Retrenchments: NECA pleads for Labour Minister's understanding of workplace issues

The Nigeria Employers' Consultative Association (NECA) on Friday advised the Minister of Labour ànd Productivity to show understanding with private employers intending to sack workers because of the dwindling economic situation.

The Director- General of NECA, Mr Segun Oshinowo, said while answering questions from journalists in Lagos that it was not enough to direct the Oil and Gas companies not to sack their workers.

According to him, the minister should also consider the dwindling prices of oil in the international market and the massive loss of profitability by the companies.

``I disagree with the position of the Minister, Dr Chris Ngige, on his directive to Private Sector employers, especially the Oil and Gas companies, not to sack their workers.

``Even in the face of dwindling oil prices in the international market and massive loss of profitability by the companies,’’ Oshinowo said.

The NECA DG said that the minister should have shown some understanding during a meeting with the employers’ representatives on the challenges faced in managing their businesses, given the scarcity of foreign exchange and reduced purchasing power in the country.

``The reality is that retrenchment is not a palatable option for any business. No employer will take pleasure in declaring redundant employees that it has invested in developing over the years,’’ he said.

The NECA boss said that job security cannot be decreed by ministerial pronouncements, but could only be encouraged and promoted through strong macro-economic fundamentals and an enabling environment.

He said that it was the voice of the right of an employer to determine the optimal staff level he would need to sustain his company’s operations.

Oshinowo said that where an employer has found it necessary to carry out some retrenchment, it would respect the laws of the land and laid down procedures for redundancy.

``Employers' expectation from the Minister of Labour and Productivity is that he will work hand-in-hand with other Government Ministries in the establishment of the desired enabling environment that will ensure business sustainability, competitiveness and job creation,’’ he said.

The NECA director general, therefore, urged the minister to carry his constituents along in the management of workplace issues. 


By NAN

Army confirms handover of 3 Major-Generals, others to EFCC

The Nigerian Army has confirmed the handover of three serving Major- Generals, a retired Major-General, and eight other serving senior officers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Friday by the acting Director of Army Public Relations, Col. Sani Usman.

However, Usman did not state the offences for which the officers were being investigated by the anti-graft agency.

``The Nigerian Army wishes to inform the public that 12 Army officers have been sent to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.

``This comprised three serving Major-Generals, one retired Major-General, three Brigadier-Generals, four Colonels and a Lieutenant Colonel,’’ the statement quoted Usman as saying.

He added that officers found culpable at the end of the EFCC investigation would be tried by a military court martial.

It was recalls in the report that the anti-graft agency recently confirmed the investigation of some senior serving and retired Air Force officers in its ongoing probe of military procurement.

By NAN

The whole of Nigeria is proud to have the like of the late Oba Odulana - President Buhari

Dignitaries from all walks of life on Friday paid their last respect to the departed monarch, the Olubadan of Ibadan land, Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade 1, as his remains was committed to mother earth, according to Channel News.

Leading Dignitaries at the funeral service which was held at the St. Peters’ Cathedral Aremo Ibadan, was the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari called on Nigerians to emulate the exemplary lifestyle of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I as an epitome of honesty, courage and dignity, according to the report.

In the message delivered by Prof. Osinbajo, the President said that the departed monarch exhibited the fear of God throughout his lifetime and this informs the progress made in Oyo state.

The President stressed the need for Nigerians to work towards being celebrated while alive and to leave a good legacy after death.

He said, “The whole of Nigeria is proud to have the like of the late Oba Odulana because of his life of honesty and forthrightness.”

Eminent personalities from all walks of live joined the chief mourner and host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to bid the foremost king final farewell.

Among them were the Governors of Osun and Lagos State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola and Mr Akinwumi Ambode, as well as the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu.Leading Dignitaries at the funeral service which was held at the St. Peters’ Cathedral Aremo Ibadan, was the Vice President, Prof. Yemi Osinbajo, who represented President Muhammadu Buhari.

President Buhari called on Nigerians to emulate the exemplary lifestyle of Oba Samuel Odulana Odugade I as an epitome of honesty, courage and dignity.

