff
- Live in 20 African countries
- Infrastructure reach to 33 countries
- Processed 140 million transactions worth US $ 9 billion
- 290,000 business users
- 500,000 users of its Barter product
In 5 years.
Basil Ejiagwu died exactly 1 week before his case at the Lagos Judicial panel. He was arrested by SARS, tortured for 5 days, legs damaged by a hammer. He had gashes on his head and later developed brain tumor. This is why
#PoliceBrutality
needs to end today not tomorrow.
#EndSARS
This was just testing. Now we know how to organize ourselves and stay united on one message. We’ve seen the tools they will deploy against us (ethnicity, political differences, disinformation, violence, threats, divisions). This was just practice. We go again!
So
#EndSARS
protesters were on the street for almost 2 weeks and not one incident of looting all round the country but after curfew was imposed, looting is going on for several hours without any police or security operatives intervening. The contradiction is very shocking!
Older generation, here’s some insight into our generation:
We are not a generation that cares about titles. We listen to results. We are not wowed by nice speeches. We will ask you tough questions without sugar-coating it. And, we don’t ever give up on our deepest beliefs.
Rest In Peace Okechukwu Obi-Enadhuze 🕯
You deserved to be remembered as a tech whiz and a genius designer, and not a victim of this dysfunction. So that’s how I will choose to remember you.
URGENT: if you have the names of any of the persons arrested at the
#Lekkitollgate
please reach out to me urgently.
4 lawyers are presently on their way to the places they have been detained.
Our lawyers are getting ready to head to Adeniji station, or wherever they will take them.
I really want to know the made up justification for these unlawful arrests because these people had just gotten there
Was catching a flight from Geneva to London in my Cambridge University hoodie. An Indian business man, travelling with his family asked me “what year? what college?” He was also an alum. I became his lawyer over a handshake. No CV. Just one reason people go to these schools.
STOP USING POLICE FOR CIVIL MATTERS (debt, family disputes, child custody, house rent/evictions, land disputes etc)
Such acts is why the Police often WRONGLY intervenes in civil matters where there is no crime committed. Use the court or appoint a mediator for your civil matters
What constantly shocks me is that we go to a Police station to get one
#EndSARS
protesters released, then find out there are several others there. Please report quickly if anyone gets arrested or is missing. If you can safely take take videos/pictures of arrests, it helps a lot.
Within last 48 hours,
- Gwarimpa Station: Refunded money & apologized for arrest;
- Surulere Area C: Contributed to medical bills of arrested protesters & orderly room trial
- Benin: Refund of bail money & arrest of Police officer who took money
Your voice matters!
#EndSARS
If Microsoft was an African company, the name would have been “Megasoft” because someone will have said “Micro? God will not let this company be small”
URGENT: Please you know of any
#EndSARS
protester who was at the Abuja overnight sit-out of the CBN building who has not been found, or who is injured but not getting medical attention, please reach out to me urgently.
The Deputy Governor of Edo state, Phillip Shaibu confirmed that:
- Riots & damage in Benin today was not caused by
#EndSARS
protesters
- Any prison break was not caused by
#EndSARS
protesters
- Damage, havoc & destruction was caused by hoodlums.
Eromosele HAS NOT been formally charged with any offence. Today’s court ruling is about if Police can hold him while still conducting investigations.
Important Questions: Why the heavy police presence? Why are journalists barred from entry? Why the need to maintain secrecy?
Let’s be clear. This is an attack on freedom. Finding workarounds (like VPN) is exactly how we excused other failures of government by using generators, boreholes & security guards. If they get away with eroding a freedom, they always come for other freedoms.
#TwitterbaninNigeria
ALAUSA: We have received reports of arrests in Alausa, Ikeja, Lagos as a follow-up to the attacks of thugs on peaceful
#EndSARS
protesters
Please if you have the full names of any protesters that was arrested by the Police, please reach out to us very urgently.
My favourite thing about this picture was that RBG’s husband, Marty, held the Bible as she was sworn in as a US Supreme Court Judge in 1993.
He reportedly told a friend that the most important thing he did in his own life "is to enable Ruth to do what she has done”
So that’s how we casually built an efficient legal aid/support structure operating in 36 states.
When we deployed legal aid to a set of
#EndSARS
protesters within 5 minutes of their arrest, I knew we had cracked something.
So Police pointed weapons at citizens, shot at peaceful
#EndSARS
protesters but no weapons was even pointed at alleged escaping prison inmates.
Doesn’t add up, but ok.
A thread for young people.
If you don't come from wealth or privilege, chances are that, you're in the most difficult generation ever, for young people to become wealthy.
Here are my thoughts on how to beat the trap.
Good Morning, and since Lagos State Governor and Lekki Concession Company both claim the cameras were not removed, today is a great day to release the unedited footage of the
#LekkiMassaccre
of 20th October 2020 when peaceful
#EndSARS
protesters were attacked & killed.
