News

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) has called on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf to suspend the operations of AREWA24 television station in Kano over allegations of misrepresenting Hausa culture and traditions in its film content.

The group also commended the Kano State Film Censorship Board for banning over 20 Hausa films aired on AREWA24 and other stations.

Speaking at a two-day event organized by the Sardauna Memorial Foundation in Kaduna, Alhaji Danjuma Hassan, a member of ACF from Kano, praised the censorship board for its action.

He urged Governor Yusuf to shut down AREWA24’s illegal operations on the premises of Kano’s state-owned television station, ARTV.

Hassan further called on President Tinubu to impose a nationwide ban on AREWA24 for broadcasting without a valid license from the National Broadcasting Commission (NBC).

He accused the station of violating NBC regulations, advertising laws (ARCON), tax laws, and Nigeria’s local content policies, which he claimed harm the interests of Kano residents, Northwestern Nigerians, and the nation at large.

He alleged that the station, owned by an American Jew, has profited over $200 million from advertisements in Kano while disregarding Nigerian laws and policies meant to protect local investors and Hausa cultural values.

The Kano State Film Censorship Board recently banned 22 Hausa films, including popular titles like Labarina and Dadin Kowa, citing violations of broadcasting regulations.

The board’s chairman, Abba El-Mustapha, stated that the producers failed to submit their films for mandatory review before public release.

Abdullahi Sani Sulaiman, the board’s spokesperson, confirmed the suspension, warning that legal action would follow if the directive was ignored.

He urged NBC and other media regulators to support the board’s efforts in enforcing censorship laws to promote ethical film production in Kannywood.

The banned films include: Dakin Amarya, Mashahuri, Gidan Sarauta, Wasiyya, Tawakkaltu, Mijina, Wani Zamani, Mallaka, Kudin Ruwa, Boka Ko Malam, Wa Yasan Gobe, Rana Dubu, Manyan Mata, Fatake, Gwarwashi, Jamilun Jiddan, Shahadar Nabila, Tabarma, Kishiyata, and Rigar Aro.

The board reaffirmed its commitment to upholding cultural values in Hausa film production and urged broadcasters to comply with censorship guidelines to ensure industry growth.

This move is part of the Kano State government’s broader efforts to sanitize and restructure the Kannywood film industry, promoting discipline and cultural integrity in media content.

The banned films, widely viewed on television and social media, have sparked public debate on the role of censorship in regulating entertainment content.

The board insists on strict adherence to cultural and ethical standards in Hausa filmmaking.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Lt. Gen. Olufemi Oluyede, has called for special funding to address the Nigerian Army’s accommodation crisis as it prepares to receive 13,000 new recruits.

Speaking during a visit by the Senate Committee on Army to the Army Headquarters in Abuja, Oluyede lamented that current budgetary allocations under the envelope system are insufficient to meet operational and welfare needs.

“We lack the resources to house these new personnel, and the problem keeps growing,” he said, urging lawmakers to approve dedicated funds for military infrastructure.

Senate Committee Chairman Abdulaziz Yar’Adua pledged support, stating, “The Army should be exempted from envelope budgeting to enhance its capabilities.”

The committee also conducted oversight inspections of projects in multiple states, vowing to push for improved funding before year-end.

By Uzair Adam

Government has revealed that the majority of bandit attacks in the state are being aided by informants and some members of affected communities who supply food, fuel, drugs, and other essentials to the criminals.

The Commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Alhaji Nasir Mu’azu, made this known while briefing journalists on Thursday in Katsina, lamenting that about 80 per cent of attacks are linked to insider collaboration.

Mu’azu said some community members act as informants or conduct illicit trade with the criminals at highly inflated prices inside the forests, thereby enabling their operations and profiting from the insecurity.

“In one of the communities affected by the insecurity, a man was found selling a bottle of Coca-Cola for N3,000, and another sold fuel to the bandits for N5,000 per litre,” he disclosed.

He added that drugs and illicit substances are also being supplied at high prices, creating a profitable business for the collaborators.

“Some people even connive with bandits to facilitate abductions of specific victims, including family members,” he said.

Citing a shocking example, the commissioner narrated a case where a man colluded with bandits to kidnap his diabetic father.

“When the bandits brought him to their hideout, they already had diabetic medication ready for his daily treatment. The family eventually paid N30 million in ransom, and the man received N8 million for facilitating the abduction,” he explained.