In the message delivered by Prof. Osinbajo, the President said that the departed monarch exhibited the fear of God throughout his lifetime and this informs the progress made in Oyo state.

The President stressed the need for Nigerians to work towards being celebrated while alive and to leave a good legacy after death, in the report.

He said, “The whole of Nigeria is proud to have the like of the late Oba Odulana because of his life of honesty and forthrightness.”

Eminent personalities from all walks of live joined the chief mourner and host Governor, Senator Abiola Ajimobi, to bid the foremost king final farewell.

Among them were the Governors of Osun and Lagos State, Mr Rauf Aregbesola and Mr Akinwumi Ambode, as well as the Minister of Communications, Mr Adebayo Shittu.

In his remarks, Governor Ajimobi paid glowing tribute to what he called the exemplary attributes of the late traditional ruler saying he left an indelible mark in the sands of time in the areas of politics, civil service, military and other leadership positions he was privileged to occupy before his ascension to the throne.

In his sermon, the Archbishop of the Diocese of Ibadan North, Church of Nigeria – Anglican Communion, Most Reverend Olusegun Okubadejo said that the myriad of orations and tributes from different categories of people were testimonies to the fact that the revered monarch had secured heaven.

The priest challenged all and sundry to be cognizant of the need to live a life that would guarantee them good names and legacies after their death.

Supreme Court: Reasons For Rivers, Ogun Election Ruling

The Supreme Court has given its reasons for upturning the judgment of the Rivers State governorship election petitions tribunal, and that of the Court of Appeal.

Giving reasons for the judgment, the court holds that the tribunal was induced by hearsay evidences, raised by the All Progressives Congress (APC) and its candidate, Dakuku Peterside in the petition filed against the conduct of the 2015 governorship polls in the state. according to Channel News.

The court further holds that the respondent in the appeal (APC) failed to substantiate its claims in line with its proof of evidence as to the allegation of massive rigging and violence in 23 local government areas of the state as it was only able to substantiate its claims on four of the affected areas.

The apex court, in a lead judgment delivered by Justice Kudirat Kekere-Ekun had on January 27, 2016 upturned the ruling of the tribunal and the appellate court, thereby upholding the election of Mr Nyesome Wike of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the duly elected Governor of Rivers State, in the report.

The Supreme Court also gave its reasons for upholding the election of Senator Ibikunle Amosun as the Governor of Ogun State against Mr Adegboyega Isiaka of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The court said that it dismissed the appeal in favour of Amosun on the grounds that it lacked sufficient evidence to back up its claims.

The court declared that the appellant court called only nine witnesses for just 12 polling units out of the total of 1,672 polling units in contention, and given the nature of the inadmissible evidences tendered, the appeal was “dead on arrival”.

Florida woman arrested after her father found her drunk and naked while she was babysitting a young child

                                                         OKALOOSA COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE

Whitney Kilcrease, 24, faces charges of child neglect after she was found blacked out drunk while caring for a young child.

A 24-year-old Florida woman was charged with child neglect after her father found her naked, drunk and unconscious while she was babysitting a young child.

Whitney Kilcrease told cops that she started swigging Captain Morgan rum after her father left the house to run errands and left the child in her care.

When her dad came home, Kilcrease was lying face down and inexplicably undressed while the kid played beside her, according to NWF Daily News.

It was unclear whether the child was related to them.

Kilcrease’s dad was able to get the child out of the house while the belligerent woman went ballistic and started throwing things after regaining consciousness.

When cops arrived, Kilcrease was still smashed and was "unable to stand" on her own, according to the report.

“When I tried to talk to Whitney, her speech was slurred and unintelligible,” an Okaloosa County deputy wrote in the report.

Kilcrease was taken to a local hospital where it was found she had a blood alcohol content of .305, nearly four times the legal limit.

Her court date is Feb. 16.

CJN, NBA President fault corruption tag on Judiciary

Nigeria’s Chief justice, justice Mahmud Mohammed has condemned the recent criticism of the judiciary regarding recent judgment of political case.

Justice Mohammed said the barrage of criticisms against the judiciary is as a result of ignorance of the operations of the judicial system while Alegeh faulted the general condemnation of the third arm of government.