MAJOR: The Nigerian Police has asked Federal High Court for an order to STOP all State Judicial Panels created after
#EndSARS
protests. Police says it is a federal agency & States (& Governors) can’t investigate its actions. Police is doing everything to avoid any accountability
We started with “use the hashtag” to “tag us”, to “reach out to us”, to “fill this online form” to “call this helpline”
The organic way
#EndSARS
is getting organized is impressive.
In other news, the helpline number is 01 700 1755 and follow the instructions (Press 2 for Legal)
NEVER RETWEET OR TWEET ANY VIDEO/PICTURE THAT YOU DON’T KNOW/TRUST THE SOURCE!
The new disinformation tactic is to share a false video/picture, then once it goes viral then come out to say it’s false as a way to discredit even the things that are true. Verify before you share!
Major advantage of Crypto is you cannot stop it. Little research will have told them:
1. Merchants will ask to be paid directly in crypto
2. P2P exchanges will flourish
3. People will move volumes of crypto &
#BTC
in hard drives & cold chain storage.
You cannot stop the future!
Even after I shared the good news that 253 people will be released in Lagos because Police has no evidence against them, I can’t help but feel incredibly sad that TWO HUNDRED AND FIFTY THREE persons were detained for so long by the Police without any evidence of any crime. Jeez!
“No leaders” does not mean “no leadership”. It means EVERYBODY’S LEADERSHIP. It means not one person has higher responsibility than others for outcomes. It means everybody taking responsibility, showing up and playing their part. That’s what you’ve seen everyday of
#EndSARS
URGENT ON LEKKI: We need a full check-in. Please if know anyone that was at the Lekki toll-gate, check in that they are okay, or at an hospital and that everyone is accounted for. If there is any person who is missing or unaccounted for, please reach out to me urgently.
Notice how state governments didn’t need any “time” to impose curfews.
It’s the same way it doesn’t take them any time to release every arrested protesters, set up public inquiries & start compensating victims and their families immediately (IF THEY WANT TO).
#EndSARS
How can you claim a basketball team is your National basketball team representing at Olympics, but:
- Team is self-funding via GoFundMe
- Coach is not getting paid
- Kit donated by Peak Milk is withheld by Customs who are demanding N35m
A disgrace & sabotage of the team’s effort
So that’s how
@fkabudu
is receiving free gifts but people are sending me prayers.
Let me comfort myself that “spiritual gifts are more important than physical ones” AMEN?
USA with population of 330 million has over 8,775 fintechs
UK with population of 68 million) has over 2,500 fintechs
Africa with 1.2 billion population has just 573 fintechs.
Nigeria with 200 million people has about 144 fintechs.
No, Nigeria does not have too many fintechs.
The
#EndSARS
is modelling perfectly how governments should be. People getting ambulances in seconds. Immediate legal support. Full transparency with money. Everyone leading & playing their part. Leaving no one behind or unheard.
And it’s in this same Nigeria!
One shocking thing - at stations, we ALWAYS find more
#EndSARS
protestors detained than we initially went there for.
So when you LOUD any arrest, you are also saving the lives of several others. So video, LOUD & Tweet it!
We have lawyers on standby. Just tell us where to go.
When 2 women claimed to King Solomon that a living baby was their baby, only the one who had nothing to lose was really to have them divide the living child into two.
Remember, people who have built nothing (or have nothing to lose) are always eager to burn everything down.
The most striking thing about
#EndSARS
is the personal accountability. Exact reporting on money spent. Lawyers who give updates and even follow up after the protester is released. Medical personnels who put their all into it. Protesters who show up!
Personal accountability 💯
BREAKING NEWS: Sources have confirmed that the Avengers (led by Captain America) are on their way to DC to support the US.
Black Panther will not be joining them.
Eromosele Adene is a total rockstar! Despite been moved to several locations with little or no notice, he held his head up and was always either laughing or smiling. He even had jokes every time we spoke. Great spirit!
Please if you’re recording a video of any incident, say that time and place severally. I know it’s a lot of pressure at that moment, but that evidence is a lot stronger if you say the time and place. Their first move is always to deny the videos.
Stripe, valued at $36b is acquiring Nigeria’s Paystack for deal estimated to be about $200M+
NOW THIS IS AN EXIT!!!!
Young people are really doing the MOST!
The real news is not the government suspension of Twitter’s operations in Nigeria, it’s that the government wants to start LICENSING SOCIAL MEDIA & OTT OPERATIONS IN NIGERIA. The regulation of social media is the real aim of all of this. It’s right there in the Ministry’s tweet.
The level of quality control that makes you investigate a one-minute train delay, and apologise to the entire nation. Now that’s what accountability looks like.
Japan bullet train driver left controls for high-speed toilet dash.
The toilet trip might have gone unnoticed, except for the fact that his train was subsequently one minute late, which prompted an investigation
Today, here’s
#EndSAR
Legal delivery:
- DELTA: got released for 8 out of 15 Protesters arrested in Ughelli
- IBADAN: Oyeleso Timileyin released
- BENIN: Last of 29 protesters released
- IKEJA - Got 2 protesters released & treated. Also treated the 3 hoodlums who attacked them
That Nigeria’s courts have been on strike for 2 months and it is not a major national concern proves 3 things:
- Most people don’t use the court system for anything
- Injustice is too commonplace
- As a nation, our court system is more symbolic(figurehead) than effective
Great to see that Attorney General of Ogun has started criminal prosecution against 4 Police officers (3 for murder, 1 for manslaughter) for incidents of crimes committed.
