By Muhammad Muhammad Salisu, Esq.

One of the fundamental differences between Islam and Christianity is the extent to which their revealed texts regulate human life beyond matters of personal faith and morality.

Islam is described as a Deen, a complete way of life. This is not merely a theological slogan. The Qur’an and the Sunnah contain guidance on matters ranging from worship and personal conduct to marriage, divorce, inheritance, contracts, finance, crime, governance, international relations, war and peace.

Christianity, particularly as centred on the New Testament, does not contain a comparable comprehensive legal system for civil, commercial and criminal affairs. This distinction should, however, be stated carefully. It does not mean that Christianity has no law, nor does it mean that Christians have no sophisticated legal or ethical tradition. The Old Testament contains substantial legislation, while Christianity later developed canon law and natural law traditions. The real distinction lies in Christianity’s theological relationship with that earlier law.

1. Sharia and Fiqh

It is important to distinguish between Sharia and Fiqh.

Sharia refers to the divinely revealed path, while Fiqh is the human scholarly effort to understand and apply that revelation to particular circumstances. This explains why different schools of Islamic jurisprudence can arrive at different rulings while relying upon the same revealed sources.

The principal sources of Islamic jurisprudence include the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma and Qiyas, supplemented in different schools by principles such as maslahah, istihsan, istishab and urf.

The significance of this is that Islam does not place worship in one compartment and worldly affairs in another. Classical Fiqh deals with both ‘ibadat, such as prayer, fasting, Zakat and Hajj, and mu’amalat, such as contracts, marriage, commerce, crime, governance and war.

2. Marriage, Divorce and Family Law

The Qur’an does not merely tell Muslims to marry and behave morally within marriage. It provides actual rules.

It addresses the mahr, divorce, the waiting period, reconciliation, maintenance, breastfeeding and other family matters. Fiqh subsequently develops detailed rules concerning custody, guardianship and maintenance.

This is a significant distinction. The Qur’an contains legislation which is then developed by jurists into an extensive body of family law.

3. Islamic Inheritance Law

Perhaps nowhere is the legislative character of the Qur’an more obvious than in inheritance.

Qur’an 4:11, 4:12 and 4:176 prescribe specific shares for heirs, including children, parents and spouses. Muslim jurists subsequently developed ‘ilm al-fara’id, the specialised science of inheritance, including detailed mathematical rules for complicated estates.

In other words, inheritance in Islam is not left entirely to personal preference or general moral instruction. There is a revealed framework determining who inherits and in what proportion.

4. Commerce, Contracts and Finance

Islamic revelation also regulates economic activity.

Qur’an 2:282, the longest verse in the Qur’an, deals with the documentation of debts and witnesses. Qur’an 5:1 commands believers to fulfil contracts. The Qur’an also prohibits riba and establishes broader principles governing legitimate commercial transactions.

Islamic jurisprudence consequently developed an extensive law of transactions covering sales, partnerships, uncertainty, debt and other commercial matters. Modern Islamic finance has extended these principles to contemporary instruments through juristic reasoning and ijtihad.

5. Criminal Law

Islamic jurisprudence also contains a developed criminal-law structure.

Hudud concern certain offences for which specified punishments are prescribed. Qisas and diya deal with homicide and bodily injury, while ta’zir covers offences for which punishment is left to judicial or governmental discretion.

The classical law also developed demanding evidential standards, particularly in relation to certain hudud offences.

Whether one agrees with every aspect of classical Islamic criminal jurisprudence is a separate question. The point here is simply that a criminal-law framework exists within the Islamic legal tradition.

6. Governance and Public Affairs

Islamic revelation also addresses governance.

The Qur’an speaks of authority, consultation and justice, while the political experience of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Madinah provided an actual historical model of governance.

The Constitution of Madinah, the Prophet’s agreements with different communities and later works of Muslim jurists such as al-Mawardi demonstrate the development of an Islamic political and legal tradition.

7. War, Peace and International Relations

Islamic sources also contain rules concerning armed conflict, treaties and relations with other communities.

The Qur’an prohibits transgression in warfare, encourages peace where the opposing side inclines toward peace, and provides protection for a person seeking safety. The Sunnah and early Muslim practice further developed principles concerning non-combatants, treaties and prisoners.