They spoke in Abuja at a valedictory court session held in honour of retiring Justice of the Supreme Court, Justice Muhammad Saifullahi Muntaka-Coomassie.

The judiciary has been under attack recently over its handling of corruption and electoral cases. Also recently, President Muhammadu Buhari was quoted as expressing doubt about the commitment of the Judiciary to his government’s anti-corruption war.

The CJN said: “I make bold to declare that the qualities of conscience and duty are essential to the functioning of our Judiciary.”

He noted that the Judiciary, “though constantly striving to redress wrongs and tilt the balance in favour of that which is right, has recently had to face the backlash of misguided opinions fashioned without due consideration of the law and rationale for the system of government that we operate.

“The judiciary is duty bound to act in accordance with the dictates of the law as it stands and not as critics would like it to be. In this sense, naive idealism is, but a pale limitation of legal certainty and it is in observing the career and jurisprudence of such eminent jurists as my lord, Honourable Justice Muntaka-Coomassie that we see this most clearly.”

Justice Mohammed spoke glowingly about Justice Muntaka-Coomassie, who started as a Magistrate in Kaduna. He expressed the hope that he will now have time for his family and “to catch up with old friends. I am also sure that it will be great to lie in bed till any chosen hour on a Monday morning.”

Alegeh deplored what he described as the “generalisation and/or categorisation” of the Judiciary as corrupt and a stumbling block to the Buhari administration’s war against corruption

The NBA President also pledged the support of the bar to resist any attempt to intimidate or harass judicial officers.

“Whilst acknowledging that there may be a few bad eggs in the system, the NBA restates unequivocally that ýthe categorisation of the entire judiciary as corrupt is a misconception and will stand solidly behind the judiciary in any attempt to intimidate or harass its personnel.”

“The NBA however wishes to souýnd a note of warning to the few bad eggs in the system to desist from further causing untoward embarrassment to the judicial arm of government and will henceforth petition any judicial officer involved in or suspected to be involved in any corrupt or fraudulent transaction to the appropriate quarters for action. We believe that a word is enough for the wise and that wise counsel will prevail in this regard.

Alegeh called for the full compliment of justices of the Supreme Court from 15 to “the constitutional quota of 21.”.

He suggested an arrangement where the apex court occasionally holds special sessions in various regions to deal with cases from such regions, an arrangement he argued, was capable of reducing the litany of appeals and workload of the court.

On welfare, Alegeh suggested the extension of the current practice of building houses for retiring CJNs o other Justices of the apex court

Justice Muntaka-Coomassie disappointment about the state of affairs in the Judiciary.

“I am using this medium to appeal to governments at all levels to free the Judiciary from the bondage it has been subjected to over the years. Let it not just be said to be independent, but should indeed be seen to be transparently independent.

“There should not be any string attached. We should not also like to negotiate our financial independence. Let the Judiciary take its destiny in its hands. Enough of being fed with the crumbs from the master’s table.

I have devoted 38 of my 70 years to services to my fatherland. I came into service with great enthusiasm and expectations, but unfortunately, I am today retiring with maginal satisfaction. My regret, from all indications, is the regret of many of my retired colleagues.

“The Nigerian Judiciary is only third arm of government on paper. It has always been treated like a paper tiger in the scheme of things. I want to use this opportunity to call on the relevant authorities to put the Judiciary in a proper perspective. It should be placed and treated as the third arm of government in every meeting and programs as enshrined in the Constitution,” Justice Muntaka-Coomassie said.

With AIT News

Army Asks EFCC To Investigate 12 Officers

The Nigerian Army has forwarded the names of 12 officers to the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) for investigation.

A statement by a spokesman for the Army, Colonel Sani Usman, said three serving and one retired Major Generals, three Brigadier Generals, four Colonels and one Lieutenant Colonel were in the list, Channel News reported.

The Army stated that at the end of the Commission’s investigations those found culpable would be tried by a military Court Martial.

No reason was given for the submission of the officers’ names to the anti-graft agency, but the agency has of late heightened the fight against corruption, taking top government officials of the past administration to court for money laundering and other related charges.