#EndSARS
That video, from last night, of the person whose voice broke as he was singing the national anthem and was been shot at. Can’t get over it. It has played in my head a million times through the night as we tried to track missing persons or get ambulances out to injured persons.
What we achieved?
We created the single most unifying citizen experience in recent times. Our generation took a stand & history will not forget. And we will design a nation where prosperity, opportunity & access is within everyone’s reach regardless of tribe, class or religion.
UPDATE ON GWAGWALADA, ABUJA: We have sent lawyers down to Gwagwalada Police division. We are also trying to make contact with the FCT Police PRO.
We are still gathering full names. If you know any of those arrested, please reach out.
Tonight reminded me that WE ALL DID THIS. From people bringing awareness to arrested protesters, others at great risk to their lives recorded video evidence, people who used every connections they have, lawyers who stayed outside for hours, those who kept tweeting.
WE DID THIS!
Not all wealth and success is the direct result of hard work. Chance has a huge role to play in how people’s lives turn out. Poverty is not always due to laziness either. Too many people underestimate the randomness of chance in how people’s lives turn out.
One lawyer in Benin wanted to defy curfew to go get someone he didn’t know released. I was the one convincing him not to. What did we ever do to deserve such selflessness from citizens? I now totally understand why Nigerians thrive excellently when they are in a different system.
Nigerian lawyers on our volunteer lists have really gone over & beyond during
#EndSARS
. Many have travelled great distance to bail out strangers, acted as surety, stayed late hours just to get people out. Incredible sacrifices!
In other news, please pay your lawyers more 🤣
The
#EndSARS
Legal team has received a missing person report for:
Name: Ayo-Olagunju Chibuzor Ruben
Height: 6ft
Last seen: Festival of Light, Lekki toll
Please if you have seen this person or have any information about where he is, please reach out to me urgently.
Benue Commissioner for Police invited
@Sonjoe_Kutuh
and 4 others for a meeting and detained them. He has refused to release them despite calls from AG Benue, Police Service Commission &
@NigBarAssoc
Benue.
We need to get this to Governor of Benue or anyone who can intervene?
I’ve looked at that 5 x 5
#EndSARS
demands like 100 times to figure out what must be so difficult and impossible that it requires responding with force. Can’t find any. The 5 demands were polite and even included welfare for the Police. Like no one of this response makes sense.
Ifeoma Abugu, 28 years old, had just finished national youth service & was planning her wedding. SARS arrested her in Abuja. No one could locate her. Next day, her family got call to come pick up her corpse. She was sexually assaulted & killed. This was Sept 11, 2020.
#EndSARS
I just spoke to the Attorney General of Ogun state who has insisted to ensure they have access to their lawyers tomorrow morning. Seems the police has made some accusations against them, and that needs to be cleared before they can be released. Everything will unveil soon enough.
These weeks made me understand how Nigeria swallows dreams of young people. I’m an international lawyer focused on global trade, investment & tech but instead was working to get protesters released. Nigeria makes people adapt to survive & solve problems that didn’t need to exist.
On the 19th October, he was a “fake soldier”. By 21st October, he was suddenly existed but has now committed a cybercrime for telling his colleagues not to shoot at peaceful protesters.
CAN YOU SEE WHY WE DON’T BELIEVE YOU?
UPDATE ON BENIN: Police officer that collected N100k to release
#EndSARS
protester has been ARRESTED.
The money has also been refunded to the protester’s family.
URGENT: We SECURED BAIL for 2 minors, Tunde Ogunsola (15yrs) & Oladipupo Ibrahim (17 yrs), picked up in a random raid in Ikorodu since August, detained and not charged to any court till today.
Their relatives are needed for their release. If you know them, please reach out to me
Just shocking how Abuja
#EndSARS
protesters have been the very peaceful but have been consistently met with violence, first by the Police and now by armed thugs.
In this same country, a state governor offered protesters 2 million Naira and they turned it down and stuck with their demands. We really cracked something here! So proud!
Applaud some of the local media folks that reported
#EndSARS
with integrity:
@techcabal
@StearsBusiness
@ARISEtv
Interesting most of them are driven by young people who are rethinking all of media. Proud of them.
Anita Akapson, 31 years old, returned from studies abroad and started a government job with NEMA. Well-dressed and on her way to her home in Asokoro, Police overtook her, ripped bullets into her Honda Accord tyres and bullet hit her. She died on her way to the hospital.
#EndSARS
For those who have had major wins or happy moments in the last few weeks, don’t feel guilty celebrating it. Don’t let these times steal our joy. It is not your fault. We will demand what is right and also appreciate our personal victories at the same time.
For the 2021 tax year, MTN Nigeria paid N618.7 billion in direct and indirect taxes to FIRS.
For context, MTN alone paid 13.5% of the total collection by FIRS for 2021.
Gosh!