News

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has granted posthumous pardons to historical figures including Major General Mamman Vatsa and nationalist Herbert Macaulay, while also approving clemency for 82 current inmates.

The pardons were approved on Thursday following a recommendation from the Presidential Advisory Committee on the Prerogative of Mercy (PACPM), which was endorsed by the National Council of State.

Among the most notable beneficiaries are Major General Mamman Vatsa, executed in 1986 for a treason plot, and Herbert Macaulay, a founding father of Nigerian nationalism who was convicted by British colonial authorities in 1913.

The President also formally pardoned the “Ogoni Nine,” including activist Ken Saro-Wiwa, who were executed in 1995.

For the living, the President commuted the death sentences of seven inmates to life imprisonment and reduced the prison terms of 65 others. A total of 82 inmates were granted clemency.

Notable individuals receiving pardons include former House of Representatives member Farouk Lawan and three others, allowing them to fully reintegrate into society.

The 12-member committee, chaired by the Attorney General, reviewed 294 cases, interviewing 175 inmates and considering 62 applications before making its final recommendations.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The National Council of State has unanimously approved Professor Joash Ojo Amupitan (SAN) as the new Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).

The nomination of Prof. Amupitan, a 58-year-old legal scholar from Kogi State, was presented by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to fill the vacancy left by the departure of Professor Mahmood Yakubu, who served from 2015 until October 2025.

President Tinubu highlighted that Amupitan is the first individual from Kogi State to be nominated for this position and described him as apolitical.

The nomination received strong support from council members, with Governor Ahmed Usman Ododo of Kogi State endorsing the professor as a man of integrity.

In accordance with constitutional requirements, President Tinubu will now forward Amupitan’s name to the Senate for screening and confirmation.

A professor of law at the University of Jos, Amupitan specializes in Company Law, Evidence, and Corporate Governance.

He became a Senior Advocate of Nigeria in 2014 and currently serves as the Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) at the University of Jos. He is married with four children.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

A Federal High Court sitting in Osogbo, Osun State, has ordered the arrest and imprisonment of the former Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, for contempt of court.

Justice Adefunmilola Demi-Ajayi issued the order on Monday, September 29, 2025, after ruling that Yakubu and the electoral body had disobeyed a prior court judgement mandating the relisting of national officers of the Action Alliance political party on INEC’s website.

The court ruled in favour of a suit filed by members of the Hon. Adekunle Rufai Omoaje-led executive of the Action Alliance.

The plaintiffs alleged that INEC unlawfully removed the names of 30 state chairmen aligned with their faction from its official portal.

In suit number FHC/OS/194/2024, the plaintiffs — Action Alliance, Professor Julius Adebowale, Engr. Olowookere Alabi, Barr. Chinwuba Zulyke, Oladele Sunday, Simon Itokwe, and Araoye Oyewole — sought an order compelling INEC and Professor Yakubu to reinstate their names and respect previous court judgments recognising their leadership.

The court granted the request and further ordered the Inspector General of Police to arrest and initiate contempt proceedings against the defendants within seven days.

Justice Demi-Ajayi also imposed a cost of ₦100,000 against INEC and Professor Yakubu, ruling it be paid to the plaintiffs for injuries suffered due to the acts of contempt.

The order was issued just before Professor Yakubu stepped down from his role as INEC Chairman on Tuesday, having completed his tenure.

He has been succeeded in acting capacity by Mrs. May Agbamuche-Mbu.

This latest development marks a legal and reputational setback for Yakubu, who had overseen Nigeria’s electoral body for two full terms.

By Uzair Adam

A PhD student from Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (ABU), Hidaya Lawal, has called for greater recognition of the role played by Islamic scholars (ulama) in shaping Kano’s traditional healthcare system, saying their influence remains central to public health and community well-being.

The call was made on Wednesday during the second day of a two-day conference organized by the Faculty of History and Development Studies, Bayero University, Kano (BUK).