24-year–old Bashir Ahmad named as Buhari’s personal assistant on new media

President Muhammadu Buhari has appointed Bashir Ahmad as his Personal Assistant on New Media.

The 24-year-old is an indigene of Kano state. Until his appointment, he was the Online Editor (Hausa) for Leadership Newspaper.

He graduated from Bayero University Kano in 2013, with Bachelor of Arts in Mass Communication.

He worked as an online editor and reporter at Rariya Hausa Newspaper, before joining Leadership as an online editor.

Until his appointment, Bashir also worked as the personal assistant on new media to Sam Nda-Isaiah, the publisher of Leadership, who contested along President Buhari for the All Progressives Congress, APC's presidential ticket for the 2015 election.

He later served at the Buhari Support Organization (BSO) prior to the presidential elections.

The new presidential aide will oversee Buhari's communication on social media and related platforms.

Ghost Workers: Federal Government Goes After Banks To Recover Funds

The Federal Government said it would approach banks to recover all monies paid to the 23,000 ghost workers registered on the Integrated Personnel and Payroll Information System (IPPIS).

Minister of Finance, Kemi Adeosun, made this known while briefing the Senate Committee on Finance during the ministry’s 2016 budget defence at the Senate in Abuja.


Adeosun said that investigation was ongoing on the issue and payment of the 23,000 suspected workers would be suspended for one month to allow investigations to be completed.


She said that any bank found to be in complicity in the matter would be made to refund all the money paid through them so far.


The minister disclosed that the discovery of the ghost workers was due to the registration of over 320,000 personnel on the IPPIS platform using their BVN numbers.


“What the IPPIS-BVN registration has shown us has been a revelation; we have identified that there are people who appear on our payroll multiple times.


“BVN links all the accounts of that person, so we are seeing in our payroll, 20 names to one BVN number.


“We have had a meeting on how we are going to clean them off; the process will be that we will suspend that person from the payroll pending the investigation.


“We will try as much as possible to conclude that investigation within 30 days so that we do not suffer innocent people, but we really need to clean our payroll.


“We have about 23,000 that we need to investigate; those who either the BVN is linked to multiple payments or the name on the BVN account is not consistent with the name on our own payroll.


“ Not only will we remove those people from our payroll, but we will also be going after the banks involved to collect our money,’’ she said.


“Some of the information that we are getting is how long has this person been on the pay roll, how much has he been getting.


“In some cases, the accounts are held by the same bank and in some others all were opened on the same day.


“If we are able to prove that banks have colluded with people to pad our payroll, we are not only going to stop those payments but we are also going to recover our money,” she added.


The minister said that MDAs found guilty would also not be ignored but would be handed over to relevant agencies of government for further investigation and prosecution.


She said that the work of the ministry was to uncover the fraud and recover its money, but that the work of criminal prosecution of individuals or banks involved would be done by relevant bodies.


She said that in five years, the IPPIS was only able to register 295,000 workers but with the BVN registration, all workers would be registered by end of June.


Adeosun added that the removal of all fake workers will greatly reduce the personnel burden on the Federal Government, hence the reduction of personnel cost in 2016 budget by about N100 billion.


“We realised that if we can get more people on IPPIS, our salary costs will come down and so, we needed to get more people on IPPIS.


“So, we decided to change the strategy; rather than getting the person to come physically, we will take the payroll that we have and the bank account of everybody who is being paid.


“From that bank account we will get the BVN, from the BVN we can get the biometric data; so that considerably accelerates the process of getting people unto IPPIS.


“We are very confident with our programme that we will now be able to get every federally paid civil servant onto IPPIS by June; we are aggressively chasing after June,” she said.


In his remarks, Chairman of the Committee, Sen. John Eno, commended the ministry and charged them to ensure full investigation and to sanction persons and agencies indicted.

Govt to generate savings, investment through proper procurement process

Minister for Finance, Kemi Adeosun

MINISTER of Finance, Kemi Adeosun has pledged commitment to streamline government procurement processes to generate more savings from elimination of wastages and excess capacity and duplication to boost the economy.

According to Adeosun, there was an urgent need for government to use its large purchasing power to negotiate favorable terms from suppliers and increase transparency through the introduction of price guidelines, The Guardian reported.