The classical work of al-Shaybani on siyar is particularly significant in the development of Islamic rules concerning international relations.

What About Christianity?

A fair comparison must begin by acknowledging that the Old Testament contains a substantial body of law.

The Torah contains rules dealing with criminal law, inheritance, divorce, debt, land, kingship, warfare and other matters. In that respect, the Old Testament is considerably closer to the Qur’an in legislative scope than the New Testament is.

The crucial issue, therefore, is not that “the Bible contains no law.” That would be historically inaccurate.

The real issue is Christianity’s relationship with the Mosaic law.

The New Testament presents a different orientation. When Jesus was asked to intervene in an inheritance dispute, he declined to act as an arbiter. When questioned about taxation, he distinguished between obligations to Caesar and obligations to God. He also declared that his kingdom was not of this world.

Paul’s writings further demonstrate the shift in the Christian understanding of Mosaic law. Acts 15 records the early Christian decision that Gentile converts were not required to observe the full Mosaic legal code.

Consequently, while the New Testament contains important moral and ecclesiastical instructions, it does not provide a comprehensive revealed code dealing with inheritance, commercial contracts, criminal procedure, taxation, international treaties and governance in the manner Islamic jurisprudence does.

But Christianity Developed Canon Law

This point must not be ignored.

As Christianity became established within the Roman Empire, the Church developed an extensive legal tradition dealing with marriage, clerical discipline, church property, heresy and other ecclesiastical matters.

Canon law became highly sophisticated, and thinkers such as Augustine and Thomas Aquinas developed major Christian traditions concerning natural law, morality and just war.

But the method is different.

Islamic jurisprudence principally develops its legal framework from the Qur’an and Sunnah through recognised juristic methodologies. Christian natural-law thought, by contrast, relies substantially upon reason and philosophical reflection on general principles, while canon law involves ecclesiastical legislation and historical legal development.

The Real Distinction

Therefore, the strongest argument is not that Christianity has no law.

That would be an oversimplification.

The stronger and more accurate argument is this:

Islam developed as both a religion and a community with a legal and political order, and its revealed sources consequently addressed both man’s relationship with God and his relationships with other human beings.

The Qur’an and Sunnah provide principles and rules concerning worship, family, inheritance, commerce, crime, governance, war and peace. Islamic jurists then developed those principles into an extensive jurisprudential tradition.

Christianity developed under substantially different historical circumstances. Jesus did not establish an independent political state, and the early Christians lived for centuries as a minority within the Roman Empire. The New Testament therefore did not develop into a comprehensive civil and criminal code.

This does not make Christianity morally inferior, nor does it make every aspect of Islamic jurisprudence automatically correct merely because it is Islamic.

It simply means that the two traditions have fundamentally different relationships between revelation, law and society.

Islam presents revelation as guidance for both the mosque and the marketplace, both the family and the courtroom, and both personal morality and public affairs.

That is what Muslims mean when they describe Islam as a complete way of life.

And that claim is not merely theological rhetoric. It is reflected in the structure and content of the Islamic sources themselves.

Muhammad Muhammad Salisu, Esq., wrote via muhammad.writes01@gmail.com.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

At least seven people have been killed after gunmen attacked Georo community in Jos South Local Government Area of Plateau State on Monday night.

The attackers reportedly invaded the community at about 10:20 p.m., opening fire on residents in shops and at a local restaurant where food was being prepared.

A community member, Bot Silas, who confirmed the incident to journalists in Jos, said the sudden attack triggered panic as residents fled for safety.

“The gunmen arrived in the community at about 10:20pm and started shooting sporadically. Some of the victims were killed in their shops, while others were attacked at a local restaurant where food was being prepared,” Silas said.

He added that seven people were killed in the attack, which left residents terrified as the assailants struck under the cover of darkness.

According to the Punch newspaper, the spokesman of the Berom Youth Moulders Association, Rwang Tengwong, condemned the killings and called on security agencies to investigate the incident and bring those responsible to justice.

“The killing of innocent people in Georo is condemnable and must not be allowed to continue. We call on the relevant security agencies to investigate the incident, bring the perpetrators to justice and ensure that residents can live and carry out their legitimate activities without fear,” Tengwong said.

He also urged security agencies to strengthen protection for vulnerable communities and intensify efforts to apprehend the attackers.

As of the time the report was filed, the Plateau State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the incident.