Mu’azu also said that some informants tip off bandits when Nigerian Air Force (NAF) jets take off for operations, enabling the criminals to evade airstrikes by taking cover within civilian populations.

“This has made it difficult for the military to succeed in some of their missions,” he said.

According to him, only about 20 per cent of the insecurity challenge in the state can be attributed directly to bandits, while the remaining 80 per cent is driven by the actions of insiders who aid and abet them.

While noting that the state government has made significant progress using kinetic approaches in some local government areas, he stressed the need for community cooperation and non-kinetic solutions to address the root of the problem.

He urged the public to provide credible information that could support security efforts, assuring that all such reports would be treated with the utmost confidentiality.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has called on state governors to increase investments in poverty eradication, rural electrification, agriculture, and infrastructure to improve the lives of Nigerians.

Speaking at the 150th National Economic Council (NEC) meeting on Thursday, Tinubu emphasized the need for collaboration between federal and state governments to stimulate growth in rural areas.

“We must change the story of our people in the rural areas. The economy is recovering, but we need to do more to benefit the grassroots,” he said.

The NEC endorsed the Renewed Hope Ward Development Programme (RHWDP), a new initiative targeting Nigeria’s 8,809 wards to boost economic growth.

The plan, presented by Minister of Budget and Economic Planning, Senator Abubakar Bagudu, aims to achieve double-digit growth by supporting agriculture, food security, and local economic activities.

Tinubu also directed the transfer of the Office of the Surveyor-General to the presidency to fast-track major infrastructure projects, including the Lagos-Calabar and Sokoto-Badagry highways.

Additionally, the council called for stronger state emergency agencies and the release of funds to tackle impending flood risks.

The RHWDP will be overseen by a National Steering Committee, with implementation handled by federal, state, and local governments.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A leadership crisis has erupted in the African Democratic Congress (ADC) after Nafiu Bala, the party’s 2023 Gombe State governorship candidate, declared himself Interim National Chairman on Thursday.

Bala, who previously served as the party’s National Deputy Chairman, announced his new role during a press conference in Abuja.

He accused former party leaders of abandoning their constitutional duties and handing over ADC’s structures to “powerful outsiders.”

The position is currently held by former Senate President David Mark, who was appointed interim chairman after an opposition coalition adopted ADC as its platform.

Bala, however, insists his assumption of the role is legitimate under the party’s constitution.

He called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to recognize the leadership change, warning that failure to adhere to ADC’s constitutional guidelines could lead to legal action.

Bala vowed to restore internal democracy, stating, “No party leader has the right to transfer elected mandates to non-members.”

The development signals deepening divisions within the opposition party.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Police Service Commission (PSC) has warned against fraud and racketeering in the upcoming recruitment of officers into the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), including Cadet ASPs and Inspectors.

PSC Chairman, DIG Hashimu Salihu Argungu (rtd), issued the warning during a courtesy visit to the Federal Character Commission (FCC) on Wednesday, July 30, 2025.

He stressed that any misconduct or manipulation in the recruitment process would be met with strict sanctions.

Argungu emphasized transparency, fairness, and equity, ruling out discretionary waivers or replacements.

He sought FCC’s partnership to ensure balanced representation. FCC Chairman, Hon. Kayode Oladele, welcomed the collaboration, stating that an inclusive police force strengthens public trust and national cohesion.

He reaffirmed FCC’s commitment to monitoring federal character compliance in the recruitment.

While a recruitment date is yet to be announced, the PSC assured Nigerians of a credible and merit-based exercise.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has approved a one-year extension of the tenure of the Comptroller-General of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), Bashir Adewale Adeniyi, MFR.

Adeniyi’s tenure, originally set to expire on August 31, 2025, will now continue until August 2026.

The extension is aimed at allowing the Customs boss to consolidate ongoing reforms and complete key initiatives of the Tinubu administration.

According to a statement by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, the extension will enable Adeniyi to drive critical projects, including the modernisation of the NCS, the implementation of the National Single Window Project, and the execution of Nigeria’s commitments under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA).

President Tinubu commended Adeniyi for his leadership and expressed confidence that the extension would enhance the Service’s ability to deliver on its mandate of revenue generation, trade facilitation, and border security.

Adeniyi, a career customs officer, was appointed Comptroller-General in 2023 and has since spearheaded reforms to improve efficiency in the Service.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Presidency has said President Bola Ahmed Tinubu is entitled to seek a second term in office, just as the late former President Muhammadu Buhari did.

Bayo Onanuga, the Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, made this known during an interview with Trust Radio on Wednesday.

