The Federal Govern- ment has slammed a $220 million fine on Meta for alleged data pri- vacy breaches. Meta is the parent com- pany of WhatsApp, Face- book, In a statement issued on Friday, the Federal Compe- tition and Consumer Pro- tection Commission (FC- CPC), said the penalty is in accordance with the FCCPA 2018, and the Federal Com- petition and Consumer Oladipupo Awojobi Reinstated Edo State Deputy Governor, Phillip Shaibu, who was elected under the um- brella of the Peoples Dem- ocratic Party (PDP) has alleged that the shooting at the Benin Airport Road, which led to the death of a police officer was preplanned by his enemies. This was just as he said that he is an unofficial member of the All Pro- gressives Congress (APC), as his spirit left the PDP a long time ago. The newly reinstated deputy governor said this in an interview with ARISE NEWS on Friday, where he accused the Edo State Gov- ernment of orchestrating the attack against him and the APC candidate for the Edo State guber election, Monday Okpebholo, on Thursday. He also claimed that the state’s PDP-led government was going against the judgement re- instating him by attempt- ing to keep him away from Edo State without a Stay of Execution order. Speaking on his current political allegiance, Shaibu said, “I am actually a mem- ber of APC, but unofficial. My spirit has left the PDP for a long time, it’s only my leg and my body that is still there. Because if you check all the court declarations, you will discover that in Rivers, I am told that those people did not resign and they have not gone, so their party card is still with them. My party card in PDP is still with me, I have not picked party card of APC, so that is why I am saying that. But in terms of my spirit, my spir- it has left PDP, it’s now in APC.” Shaibu, speaking on the attack that was carried out by vigilantes who shot at his convoy, alleged that it was a plan of the government, as he relayed, “In terms of violence, they planned it. A meeting took place in an office, another meeting took place in the office of a memThe Edo State Government has described the appointment of eight personal aides by the embattled deputy governor of the state, Comrade Philip Shaibu, as “provocative”, adding that it was an “at- tempt crisis in the state.” Shaibu had on Friday announced the appointment of eight persons as personal aides in a statement by his Chief Press Secretary (CPS|), Musa Ebomhian. Reacting to the development, the state government, via a press statement by the ber of the House, another meeting took place in key official’s house. I was told that they were to protect government House and the other office. Then lat- er in the morning, around 9 o’ clock, I got a call that they’ve also asked them to go and stay by Faith Medi- plex and front of the gate. Later on, they changed their plans that they should go and stay in one build- ing next to a hotel. So, I was monitoring what they were doing, and in all this, I told the Commissioner of Police.” Shaibu said that despite all this intelligence, he still decided to go because he is “fearless, and I am some- body that when I want to do something, I check the rules of engagement and I check whether it’s legal. And when it is legal, I am ready to go for it. Even if you have to kill me, you have to kill me not to achieve it. But I will not go out of the norms, I will not go out of the law, I will do what is right. I was armed with documents, and in a civilised society, that is how it is run.”