The command’s spokesperson, Alabo Alfred, was reportedly unavailable for comment when contacted, as his telephone was switched off.

The latest attack has renewed calls for stronger security measures to protect communities in Plateau State and ensure that those responsible for violent attacks are brought to justice.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council (ADC-PCC) has called on President Bola Tinubu to investigate allegations that some ministers pay billions of naira to secure appointments and subsequently seek to recover the money.

The council also urged the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) to investigate any credible evidence of financial inducements linked to ministerial appointments.

The demand followed remarks by Alwan Hassan, a spokesperson for the All Progressives Congress Presidential Campaign Council, during an interview on Arise Television last Thursday.

While defending Tinubu’s direct involvement in government expenditure decisions, Hassan alleged that some ministers pay substantial sums to secure appointments and later attempt to recoup their investments.

“A lot of ministers pay billions and billions, and you know, to get themselves appointed. The first thing they think of is how to recoup that money,” Hassan said.

He also described ministers as among the most corrupt public officials under successive administrations, arguing that the problem was not limited to the ruling APC.

However, Hassan did not identify any minister allegedly involved in the practice or provide evidence to substantiate the claim during the interview.

In a statement issued on Tuesday and signed by its Director of Media and Publicity, Kola Ologbondiyan, the ADC-PCC said the allegation required a transparent investigation because of its implications for accountability and the integrity of public appointments.

“An allegation of this magnitude cannot simply be ignored or dismissed without a transparent explanation,” the council said.

It argued that, if proven, the alleged practice would raise concerns about whether ministerial appointments were being treated as commercial transactions rather than positions of public trust.

The council therefore asked Tinubu to clarify whether he was aware of the alleged payments, whether an investigation had been initiated and what measures his administration intended to take to establish the facts.

It also challenged Hassan to identify the ministers allegedly involved, disclose the amounts purportedly paid and name those who allegedly received the money.

The ADC-PCC further called on the National Assembly to consider a public inquiry into the allegation, including inviting Hassan to explain his remarks and present any supporting evidence.

The council stressed that its demands were intended to establish the facts and safeguard public institutions, rather than replace evidence or due process.

“Public office is a responsibility, not a commercial transaction. Ministerial appointments must be guided by competence, integrity and a commitment to national service—not by financial inducements or expectations of private returns,” the statement said.

The controversy emerged from Hassan’s defence of Tinubu’s hands-on approach to government spending. During the interview, he questioned whether ministers should have control over budgetary allocations, arguing that the President’s direct involvement in expenditure decisions was preferable.

The ADC-PCC linked the allegation to broader concerns about the management of public resources and the administration’s Renewed Hope Agenda, particularly at a time when Nigerians are facing economic difficulties and rising living costs.

With the 2027 general election approaching, the council urged Nigerians to scrutinise political leaders’ records and demand accountability. It also presented former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar’s presidential candidacy as an alternative on governance, economic recovery and public accountability.

As of the time of the report, no specific minister had been identified as having paid money to secure an appointment, and the allegation remained unsubstantiated.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Federal Government and the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) have agreed to begin minimum wage negotiations immediately and approved a ₦70,000 monthly transport allowance for workers for six months, starting in November 2026.

The decisions followed a conciliation meeting between government representatives and NLC leaders convened by the Federal Ministry of Labour and Employment in Abuja on Tuesday.

However, both parties have yet to resolve their disagreement over when a new national minimum wage should take effect.

According to resolutions signed by representatives of the government and organised labour, a Minimum Wage Negotiation Committee will be constituted immediately to commence discussions on workers’ demands.

The agreement comes amid growing pressure from labour unions for measures to ease the rising cost of living and improve workers’ purchasing power.

Under the transport intervention, workers across all levels are expected to receive ₦70,000 monthly for six months, beginning in November. The resolutions, however, did not specify the payment mechanism or whether the intervention would be extended beyond the approved period.

The meeting also addressed outstanding allowances, healthcare workers’ entitlements, tax relief, fuel prices and other welfare concerns.

Government agrees to settle outstanding allowances

The Federal Government agreed to begin paying accumulated peculiar allowances owed to eligible public servants in November 2026, with the arrears to be settled in three equal monthly instalments.

The government also approved the allowances with effect from May 1, 2026.

