Gunmen riding motorcycles on Tuesday killed renowned Islamic preacher Yahaya Masussuka as he stepped out of his home in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, to deliver his usual evening sermon, Amnesty International has said, condemning the attack and demanding an immediate investigation. The cleric was killed on Tuesday by gunmen riding motorcycles as he stepped out of his house to deliver his usual evening preaching, according to a statement by Amnesty International. The human rights organisation urged the Nigerian authorities to immediately launch an effective investigation into the killing and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice. Amnesty International described Masussuka…
Author: Abdoulaye Kay
I am mourning. And I am in pain. The killing of Sheikh Yahya Ibrahim Masussuka has left a heaviness in my heart that is difficult to describe. For those of us who listened to him, reflected on his words and admired his courage to question, this loss is deeply personal. Only last year, I wrote about him as a mirror of a changing North. I saw in him a man willing to challenge inherited assumptions and ask questions that many had learned to fear. When he faced intimidation, I spoke up for his right to be heard. I never imagined…
A Federal Government investigative panel has recommended the dismissal of the Niger State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and other officers implicated in the deaths of 37 suspected illegal miners in custody. The panel also recommended ₦1.4 billion in compensation for the families of the deceased and survivors of the incident, which occurred on September 17, 2026, at an NSCDC detention facility in Minna, Niger State. Chairman of the Independent Investigative Committee, Jonathan Kure, disclosed the findings on Tuesday while presenting the panel’s report to the Minister of Interior, Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, in Abuja. The committee…
President Bola Tinubu has asked the National Assembly to approve the Federal Government’s 2026–2027 Supplementary External Borrowing Plan, involving $20.52 billion and €1.045 billion, to finance critical infrastructure and development projects across Nigeria. The request was conveyed in a letter read by Senate President Godswill Akpabio during Tuesday’s plenary. Borrowing request The President said the proposed facilities—valued at $20,517,755,901 and €1,045,083,643—would close funding gaps and support projects in infrastructure, agriculture, healthcare, education, water supply, security, employment generation, and public financial management reforms. He urged lawmakers to grant early approval to enable prompt implementation of the projects, many of which are…
Universities and other tertiary institutions in Nigeria have been urged to embrace interdisciplinary collaboration, promote innovation, and translate research into practical solutions to societal challenges. The call was made at the Federal University of Technology, Akure (FUTA), during the maiden International Conference of the Consortium of Tertiary Institutions in Ondo State (COTION) on Monday, October 26, 2026. Delivering the keynote address on the theme, “Smart Innovation in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Management (STEAM): A Panacea for Sustainable Development,” Professor Olufemi Mimiko, a Professor of Political Science and former Vice-Chancellor of Adekunle Ajasin University, Akungba-Akoko, urged tertiary institutions to reposition…
Nigerians should reduce exposure to extreme heat, conserve water, secure food supplies and strengthen community preparedness as the country faces a strong El Niño event, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) has advised. In an advisory titled “Super El Niño Is Coming: What You Can Do to Protect Yourself, Your Family and Your Community,” NEMA warned that the phenomenon could bring hotter temperatures, reduced rainfall, drought, floods and food shortages. Why the alert matters on El Niño El Niño occurs when sea-surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific become warmer than normal. It can disrupt atmospheric circulation and…
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has condemned the murder of prominent Islamic preacher Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka and directed security agencies to find and prosecute those responsible. Masussuka and his friend, Adamu Abubakar, were killed by gunmen in a drive-by shooting in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, on Monday evening. In a statement on Tuesday, the President described the killing as heinous and an assault on the values of peace and the sanctity of human life. He was reported to be deeply saddened by the news. Mr Tinubu directed the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to move swiftly and intensify…
At least 64 students of Government Science Secondary School, Batagarawa, in Katsina State, have been hospitalised after developing adverse reactions following the administration of drugs during a bilharzia prevention exercise. The students were taken to Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital and Turai Yar’Adua Maternal and Child Hospital in Katsina after experiencing vomiting, abdominal discomfort and dizziness. Some reportedly arrived at the hospital unconscious, triggering panic among parents and members of the school community. The Medical Director of Ahmadi Rimi General Hospital, Dr Auwal Sani, confirmed that some of the students were brought to the facility unconscious but said they were responding…
The Borno State Government has stepped up preparedness against Ebola Virus Disease (EVD), constituting a Rapid Response Team and identifying two isolation centres to ensure a swift response to any suspected case. Dr Goni Ali, Director of Public Health at the Borno Ministry of Health, disclosed this on Tuesday in Maiduguri, saying the measures were aimed at strengthening surveillance, early detection and containment of potential infections. Ali said the multidisciplinary team comprises trained public health professionals mandated to detect, investigate and contain disease outbreaks and other public health emergencies. He explained that the two isolation centres, located in separate health…
Operatives of the Lagos Zonal Directorate 2 of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) have arrested 14 Chinese nationals and one Nigerian for allegedly operating four illegal lithium processing plants in the Ogere area of Ogun State. The Head of Media & Publicity at the Commission, Dele Oyewale, in a statement on Monday, said the suspects were apprehended on Friday, October 23, 2026, following credible intelligence and sustained surveillance. Items recovered from the suspects during the operation include bags of lithium rocks, 18 mobile phones, four laptop computers, two decoders, a television remote control, and a trailer truck. The…