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Olanipekun urges action against cyberbullying
The Pro-Chancellor and Chairman of the Governing Council of the University of Lagos, Chief Wole Olanipekun (SAN), has urged the Federal Government to fully enforce the provisions of the 2024 Cybercrime Act to protect citizens from harassment, cyber-bullying and reputational damage on social media.
According to a statement made available to The PUNCH on Sunday, Olanipekun made the call on Wednesday while speaking at the 56th convocation ceremonies of the University of Lagos.
The former President of the Nigerian Bar Association stressed that the absence of effective regulation had exposed Nigerians to abuse in the digital space.
According to him, citizens are increasingly vulnerable to harassment, threats and character assassination on social media platforms, noting that many users are unaware of the legal protections available to them.
“Citizens are not protected from harassment, from banditry, from assassinations on social media. We are not aware; we are not learning. We don’t know what the law is,” he said.
He urged Nigerians, particularly those trained in cybercrime and digital protection, to study and apply the law, adding that public occasions, such as convocation ceremonies, should be used to educate citizens on their rights.
“Those of us who have a master’s degree in cybercrime, in cyber-protection, please let us look at the law. An occasion like this provides an opportunity for Nigerians to have an idea of the type of protection they have under the law,” Olanipekun added.
The legal luminary cited a recent ruling in the United Kingdom, where a blogger was fined £100,000 as part of efforts to regulate the social media space, saying similar measures were necessary in Nigeria to curb online excesses.
He also lauded President Bola Tinubu and the Minister of Education, Dr Tunji Alausa, over the recent settlement of the 2009 Agreement, stressing that the agreement should not be breached.
Olanipekun further disclosed that from next year, he would award a cash prize of N500,000 to any male student who emerges as the best graduating student in any faculty.
He noted that under his leadership, the Governing Council had worked seamlessly over the past 18 months to reposition the university and improve its administration.
The pro-chancellor urged the graduates to be worthy ambassadors of the University of Lagos wherever they find themselves, reminding them that character was as important as education.
“As you step into the world outside these gates today, remember: education has prepared you for a living, but character will determine who you become in life,” he said.
“The world you enter will test your convictions before it rewards your competence. It will question your integrity before it celebrates your success. You must, therefore, stand firm.”
He added that graduates should carry their learning with humility, exercise influence with empathy and ensure their conduct commands trust.
“And when your name is spoken in rooms you may never enter, may it be said, solemnly and without contention, that here stood a product of the University of Lagos, who lived with purpose, led with courage, and served with honour,” Olanipekun said.
This is Chukuku, along Kuje – Gwagwalada road, Kuje Area Council of the FCT.
Wike don reach here.
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The husband of a woman accused of killing their two-year-old son stood by her in court on Thursday as she pleaded not guilty to a first-degree murder charge.
Corie Walsh, 40, appeared briefly before a judge on September 24 during a preliminary hearing in the case involving the death of her son, Barrett Walsh.
Walsh appeared in a bright red jail uniform with her hair tied back during the roughly three-minute hearing. She stood beside her attorney, who told the court that the defence had subpoenaed her treatment records from the jail.
The records, attorney Andrea Lyon later said, were requested to determine whether Walsh was receiving the mental-health treatment she needs.
The defence is also seeking to have Walsh released before trial to a hospital for treatment, despite a judge rejecting an earlier request this month.
Walsh’s husband, Michael Walsh, sat in the public gallery during Thursday’s hearing alongside an elderly couple who appeared visibly emotional.
As Walsh was led from the courtroom after the hearing, she made eye contact with her husband.
Outside the courthouse, friends comforted Michael, with one supporter telling him, “She will get through this, she’s strong.”
Michael was later heard telling another supporter that he had been “packing up” the family home.
Speaking to reporters outside court, Lyon said Walsh’s family remained firmly behind her.
“Her whole family is here today — her husband, mother, mother’s best friend,” the attorney said.
“They love her and this is not — she’s never been violent… she was psychotic. They all know that and want her to get better. This is not who she is,” Lyon added.
According to court documents, Walsh’s two older children discovered Barrett with a rope around his neck and his feet off the ground in the basement of the family’s home in Frankfort, a suburb about 30 miles southwest of Chicago.
The children reportedly ran to a neighbour’s house for help.
The neighbour called 911 and attempted CPR on the toddler, but he had no pulse and was cold to the touch. Barrett was pronounced dead at the scene.
An autopsy determined that the child, affectionately known as “Bear,” died from “asphyxia due to ligature compression of the neck,” according to court records.
Police later found Walsh fully clothed in a bathtub containing bloodied water. Investigators allege that she had attempted to kill herself by cutting her wrists and thighs with a dull kitchen knife.
Court documents further allege that Walsh confessed to killing her son and described him as the “anti-Christ” and “devil.”
The case has drawn particular attention because prosecutors allege Walsh had become intensely focused on the high-profile case of Lindsay Clancy, a Massachusetts mother accused of killing her three children.
Clancy’s defence argued that she suffered from postpartum psychosis and was legally insane when she fatally strangled her children with exercise bands. Her trial ended in a hung jury and mistrial.
According to Walsh’s defence team, she had discussed the Clancy case with neighbourhood friends shortly before Barrett was found.
During an earlier hearing, defence attorney Robert Kerr said Walsh had sent several “confusing” and “out of character” messages about the Clancy case.
Kerr told the court that Walsh had initially expressed one view about Clancy’s case before suddenly changing her position.
A witness reportedly described Walsh as abruptly saying that Clancy was “100% not guilty”, prompting friends to question whether she was okay and whether someone should check on her.
Walsh’s lawyers have argued that she was “severely mentally ill” and experiencing a psychotic episode when Barrett died.
The defence has also rejected suggestions that Walsh deliberately copied Clancy.
“Describing Corie to have copied Lindsay is to take an easy bait,” Kerr said during a previous hearing, according to a transcript.
Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Peter Obi, has raised concerns about his personal safety ahead of the 2027 general elections, saying he is not certain he will be alive when Nigerians go to the polls.
Obi made the remarks during an interview on Arise TV on Thursday, where he discussed the political environment ahead of the election and called for a peaceful and democratic process.
The former Anambra State governor said he had been subjected to petitions and investigations in different places, adding that he remained uncertain about what could happen to him before the election.
“As I speak to you, I have also petitioned, I’ve been investigated everywhere. I still hear that I’m not even sure whether I’ll still be alive at the end of this,” Obi said.
He said he was relying on God for protection, while expressing uncertainty over the circumstances surrounding him.
“I’m praying to God for His protection because at this stage, I’m not sure what is happening,” he added.
Obi also appealed to political actors, particularly state governors, to create an environment where presidential candidates and other contestants can campaign freely ahead of the 2027 polls.
According to him, governors have the right to support candidates of their choice, but should not prevent candidates from opposing parties from carrying out their campaigns.
“Some of them will be campaigning for presidency tomorrow. They will be campaigning for other offices tomorrow. Let’s have peace,” he said.
The NDC candidate recalled his tenure as governor of Anambra State, saying he allowed politicians from other parties to campaign in the state, including those supporting candidates who were opposed to him.
Obi’s comments come amid increasing political activity and debate over the conduct and security of the 2027 elections. He has repeatedly called for a peaceful, credible and issue-based electoral process, while urging political actors to avoid actions that could undermine democratic participation.
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