For health workers, the parties agreed that 19 months of outstanding allowances would be paid within three months, beginning in December 2026.

The meeting further considered outstanding hazard allowances for agricultural officers. According to the resolutions, the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security had submitted the list of beneficiaries and the associated financial implications to the National Salaries, Incomes and Wages Commission for verification.

On tax relief for workers, the parties agreed to refer the matter to the National Economic Council, noting that taxation is a statutory issue.

However, the resolutions did not indicate that labour’s separate demand for a reduction in petrol prices had been approved.

Other issues discussed included the adjustment of the Consolidated Health Salary Structure (CONHESS) and measures to cushion the economic hardship facing workers.

Pensioners demand outstanding palliatives

Meanwhile, the Federal Parastatals and Private Sector Pensioners Association of Nigeria (FEPPPAN) has urged President Bola Tinubu to direct the payment of three months’ outstanding ₦25,000 subsidy-removal palliatives meant for vulnerable citizens.

The association also called for urgent action on pension harmonisation, the payment of outstanding entitlements and improved access to healthcare for retirees under the Defined Benefit Scheme.

The demands were contained in a communiqué issued after the association’s National Executive Council meeting in Abuja and signed by its President-General, Benjamin Amako, and General Secretary, Franklin Erinle.

FEPPPAN expressed concern over the implementation of pension harmonisation, which it said took effect in January 2026.

It called on the government to release the circular guiding the policy to clarify the role of the Pension Transitional Arrangement Directorate (PTAD) and explain how the exercise would affect pensioners.

The association maintained that pension harmonisation should lead to increased monthly benefits for all pensioners and urged the relevant authorities to explain the policy’s terms, implementation process and implications.

The latest agreements represent steps towards addressing some workers’ welfare concerns, but the dispute over the effective date of a new national minimum wage remains unresolved.

The Daily Reality

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The wife of slain Islamic scholar Sheikh Yahaya Ibrahim Masussuka has recounted how gunmen shot her husband dead outside their residence in Dutsin-Ma, Katsina State, as President Bola Tinubu ordered security agencies to track down the perpetrators.

Hajiya Fatima Masussuka said the attack occurred on Monday evening shortly after her husband left their home to attend a teaching session with his Almajirai, or Islamic pupils.

Speaking to journalists at their residence on Tuesday, Fatima explained that she had accompanied her husband outside before returning indoors after he realised he had forgotten his bag.

“Before I knew what was happening, I heard four gunshots. When I came out, I discovered that he had been shot,” she said.

Describing the deceased as a caring husband, Fatima disclosed that she was his second wife and that they had a daughter together.

Masussuka was killed alongside his friend, Adamu Abubakar, in the attack, which the Katsina State Police Command said was carried out by two armed men riding on a motorcycle.

According to the police, the incident occurred at about 7:30 p.m. on Monday, October 26, in front of the cleric’s residence in Dutsin-Ma Local Government Area.

The victims were rushed to a nearby hospital but were pronounced dead by a medical doctor.

The police said tactical and operational teams had been deployed to the area, while an investigation was underway to identify and arrest the fleeing suspects.

Ansaru reportedly claims responsibility

Meanwhile, the Ansaru terrorist group has reportedly claimed responsibility for the killing in an audio message released on Tuesday.

According to reports, the group accused the cleric of being an infidel and claimed to have carried out the attack at about 8:30 p.m. However, it did not provide verifiable evidence to support its claim.

The Katsina State Police Command said it had not authenticated the reported claim.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Abubakar Sadiq, said security operatives were investigating the incident and would make further information public when the investigation was concluded.

“We heard of the rumour making the rounds, but we are yet to authenticate the claim. We are on the field, and once we conclude the investigation, we will make it public,” Sadiq said.

Ansaru, which is linked to al-Qaeda, broke away from Boko Haram in 2012 and has operated in parts of north-western Nigeria.

Tinubu, Radda condemn killing

President Tinubu condemned the killings, describing them as heinous acts that violated the sanctity of human life and the values of peace.

In a statement issued on Tuesday by his Special Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga, the President extended his condolences to the families of the deceased, their followers and the people of Katsina State.

Tinubu directed the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to intensify efforts to track down and arrest those responsible for the attack.

Katsina State Governor, Malam Dikko Radda, also mourned the cleric, describing him as an advocate of peaceful coexistence and interfaith harmony.