Explaining the events of Thursday, Shaibu said, “Going back to yesterday, the CP was aware I was coming because I called him. He called me first congratulating me and that they are expecting me, and I said no, that I will be com- ing yesterday- that was the day before yesterday, and I said I will be coming to- morrow which was yester- day. We met at the airport.” Alleged N6.9bn Fraud: Court grants Fayose’s request for foreign medical trip Benin Attack: Edo police vow to arrest, prosecute killers of policeman Francis Iwuchukwu The Federal High Court, Ikoyi, Lagos, presided over by Jus- tice Chukwujekwu Aneke, yesterday, granted the re- quest of the former gover- nor of Ekiti State, Ayodele Fayose, seeking leave of the court to travel abroad for medical attention. The judge arrived at the decision during the con- tinuation of the trial of the former governor accused of fraud and money launder- ing to the tune of N6.9bn by the Economic and Finan- cial Crimes Commission, EFCC. Before the decision of Justice Aneke, the former governor had in his appli- cation prayed to the court Francis Ogbuagu Benin The Edo State Commis- sioner of Police, CP Funsho Adegboye, yesterday, said the com- mand has gotten some of the names of those who carried out the dastardly act at the Benin airport that led to the death of an officer in Benin and vowed to arrest and bring them to book. Recall that Inspector Onuh Akoh was fell by a bullet fired by thugs who unleashed mayhem on those who went to receive the former deputy goverfor an order granting him leave to travel outside Ni- geria for medical examina- tion and/or treatment at all times as the exigency of his health shall require with- out prejudice to the dates of his trial sessions before the court. The application was, however, not opposed by the anti-graft agency. Jus- tice Aneke adjourned until October 17 and 18 for con- tinuation of the trial. Meanwhile, at the com- mencement of the former governor’s trial, Mr Shuai- bu Salisu, the 14th witness brought by the EFCC in- formed Justice Aneke that the sum of N2.2 billion was paid to Sivan Macnamara for the supply of security infrastructure, but the sup- ply was not made. …says ‘my spirit has left PDP and now in APC’ Protection (administrative penalties) Regulations 2020 (APR). According to FCCPC’s Acting Chief Executive Officer, Adamu Abdulla- hi, the commission found Meta culpable of denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine, unauthorised transfer and sharing of Nigerian data, including cross-border storage in violation; dis- crimination and disparate treatment, abuse of domi- nance, and tying and bundling.
“On May 2021, the Fed- eral Competition and Con- sumer Protection Commis- sion (Commission) based on available evidence and sufficient probable cause is- sued an Order and Notice to Show Cause (ONSC) to WhatsApp LLC and Meta Platforms, Inc. (formerly called Facebook Inc.) jointly referred to as ‘Meta Parties’ in respect to this investiga- tion,” FCCPC said. “The subject of the ONSC was to relay the Commission’s investiga- tive report in respect of its findings that the Meta Par- ties by their conduct have violated the above stated provisions of the FCCPA and NDPR (which was in force prior to the enactment and operationalisation of the NDPA (Nigeria Data Protection Act), 2023) and for the Meta Parties to show reasonable cause why the Commission should not proceed to enter its orders as final and enforceable pursuant to the FCCPA, particularly sections 17, 18, 155, and 159. “Between May 2021 and December 2023, and over this period of 38 months, a joint investigation by the Commission, and the Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) into Meta Parties conduct, pri- vacy policies, the operation thereof, and Meta Parties practices has evolved. “Meta Parties have pro- vided some information/ evidence that are in part responsive to document requests and summons un- der the joint investigation. “Meta Parties by them- selves, and retained coun- sels have also repeatedly engaged with, and met with investigators and analysts from the Com- mission, and the NDPC, including as recently as April 4, 2024. “The totality of the in- vestigation has concluded that Meta Parties over a protracted period of time have engaged in conduct that constitute multiple and repeated, as well as continuing infringements of the FCCA and NDPR, particularly, but not lim- ited to abusive, and in- vasive practices against data subjects/consumers in Nigeria, such as ap- propriating personal data or information without consent, discriminatory practices against Nigerian data subjects/consumers or disparate treatment of consumers/data subjects compared with other ju- risdictions with similar regulatory frameworks, abuse of dominant market position by forcing unscru- pulous, exploitative, and non-compliant privacy policies which appropri- ated consumer personal information without the option or opportunity to self-determine or other- wise withhold or provide consent to the gathering, use, and/or sharing of such personal data.
“Being satisfied with the significant evidence on the record, and that Meta Parties have been provided every opportunity to artic- ulate any position, repre- sentations, refutations, ex- planations or defences of their conduct and practices under law, the Commission have now entered a Final Order, and issued a penalty against Meta Parties. “The Final Order more elaborately describes the specific conduct or prac- tices of the Meta Parties, relationship between Meta Parties with respect to the infringements, particular- ly with regard to: Denying Nigerian data subjects the right to self-determine; Unauthorized transfer and sharing of Nigerian da- ta-subjects personal data, including cross- border storage in violation of then, and now prevailing law; Discrimination and dispa- rate treatment; Abuse of Dominance; and Tying and bundling