Nigeria stands today at a fragile crossroads. Terrorism, banditry, and violent criminality continue to threaten our national stability, yet beyond the bullets and bloodshed lies another danger—careless rhetoric and divisive narratives that risk tearing apart what remains of our fragile unity. It has become increasingly common to hear certain groups frame Nigeria’s security crisis as a calculated agenda of “Fulanisation” or “Islamisation.” These claims, repeated loudly and frequently, are often presented as unquestionable truths. But the question must be asked: which narrative are we meant to accept—and on what evidence? Terrorism is a global phenomenon. It thrives on networks, ideology,…
Author: Editor
Salam Hassan just finished reading the trilogy with a teary eye. I must confess I don’t remember my getting you a contract in 1994, but I remember that your late father, one of the most humane persons I have met, tied our hands together. But most importantly, what your late mother did to us, friends of Dr Mamman, during our holidays. When we (my wife and I) first saw you on a hospital bed, we were painfully and mistakenly bidding you farewell, and neither of us slept; we put you in prayers at every opportunity during the tawaf. Our next…
At least 49 people have died of thirst in a remote part of the Sahara Desert in the Niger Republic after the truck transporting them broke down, authorities have said. According to officials in the Agadez region, the victims were part of a group returning from Mali for a Muslim festival when their vehicle became stranded in a desolate area more than 80 kilometres west of Assamaka, a major border crossing between Niger and Algeria that is also close to the Malian frontier. In a statement posted on Facebook on Thursday, the Agadez Governorate said the travellers were left without…
The lessons from the party primaries season is that democracy and ethical political behavior have been deleted from the Nigerian political system. INEC had imposed a narrow timeline insisting all primaries be concluded by 30th May. This was challenged and a court judgement from the Federal High Court of Justice Mohammad G. Umar, sitting in Abuja, nullified INEC’s deadline. Given the fear of possible judicial consequences, the major parties felt it was safer to comply with INEC deadline because they appealed and Nigerians know the courts. Following the provisions in the new Electoral Act, primaries were conducted either through consensus…
Niger State Government has secured a United States-backed grant to support efforts aimed at preventing malnutrition for over 36,000 women and children across 13 local government areas of the state. The intervention, supported by the United States Government and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), was the focus of a pre-planning meeting with implementing partners held at the Niger State Planning Commission in Minna. Speaking after the meeting with newsmen, the Permanent Secretary of the Niger State Planning Commission, Aishatu Usman, said the programme targets malnutrition during the first 1,000 days of life, a critical period for the health and…
Nigerian banks have significantly increased international spending limits on naira-denominated debit cards, reflecting growing confidence in the country’s foreign exchange market amid rising capital inflows and improved dollar liquidity. The development comes as reforms introduced by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) continue to bolster foreign exchange availability, enabling financial institutions to ease restrictions that had constrained overseas transactions for several years. ASHENEWS reports that the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) recently increased the maximum tuition fee remittance for Nigerian students pursuing undergraduate and postgraduate studies abroad from $15,000 to $25,000 per semester. The revised limit, contained in the 4th edition…
I read a social media post about Sunday Igboho where he reportedly said, “I came prepared to end banditry and kidnapping once and for all.”That was a good statement to our hearing, especially in times like this in the country and particularly in Yoruba land of the Southwest. But, sadly, from this tribe the commonly uttered words have been “Gambari pa Fulani, Hausa l’o nparawon” (meaning: their security challenge is their own internally generated crisis), and this has always been the attitude toward the plight of Northern Nigerians over their unfortunate situation with insurgency and terrorism. I have always said…
The Ahmadu Bello University (ABU Zaria), like other public-funded tertiary institutions, is already navigating severe fiscal constraints. Inflation has driven up the costs of basic operations, while government allocations have struggled to keep pace with rising student populations and the increasing demands for higher-quality education and research outputs. Many universities are operating under enormous pressure, expected to expand access, produce globally competitive graduates, and contribute to national development even as resources remain limited. This is the context; the national discourse around the ABU judgment should evolve. The question is no longer simply whether the payment should be made— the courts…
The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has dismissed allegations that it or other Yoruba Muslim groups were inviting bandits and Boko Haram terrorists into the Southwest, describing the claims as a coordinated hate campaign by what it termed “Muslim haters.” In a statement issued on Sunday, the Executive Director of the group, Professor Ishaq Akintola, said a social media post accusing MURIC of radicalising clerics in the region and encouraging terrorism was false and malicious. Akintola alleged that some Yoruba Christian elements were behind sustained attempts to portray Yoruba Muslims and Islamic organisations as extremists. ALSO READ Debate erupts over ethnic…
Amazing experience, my brother, count yourself lucky to have been in Al Shifa hospital. What amazes me most is the fact that despite the gravity of your sickness, you were able to note the details of staff and what went around you. Even in sickness, you were still with that razor-sharp brain. Kois. Fatsuma Dada Mohammed You are a very strong man, Mr Hassan. Shawkey Ibrahim (Nurse at Al Shifa Hospital, Makkah) Quite touching. This has moved me to tears. Alhamdulillah that you have survived. It is Allah’s way of doing His KUN FA YAKUN, and I believe you are back…