In a statement issued through his Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed, the governor called for a thorough investigation and urged security agencies to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to justice.

He also appealed to residents to remain calm, cooperate with security agencies and provide credible information that could assist the investigation. He warned against actions capable of heightening tensions or undermining peace.

Cleric previously involved in preaching dispute

Masussuka, popularly known as the “Peace Ambassador,” had previously attracted the attention of the Katsina State Government over his preaching.

Authorities had received complaints alleging that some of his sermons departed from general principles of Islamic law. The cleric had also reportedly complained of insults and threats from members of Jama’atu Izalatil Bidia Wa’ikhamatus Sunna.

The dispute was referred to the Katsina Emirate Council, after which Governor Radda directed the cleric to appear before a committee of Islamic scholars to respond to the allegations.

The circumstances surrounding the dispute and whether it had any connection to the killing have not been established.

Kwankwaso expresses concern

Former Kano State Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso also condemned the killing, expressing concern over attacks on religious scholars and other innocent citizens.

Kwankwaso, who is the vice-presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, said the continued loss of lives to insecurity was unacceptable and called for decisive action to protect citizens and restore peace.

He extended his condolences to the cleric’s family, students, associates and the wider Muslim community.

Dutsin-Ma and several other local government areas in Katsina State have experienced repeated attacks blamed on armed bandits, including kidnappings and killings targeting residents, vigilantes and security personnel.

The police investigation into the killing of Masussuka and Abubakar is ongoing.

The Daily Reality

By Aliyu Idris

Damage is Abubakar Adam Ibrahim’s third novel and fifth book. It is a social novel written in twenty-two unequal chapters, set in post-colonial Nigeria during the heated military years spanning the last days of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida through the General Sani Abacha years, and back to the present day.

It accounts for the life of Rn. Nasrin Amin, a woman who carried a secret pain through decades of dictatorship and brutality. She was sexually assaulted by an army veteran, General Shehu Jarumai, while searching for her husband’s freedom, trying to secure the release of Aliyu Bello from Abacha’s men. She decides to speak out against Jarumai’s tyranny, which wants his secret buried. And when she does, she drags three generations with her.

For almost three decades, we have been told to move on. To forget military brutality, to forget the khaki years, to forget the frightening knocks on the door and abductions at midnight.

In addition, June 12, 1993 was the day Nasrin cast her first vote. She and her heartthrob, Aliyu Bello, thought that the election would change Nigeria. She was voting for herself. For her heart, for a new dawn, for love, for a future, for a country she believed would finally love her back.

Then one brutal night takes it all. That is the heart of Damage. Not the coup, not the annulment, not the years that followed, but what one night does to a woman and her entire clan, and how that wound keeps bleeding for 30 years.

Similarly, it bleeds into the life of her second husband, Bashar, and her children like Mustapha, the rational dreamer, who thinks logic can save a family that runs on secrets, until he meets a wound that logic cannot touch. Suraj, the second child, the awaiting soldier, who wants to become the very thing that broke his mother. Zubaida, the youngest daughter, who stands with her mother in the turbulence.

They are all haunted by one question: Who is this man (Jarumai) who caused their mother’s pain and is the frontrunner of the brutal occurrences that cost the life of their father, Aliyu Bello?

Moreover, the novel explores how our system, power structures, culture, and orientation aid and abet perpetrators. It asks a devastating question: What does justice look like when silence has already stolen so much?

When Nasrin finally waited decades to speak, the country had already moved on. But the memories kept haunting her, while the perpetrator had entirely forgotten her and the incident.

We are a new generation born after June 12, 1993, who think June 12 is just a public holiday. We don’t know or ask how people like Nasrin get justice after memory itself has been damaged.

No wonder Chika Unigwe calls it “a powerful and unforgettable story of love, loss, inherited trauma, and the relentless pursuit of justice.”

And Helon Habila is right to say you dig deep into characters’ motivations like few can. This is far beyond Season of Crimson Blossoms and When We Were Fireflies. This is his most political and most personal book yet.

As the author opined in his Line of Sight column, “The victims are bold and resolute, but the perpetrators don’t even know they are victims too, victims of the power they serve.”