He urged Northern politicians to exercise patience and respect the rotational power arrangement, arguing that the South supported Buhari for eight years and should be allowed to complete its own turn.

Onanuga dismissed recent claims by the Arewa Consultative Forum (ACF) about Northern marginalisation.

He described such complaints as a veiled attempt to weaken Tinubu’s government.

“This president is a Nigerian. He deserves the same two terms that Buhari had. Let’s not sacrifice the country for personal ambition,” Onanuga stated.

Addressing allegations that federal appointments under Tinubu favour the Southwest, Onanuga challenged those making the accusations to present credible data rather than general assumptions.

He also dismissed reports of lopsided infrastructure development. He said the Tinubu administration inherited several incomplete and abandoned projects across the country.

Onanuga pointed to appointments in the security sector as proof of inclusiveness, saying Northerners head key agencies under Tinubu’s leadership.

“You need to get your statistics right. It’s all political mischief designed to undermine the President. There are bad roads across the country, not just in the North.

“The National Security Adviser, Chief of Defence Staff, and the two Defence Ministers are all Northerners. Places like Birnin Gwari and Igabi (in Kaduna) are now safer. I drove from Kaduna to Abuja without incident, a journey that was once unthinkable,” he added.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has issued a public advisory warning Nigerians against misusing United States visas, stressing that entry into the U.S. does not exempt visa holders from ongoing scrutiny.

In a press statement dated July 29, 2025, and signed by the National Public Relations Officer, Assistant Comptroller Abdullahi Maiwada, the Service noted that the U.S. Government had raised concerns about Nigerians engaging in activities that contradict the declared purpose of their travel and the category under which their visas were issued.

“The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) wishes to alert the general public to the concerns raised by the Government of the United States of America on the need for Nigerians to desist from misusing entry visas granted by the US through activities that are inconsistent with the stated purpose of travel and visa classification,” the statement said.

The NCS emphasized that visa vetting continues beyond the point of entry.

It warned that U.S. immigration officials retain the authority to revoke visas at any time if holders are found in breach of immigration laws, import or export regulations, or other legal standards.

“U.S. authorities will continuously monitor the activities of visa holders, and visas can be revoked if holders are found to have violated US immigration protocols, import/export guidelines and other laws,” the Customs Service noted.

The advisory also reminded Nigerian travellers to comply with cash declaration rules when entering or exiting the country.

Individuals carrying more than $10,000 or its equivalent are required to declare it to the authorities. Travellers were also warned not to transport prohibited goods in their luggage.

“It is pertinent to also note that passengers are encouraged to be law abiding citizens and be of good conduct within and outside Nigeria,” the statement added.

Intending U.S. travellers were further advised to uphold integrity in all jurisdictions. According to the Customs, “whoever commits fraud in any jurisdiction will face legal consequences both under U.S. and Nigerian laws.”

The NCS disclosed that it is working closely with the U.S. Mission in Abuja to ensure Nigeria remains in good standing.

The aim is to prevent the inclusion of Nigeria in a broader visa restriction list that could affect legitimate travellers.

“The Nigeria Customs Service wishes to reaffirm that it is working with the U.S. Mission in Abuja to ensure that Nigeria meets the criteria to avoid enlistment into an expanded visa ban that will deny entry to well-meaning Nigerians wishing to travel to the US for their lawful business endeavours,” the statement concluded.

The Customs Service urged members of the public to take these reminders seriously in order to protect Nigeria’s global image and ensure unhindered travel for its citizens.

By Hadiza Abdulkadir

Nigerian spoken word artist and poet, Maryam Bukar Hassan, has been appointed the first United Nations Global Advocate for Peace, marking a historic milestone for both the artist and the continent.

Known for her evocative poetry and powerful performances, Hassan, often called “Alhanislam” by her fans, has gained international recognition for using her voice to address pressing social issues. Her latest appointment underscores the UN’s commitment to engaging young voices in the global peacebuilding process.

In her new role, Hassan is expected to lead campaigns that inspire dialogue, promote conflict resolution, and amplify youth perspectives on peace. Her message, rooted in empathy and resilience, has resonated with many around the world.

“Peace is not a silence you force into people’s mouths… It is not the absence of war; it is the presence of understanding,” she says in her latest poem — a reflection of the conviction she brings to her advocacy.

With conflict and crisis affecting millions globally, especially young people, Hassan’s appointment comes at a critical time. Her voice offers not just representation, but a rallying call for hope and healing.