Illegal gold mining has become a hidden financial engine of violence in Nigeria’s north-west, quietly funding armed groups and turning insecurity into a profitable system.
Author: Editor
The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Joash Ojo Amupitan, has announced February 20, 2027, as the date for the Presidential and National Assembly elections, while governorship and State Houses of Assembly polls will hold on March 6, 2027. Amupitan disclosed this while formally releasing the Notice of Election, along with the timetable and schedule of activities for the 2027 general elections, during a press briefing in Abuja. He described the announcement as “a significant milestone in our democratic journey,” noting that it fulfills a constitutional obligation aimed at strengthening Nigeria’s democratic process. ALSO READ INEC flags…
In my column of 9th January 2026 entitled “Nigeria in Trump world: The Dangers Ahead” I warned about the way in which President Tinubu is handing over our country to American imperialism and the necessity to change course. I feel obliged to come back to the theme so soon afterwards because of the speed at which we are moving towards perdition. We recall that our president, Bola Tinubu, begged President Trump to shoot missiles at Nigeria on Christmas evening, allegedly to kill Islamist terrorists. Clearly, the Nigerian presidency had not read the new national security strategy, which states bluntly that…
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has proposed N873.778 billion for the conduct of the 2027 general elections. INEC Chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, disclosed this while presenting the Commission’s 2026 budget proposal and projected 2027 election costs before the National Assembly Joint Committee on Electoral Matters. He clarified that the N873.778 billion estimate is separate from INEC’s proposed N171 billion expenditure for 2026 operations, which covers by-elections, off-cycle polls, and routine activities. Amupitan noted that the projected election cost excludes a fresh request by the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) seeking increased allowances for Corps members engaged as ad-hoc staff.…
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has introduced revised sanctions for banks and accredited cheque printers that breach the Nigeria Cheque Standard (NCS) and the Nigeria Cheque Printers’ Accreditation Scheme (NICPAS) 2.0, in a move to reinforce discipline in the country’s cheque clearing system. In a circular dated February 10, 2026, addressed to Deposit Money Banks as well as accredited cheque printers and personalisers and posted on its website, the apex bank said the updated framework replaces the sanctions regime issued in 2019. The review, it noted, reflects current operational realities and is aimed at strengthening compliance and safeguarding payment…
The Kwankwasiyya Movement has dismissed reports linking its leader, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, to alleged religious freedom violations referenced in a proposed United States congressional bill, describing the claims as unfounded and misleading. In a statement signed by its spokesperson, Habibu Sale Mohammed, the movement expressed “grave concern” over the reported mention of Kwankwaso in the Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act 2026 (HR 7457), which is currently before the US Congress. The group insisted that Kwankwaso’s more than three decades of public service — spanning roles as Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, two-term Governor of Kano State,…
I write this with deep concern—not anger, but concern—over what increasingly appears to be a troubling pattern in the posture of the United States under President Donald Trump toward Nigeria, particularly its Muslim communities and northern leadership. Since Trump’s return to office, a narrative has steadily gathered momentum in Washington: that Nigeria is a theatre of “Christian genocide,” orchestrated or tolerated by Muslim political actors. It is a grave allegation. It is also one that many credible Nigerian authorities, religious leaders, security experts, and independent analysts have consistently challenged as simplistic, selective, and dangerously misleading. Nigeria’s security crisis is real.…
Nature and Empower Her Initiative (NEHI), a girl-centered civil society organization, has launched its Bleed with Pride project to promote menstrual health education in public junior secondary schools across Bauchi State. The initiative was unveiled during a stakeholders’ inception and alignment meeting in Bauchi, with a focus on integrating menstrual health education into school curricula. Speaking at the event, NEHI Executive Director Florence Uzoanya described Bleed with Pride as a school-based programme aimed at equipping girls with knowledge, confidence, hygiene, and dignity. “Menstrual health is not just about understanding menstrual flow. It is about building confidence, knowledge, and dignity so…
I was initially surprised, shocked even, that of all northern Nigerian Muslim politicians, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso was the one Republican congressmen singled out for a possible visa ban and asset freeze in their “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” bill. Daily Trust’s explainer, which I will return to shortly, clarified the logic for me. Anyone with even the faintest familiarity with Kwankwaso’s trajectory and disposition knows that he is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a religious fanatic. As Kano’s governor, he was famously (and for Sharia advocates, infamously) unenthusiastic about the introduction of Sharia in 2000.…
Five United States lawmakers have introduced a bill in Congress seeking sanctions against former Kano State Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, the Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria (MACBAN), Miyetti Allah Kautal Hore, and alleged Fulani militia groups over claims of religious freedom violations. The proposed legislation — titled the “Nigeria Religious Freedom and Accountability Act of 2026” — was sponsored by Representatives Chris Smith, Riley Moore, Brian Mast, Mario Diaz-Balart, and Bill Huizenga. Details of the bill, published on the US Congress website, allege that Kwankwaso is among individuals contributing to the systemic religious persecution of Christians in Nigeria.…