Damage is not just about what was done to Nasrin on that night, or the arrest and detention of her late husband, Aliyu Bello. It is about the experiences of families with military brutalities, what it means to seek revenge, to love, to lose, to feel guilt and conviction. This is not a book about soldiers in power. It is a book about what soldiers left in us.

If Season of Crimson Blossoms was about forbidden love and When We Were Fireflies was about memory, Damage is where Abubakar fuses both concerns into something enormous.

For me, Damage is the novelist’s best work yet because it refuses to let us do what we do best as Nigerians: move on without processing. It is a story about the cost of memory, the inheritance of pain, and, as the blurb says, the fragile hope that love might endure even after everything else is broken.

To sum it up, it is an easy read with many literary tropes. It is a necessary one to read because it reminds us where we came from as a nation. It is for the generation that was brutalised and learned to be silent. For the generation that inherited the silence without knowing why. And for the generation born under democracy, the one now raising kids, the one that thinks it can romanticise military rule because they never lived it.

And in a move that will unsettle many readers, the perpetrators are also damaged. Not innocently damaged by the system they served, by their own avarice, by a military that victimised Nigeria and, in doing so, victimised itself. Just like General Jarumai and Bankole. This is what elevates it beyond a simple trauma narrative.

Aliyu Idris can be reached via aliyuidris063@gmail.com.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned Mubarak Abdullahi, popularly known as Sardaunan Samari, in Kaduna over allegations that he circulated a forged letter attributed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and purportedly sent to the US President.

Abdullahi faces three counts bordering on cybercrime and defamation. Reports said he was arrested after he posted the letter on Facebook with the caption, “ATIKU IS COMING.”

Punch newspaper reported that it could not independently verify that the suspect is a supporter of Atiku Abubakar. The case is awaiting the commencement of hearing at the Federal High Court in Kaduna.

By Uzair Adam

The Federal High Court in Abuja has struck out a cybercrime case against Sanusi Dankaka, who was accused of threatening to release nude videos and photographs allegedly involving Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

Justice Salim Ibrahim struck out the case on Tuesday after the prosecution counsel, A.Y. Afegbua, applied to withdraw the charges against Dankaka, the sole defendant.

Dankaka’s counsel, Kauna Penzin, did not oppose the application, prompting the judge to strike out the case in a brief ruling.

The development came after Justice Ibrahim had adjourned the matter until December 7 for the commencement of trial, following Dankaka’s plea of not guilty. However, the case was relisted as number 28, the last matter on Tuesday’s cause list.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Department of State Services (DSS) arraigned Dankaka on a two-count charge bordering on alleged cybercrime offences.

The charge, marked FHC/ABJ/CR/699/2026, was filed on October 22 by Afegbua and alleged that the offences were committed in October 2026.

In the first count, the DSS accused Dankaka and other persons still at large of attempting to publish malicious content through his Facebook account, “Sanusi Dankaka Yahaya”, in Jos North Local Government Area of Plateau State.

The defendant was alleged to have claimed that he possessed nude videos and photographs of Governor Yusuf and threatened to release them to the public.

The alleged offence was said to contravene Section 27(1)(b) of the Cybercrimes (Prohibition, Prevention, etc.) Act, 2015, as amended, and was punishable under Section 24(1) of the same law.

In the second count, Dankaka and others still at large were accused of publishing content on the same Facebook account claiming that he possessed the alleged videos and photographs of the governor.

According to the DSS, the defendant knew the publication was false but allegedly circulated it to cause annoyance, inconvenience, insult and injury to the governor’s person and reputation.

The agency said the alleged offence was punishable under Section 24(1) of the Cybercrimes Act, as amended.

By Muhsin Ibrahim

The tragic trail of political and religious violence in Northern Nigeria has claimed yet another prominent life. It began in 2007 with the gruesome assassinations of Sheikh Ja’afar Mahmud Adam, who was shot dead in Kano while leading dawn prayers, and Sheikh Umar Hamza Dan-Maishiyya in Sokoto. 

Seven years later, in 2014, Sheikh Muhammad Auwal Albani Zaria was murdered in Kaduna State. 

Today, in 2026, the targeted killing of Sheikh Yahaya Masussuka by unknown gunmen in Katsina marks a deeply disturbing escalation. 

In every instance, an influential voice has been violently silenced, leaving a nation burdened with unanswered questions and followers in deep grief and confusion.