Adeosun, who stated this at the Efficiency Unit, media round table held in Lagos Wednesday, explained that government would save N4.14 billion on travels on a yearly basis” if a price discount of five per cent was secured on average annual expenditure of N83 billion on travels.”.

According to her, government is doing everything within its powers to achieve proper over heading spending profile in order to enhance cost efficiency and maximum value for procurement.

To this effect, she explained that the ministry has concluded arrangement to strengthen internal control and ensure that compliance and enforcement is mandatory in Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs).

Adeosun, who was represented by the Head, Efficiency Unit, Federal Ministry of Finance, Patience Oniha, explained that if procurement processes are streamlined, government would generate savings from elimination of wastages and excess capacity and duplication.

“We have some professionals working with us. We have people that will support, provide data to ensure that they conform to the guidelines, even in operations.”

Manchester United have the money, the problem is persuading stars to come

Ed Woodward is ready to splash the cash  Photo: PA

The stage has been set for Manchester United’s biggest summer spending spree, after they announced record revenues that could make them the first club to break the half-billion-pound barrier.

The threat of another silverware-starved season failed to halt United’s relentless march towards overhauling Real Madrid as football’s most profitable team, as they remained on course to earn £500 million in a single year.

Following quarterly financial results that showed United made £133.8 million – up 26.6 per cent year on year – in the three months to Dec 31, chief executive Ed Woodward hinted at money being made available for “world-class” signings at the end of the season.

With the club also boasting a year-on-year surge in their cash balance from £37 million to £121.6 million and with their share of the first tranche of an £8.3 billion Premier League television deal to come, it appeared that failure to qualify for the Champions League would be the only barrier to success in the transfer market this summer.

Providing they do finish in the top four, the odds of the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar or Gareth Bale ending up at Old Trafford could depend solely on the whim of whoever is manager.

In a conference call with investors to discuss the quarterly figures, Woodward made no mention of the possible departure of Louis van Gaal and arrival of Jose Mourinho, for what could be a mouth-watering renewal of his rivalry with the incoming Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola.

But he made it clear whoever was in charge would be under “pressure” to sign top players, fuelled by what he described in the financial results as “our strong commitment to investing in our squad”.

Responding to a question about why Leicester City were leading the Premier League with a team who cost just £22 million – more than 10 times less than fifth-placed United spent last summer – Woodward said: “Some players are bought by other clubs with an eye to them developing into something special in a few years’ time, whereas there’s a bit more pressure perhaps on some of the bigger clubs to bring in players that are going to be hitting the ground running and top players, verging on world-class, almost immediately.

“So there is a slightly different market, perhaps, in which people are buying.”

Woodward admitted the rise of China as a footballing powerhouse could impact upon United’s recruitment plans, but after declaring the club to be the biggest on the country’s social media network, Weibo, added: “If nothing else, it’s another useful market if we’re looking to sell any players.”

He was similarly bullish about the future of United’s academy, the standard of which has recently been compared unfavourably to City’s state-of-the-art facility. In what appeared a thinly veiled swipe at the number of young players blooded by City, Woodward revealed that a “root-and-branch” review of United’s own academy was complete, which could see a new director announced in the coming days. “The academy continues to be at the heart of the club. Giving youth a chance is part of our philosophy, part of our DNA,” he said.

“Our key competitive advantages are still very strong. The two ones I would call out are an unmatched record of player development compared to any other team, in particular in England. And, secondly, the runway we deliver of first-team opportunities to those players coming through. Again, very different to some of our competitors.”

Woodward’s assertion in the financial results that “success on the pitch” was United’s “No 1 priority” did not stop him being congratulated during the conference call about their commercial success, which provided a boost to its dwindling share price on the New York Stock Exchange.

Highlights from the quarter were identified as the renewal of the club’s partnership with Thomas Cook, a new contract with Cable and Wireless Communications and licensing deals with New Era and Heroes.

Also cited was the impact of United’s £750 million kit deal with Adidas, which began this season.

It all added up to commercial revenues for the period of £66.1 million, up 42.5 per cent year on year. Broadcasting revenues were also up 31.3 per cent to £37.3 million.