The conference, themed “Ulama and Politics in Nigeria: Historical Perspectives,” brought together scholars, clerics, and political leaders from across the country.

Presenting her paper titled “The Influence of the Ulama on the Traditional Healthcare System in Kano Metropolis,” Lawal said her study seeks to rediscover the contributions of Islamic scholars to healthcare in Kano, particularly in the post-colonial period.

She explained that traditional medicine in Kano is often misunderstood, noting that it combines Islamic medicine with refined local Hausa practices aligned with the Qur’an and Hadith.

“When we talk about traditional healthcare, people usually think of pre-jihad practices. But in Kano, traditional medicine is an integration of Islamic and Hausa medical practices that have been tested and confirmed to be in line with Islamic teachings,” she said.

Lawal added that while early scholars such as Uthman Dan Fodio and others influenced the health system in the past, modern-day ulama have not received adequate academic attention.

She said the traditional medical system in Kano is holistic and covers mental, social, and moral well-being, not just physical health.

“Unlike Western medicine, which focuses mainly on curing diseases, our traditional medicine emphasizes total well-being—what we call lafiya,” she explained.

Lawal also noted that preventive health practices found in Islam align with modern medical guidelines.

“During the COVID-19 pandemic, practices like handwashing and avoiding overcrowding were already part of Islamic public health principles,” she said.

According to her, collaboration between the ulama, the government, and research institutions has strengthened public trust in traditional medicine.

“Some herbal medicines have been tested by Bayero University Kano’s Department of Pharmacognosy and found to be up to 80 percent safe,” she said.

She added that the ulama also play a key role in addressing harmful superstitions and beliefs that affect mental health.

“Their sermons have helped reduce anxiety and discrimination, especially against women, by correcting false beliefs rooted in tradition,” she said.

Lawal said her research aims to promote greater understanding of the ulama’s influence on public health and encourage the integration of traditional and modern healthcare systems in Kano.

By Fatima Badawi

Scholars, educators and policymakers converged at Bayero University, Kano this week for the 5th International Conference of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development (NCRRD). Held under the theme “Reading Research and Practice: The Implication of Artificial Intelligence,” the conference examined how AI-driven technologies are reshaping reading instruction, literacy assessment, publishing and access to texts across Nigeria and the larger Global South.

The opening session featured a keynote address delivered in absentia by Dr. Aminu Maida, who was represented on the platform by Dr. Isma’il Adegbite. Dr. Maida, who currently serves as a leading figure in Nigeria’s technology and telecommunications space, set the tone by urging researchers and practitioners to treat AI as both an opportunity and a responsibility: a tool that can expand access to reading materials and personalized learning, but one that must be governed by inclusive policy and literacy-centred design.

The conference’s intellectual programme was anchored by lead papers from eminent figures in Nigerian education and development. Professor Sadiya Daura, Director General of the National Teachers’ Institute (NTI), presented her lead paper on teacher preparation for AI-enhanced classrooms, arguing that pre-service and in-service teacher education must integrate digital literacies and critical appraisal of algorithmic tools. Professor Mohammed Laminu Mele, the Vice-Chancellor of the University of Maiduguri, addressed infrastructure and equity, highlighting that without targeted investment in connectivity and localized content, AI risks widening existing literacy gaps in underserved communities.

Furthermore, in her remarks, Professor Amina Adamu, Director of the Nigeria Centre for Reading Research and Development, framed the conference’s aims around actionable outcomes: stronger university–school partnerships, pilot programmes that deploy AI tools for mother-tongue reading instruction, and an ethics working group to develop guidelines for the use of automated assessment and adaptive reading platforms. In her remarks Professor Adamu emphasised the Centre’s commitment to research that is directly useful to classrooms and communities in Northern Nigeria. She also commended and thanked all the partners who are always there for the Centre right from its inception to date. Some of the International and Local partners who participate in the conference include; QEDA, Ubongo, NERDC, UBEC, Plain, USAID among many others.