This recurring pattern represents a severe threat to public safety and social cohesion across Northern Nigeria. Jubilating over the violent end of an ideological rival is dangerous shortsightedness; no cleric, regardless of popularity or sectarian affiliation, is safe in an environment where lawlessness reigns. A society where religious scholars can be executed with impunity for their identity or teachings is one where human life has been stripped of basic security.

Adding to the gravity of the situation, a video recently surfaced on social media depicting youth in JIBWIS attire issuing threats against Christian communities in Enugu and Jos. While public commentary must remain cautious of conspiratorial thinking, the alignment of this incendiary material with the assassination of Sheikh Masussuka cannot be casually dismissed. The synchronisation suggests a deliberate effort by malicious actors to ignite a broader sectarian conflict across the region.

Security agencies must undertake an immediate, rigorous, and transparent investigation. Broad public confidence in the judicial process can be restored only if those responsible, regardless of status or political influence, are identified and brought to justice.

In the interim, the public must resist the temptation to engage in reckless speculation. Emotional outbursts and unsourced allegations on digital platforms risk repeating past errors. 

Following the 2007 murder of Sheikh Ja’afar, baseless accusations targeted national leaders, state officials, and traditional institutions, ultimately forcing news outlets to issue public retractions for spreading fabricated reports. Unverified claims ruin reputations and risk sparking retributive violence at a time when national calm is required.

We must exercise utmost restraint. Sharing unverified media, amplifying inflammatory rhetoric, or taking the law into one’s hands will only compound the crisis. Sustained development and progress are impossible without security. National stability must remain the primary objective.

May peace prevail in Nigeria, and may the Almighty forgive our deceased loved ones, amin.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

England striker Harry Kane and Spanish midfielder Alexia Putellas have emerged as the winners of the men’s and women’s Ballon d’Or awards at the 2026 ceremony held at the London Palladium in England.

Kane claimed the men’s award, finishing ahead of France captain Kylian Mbappé and Spain’s teenage sensation Lamine Yamal, who placed second and third respectively.

Putellas secured the women’s honour, with Poland’s Ewa Pajor finishing second and Jamaica’s Khadija Shaw taking third place.

The ceremony, which marked the 70th edition of the prestigious football awards, also recognised outstanding performances across several categories, including young players, goalkeepers, coaches and clubs.

Other award winners

According to the published list of winners, the other major honours went to the following recipients:

– Men’s Young Talent of the Year: Lamine Yamal
– Women’s Young Talent of the Year: Vicky López
– Men’s Coach of the Year: Luis de la Fuente
– Women’s Coach of the Year: Pere Romeu
– Men’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Unai Simón
– Women’s Goalkeeper of the Year: Cata Coll
– Men’s Club of the Year: Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
– Women’s Club of the Year: FC Barcelona Femení
– Sócrates Award: Bukayo Saka
– Men’s Gerd Müller Trophy: Harry Kane
– Women’s Gerd Müller Trophy: Charlyn Corral

Men’s Ballon d’Or top 10

The top 10 positions in the men’s rankings were:

1. Harry Kane
2. Kylian Mbappé
3. Lamine Yamal
4. Rodri
5. Lionel Messi
6. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia
7. Ousmane Dembélé
8. Erling Haaland
9. Michael Olise
10. Fabián Ruiz

Other notable names in the rankings included Jude Bellingham in 11th place, Achraf Hakimi in 13th, Declan Rice in 15th, Vinícius Júnior in 17th and Portuguese midfielder Bruno Fernandes in 27th.

Senegalese forward Sadio Mané also featured in the rankings, sharing 29th place with William Saliba.

Women’s Ballon d’Or top 10

The top 10 positions in the women’s rankings were:

1. Alexia Putellas
2. Ewa Pajor
3. Khadija Shaw
4. Melchie Dumornay
5. Patri Guijarro
6. Caroline Graham Hansen
7. Pernille Harder
8. Claudia Pina
9. Alessia Russo
10. Temwa Chawinga

Other players recognised included Zambia’s Barbra Banda, who finished 18th, and Nigeria-born Malawi international Temwa Chawinga, who placed 10th, according to the published rankings.

The results highlighted the achievements of established stars and emerging talents across men’s and women’s football, with the Ballon d’Or remaining one of the sport’s most prominent individual honours.

The Daily Reality