That should help United easily weather whatever commitment they end up making to reduce ticket prices next season, with Woodward confirming moves were afoot by all Premier League clubs to “deliver something more to away fans”.

“We had the away-fan initiative last year and, obviously, there are discussions happening,” he added.

Although Woodward avoided a grilling about the possible arrival of Mourinho, he was unable to keep the former Chelsea manager out of the news altogether.

Speaking on ITV’s This Morning programme, Frank Lampard gave his former manager a ringing endorsement.

Asked whether Mourinho might end up at United, he said: “I think it’s a possibility. If Louis van Gaal goes – which I think he’s said he’s going to leave at the end of the season at the latest – I think Mourinho’s the type of manager that will certainly come into their thinking.

“He could certainly handle a club like that, that’s what he’s about.”

Lamar Odom makes first public appearance, joins Kanye at event

Lamar Odom has made a "milestone" step in his recovery.

The former NBA star attended Kanye West's Yeezy Season 3 fashion show and album release party at Madison Square Garden in New York today with estranged wife Khloe Kardashian, marking Odom's first public appearance since he was hospitalized after being found unconscious at a brothel in Nevada last October.

In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Kris Jennerexplained why Odom wanted to attend West's fashion show, and why this is such a major step in his recovery.

"Kanye invited him to come, and it's a big deal for him to be able to come," Jenner said. "I'm excited. For him to have this, you know, this is a milestone for him to be able to travel. So, baby steps. But this is a big one. This is a huge step for him."

Jenner revealed that Odom was particularly interested in traveling to New York to attend the fashion show because West had been "instrumental" in his recovery.

"I think it's a great thing for him to be with the family and come out and do something that we're all a part of, and he really wanted to support Kanye," Jenner said. "He really wanted to be here for him, because Kanye was very instrumental in part of his recovery."

"Kanye would go to the hospital and play him music and that's what he really, really responded to," she continued. "He was amazing. Lamar started rapping again before he could talk. Isn't that wild?"

Odom was released from the hospital last month, and Khloe recently revealed that he was walking and talking again, calling his recovery "literally a miracle."

Jenner stated that Khloe has also been an asset in Odom's recovery, saying that she "nursed him right back."

"Every one of my kids really, really amazed me at their strength and at the way they were so selfless about just dropping everything," Jenner said.

Indonesia Warns Messaging Apps to Drop Same-Sex Emoticons

Human Rights Watch on Friday urged Indonesian President Joko "Jokowi" Widodo to protect gay and lesbian rights, a day after his government told instant messaging apps to remove stickers featuring same-sex couples in the latest high-profile attempt to discourage visible homosexuality in the socially conservative country.

In a letter to the president, the New York-based group said the government should publicly condemn officials who make "grossly discriminatory remarks" against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people. People of such sexualities are commonly known by the abbreviation LGBT.

"President Jokowi should urgently condemn anti-LGBT remarks by officials before such rhetoric opens the door to more abuses," said Graeme Reid, LGBT rights director at Human Rights Watch. "The president has long championed pluralism and diversity. This is an opportunity to demonstrate his commitment."

The government move against instant messaging apps comes after a social media backlash against the popular smartphone messaging app Line for having stickers, which are an elaborate type of emoticon, with gay themes in its online store.

But the coordinating minister for politics, law and security Luhut Pandjaitan told reporters Friday that society should not respond to differences among people with discrimination, social exclusion or violence.

LGBT people "are citizens who have the right to be protected in this dignified nation," Pandjaitan said. "Don't be quick to judge people, we must reflect on ourselves first because we cannot guarantee it will not happen to your children and grandchildren in the future."

Homosexuality is not illegal in Indonesia, but is a sensitive issue in the Muslim-majority nation of more than 250 million people. Official responses range from calls for tolerance to outright condemnation. At the same time, most of Indonesian society, which follows a moderate form of Islam, is tolerant, with gay and transsexual entertainers often appearing on television shows.

Information and Communication Ministry spokesman Ismail Cawidu said Thursday that social media and messaging platforms should drop stickers expressing support for the LGBT community.

"Social media must respect the culture and local wisdom of the country where they have large numbers of users," he said.

Line on Wednesday said it had removed all LGBT-related stickers from its local store after receiving complaints from Indonesian users. Twitter and Facebook had exploded with criticism of Line and its competitor WhatsApp for containing gay content.

Ismail said the government would tell WhatsApp, which is owned by Facebook, to do the same as Line.

Last month, Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Muhammad Nasir said openly gay students should be banned from the University of Indonesia's campuses. His statements followed controversy over news a sexuality research center planned to offer counselling services for students.

Nasir's statement sparked debate in Indonesia for weeks, with objections from human rights groups but support from the Indonesian Ulema Council, an influential board of Muslims clerics.

Gay rights advocate King Oey urged the government to respect international treaties signed by Indonesia protecting the rights of minorities and women.

"Gays and lesbians are not illegal in Indonesia," Oey said. "We urge people who are concerned with human rights to not sit by silently."

In 2014, lawmakers in Aceh, a conservative Indonesian province, passed a law that punishes gay sex by public caning and subjects non-Muslims to the region's strict interpretation of Islamic sharia law.

And in October 2015, Sharia, or Islamic law, police in Aceh arrested a pair of young women for "hugging in public."

With abc NEWS

Nigerian Suicide Bomber Gets Cold Feet, Refuses to Kill

Strapped with a booby-trapped vest and sent by the extremist Boko Haram group to kill as many people as possible, the young teenage girl tore off the explosives and fled as soon as she was out of sight of her handlers.

Her two companions, however, completed their grisly mission and walked into a crowd of hundreds at Dikwa refugee camp in northeast Nigeria and blew themselves up, killing 58 people.

Later found by local self-defense forces, the girl's tearful account is one of the first indications that at least some of the child bombers used by Boko Haram are aware that they are about to die and kill others.

"She said she was scared because she knew she would kill people. But she was also frightened of going against the instructions of the men who brought her to the camp," said Modu Awami, a self-defense fighter who helped question the girl.

She was among thousands held captive for months by the extremists, according to Algoni Lawan, a spokesman for the Ngala local government area that has many residents at the camp and who is privy to information about her interrogation by security forces.

"She confessed to our security operatives that she was worried if she went ahead and carried out the attack that she might kill her own father, who she knew was in the camp," he told the AP on Thursday.

The girl tried to persuade her companions to abandon the mission, he said, "but she said she could not convince the two others to change their minds."

Her story was corroborated when she led soldiers to the unexploded vest, Awami said Thursday, speaking by phone from the refugee camp, which holds 50,000 people who have fled Boko Haram's Islamic uprising.

The girl is in custody and has given officials information about other planned bombings that has helped them increase security at the camp, said Satomi Ahmed, chairman of the Borno State Emergency Management Agency.

The United States on Thursday strongly condemned the bombings. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said the U.S. remains committed to assisting those afflicted by the conflict and supports efforts to provide greater protection for civilians and the regional fight against terrorism.

Boko Haram's 6-year-old Islamic insurgency has killed 20,000 people, made 2.5 million homeless and spread across Nigeria's borders.

The extremists have kidnapped thousands of people and the increasing number of suicide bombings by girls and children have raised fears they are turning some captives into weapons. An army bomb disposal expert has told the AP that some suicide bombs are detonated remotely, so the carriers may not have control over when the bomb goes off.

Even two days later, it's difficult to say exactly how many people died at Dikwa because there were corpses and body parts everywhere, including in the cooking pots, Awami said.

"Women, children, men and aged persons all died," he said. "I cannot say the exact number as some cannot be counted because the bodies were all mangled."

The latest atrocity blamed on Boko Haram extremists was committed against people who had been driven from the homes by the insurgents and had spent a year across the border in Cameroon.

Some 12,000 of them had only returned to Nigeria in January when soldiers declared the area safe. The scene of the killings is 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the border with Cameroon and 85 kilometers (53 miles) northeast of Maiduguri, the biggest city in the northeast and birthplace of Boko Haram.

Such attacks make it difficult for the government to persuade people to return home. The extremists have also razed homes and businesses, destroyed wells and boreholes and stolen livestock and seed grains that farmers need to start their life again.

Associated Press