Some of the panel discussions explored concrete applications: on how AI-assisted text-to-speech and speech-to-text for low-resource languages; automated item generation for formative reading assessments; and data-driven reading interventions that preserve local genres and oral traditions rather than replacing them. Most of the papers presented during the event stressed that technology pilots must be accompanied by teacher coaching, community engagement and open-access content.

Participants included university academics, representatives from teacher education institutions, ministry officials, civil society literacy advocates and publishing professionals. The conference closed with a call for a multi-stakeholder roadmap: investment in localized datasets and annotated corpora for Nigerian languages, professional development pathways for teachers, and research ethics protocols to ensure that AI systems amplify, rather than marginalize, local knowledge and reading practices.

Organisers said the 5th NCRRD conference will feed into pilot projects and policy briefs to be shared with educational authorities and development partners. Delegates left with a clear message: AI’s promise for reading and literacy is real, but realising it will require literate design, purposeful investment and a sustained partnership between researchers, teachers and communities.

By Uzair Adam 

Bayero University, Kano (BUK), on Tuesday hosted a landmark conference organised by the Faculty of History and Development Studies, exploring the historical and contemporary roles of ulama in Nigerian politics. 

The event, themed “Ulama and Politics in Nigeria: Historical Perspectives,” attracted scholars, politicians, and religious leaders from across the country.

Professor Muhammad Wada, Dean of the Faculty of History and Development Studies at the university, explained that the central mission of the conference is to highlight the pivotal role of ulama—Islamic scholars—in societal development. 

He stated that, “Over the years, through our research, we realised that ulama have played and continue to play an important role in various spheres of life, including politics and economics. 

“This conference seeks to address widespread misconceptions about whether it is legitimate for ulama to be involved in politics,” Professor Wada added.

He further stated that the conference has received hundreds of abstracts from scholars of various fields, demonstrating the broad relevance of the topic. 

“Historically, ulama have contributed to societal development, and they remain capable of doing so today. 

“Their role goes beyond leading prayers or teaching religion; it extends to guiding the public in political and civic matters,” Professor Wada emphasised.

Professor Sani Umar, one of the keynote speakers, described the conference as “highly enriching and a model that should be held regularly to sensitise ulama and the public alike.” 

He stressed that the discussions are not only relevant to Muslims but also to followers of other faiths, promoting mutual understanding and peaceful coexistence. 

Umar further explained that the widespread perception that ulama should avoid politics is misguided, noting that true politics involves leadership, compassion, and care for the vulnerable—qualities inherent in the work of scholars.

Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, Chairman of the Council of Ulama, urged the public to recognise that politics is for everyone and that ulama, given their knowledge and moral grounding, are particularly well-suited to political engagement. 

He called for more frequent conferences of this kind, at least twice or three times a year, and appealed to media professionals to disseminate these messages widely, including via social media.

The conference drew participation from ulama representing various Islamic sects, academics, and politicians, including Sule Lamido, the former Governor of Jigawa State. 

Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, represented by Professor Tijjani Muhammad, also attended, highlighting the significance of the event for both scholarship and governance.

The two-day conference will continue tomorrow with plenary sessions, providing a platform for rigorous discussion on the contributions of ulama to Nigerian society and politics.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Omar Yaghi, a Palestinian-born scientist whose journey began in a refugee family in Jordan, has been awarded the 2025 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

The Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences announced the honour earlier today, recognising his pioneering work in designing and developing new classes of materials that have revolutionised the field of chemistry.

Speaking to reporters while in transit between flights, Yaghi reflected on his humble beginnings: “My parents could barely read or write. It’s been quite a journey. Science allows you to do it.”

Born to Palestinian refugees who fled to Jordan, Yaghi’s journey to scientific excellence was far from straightforward. As a young student, he was drawn to the beauty of chemistry, a fascination that eventually led him to develop metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), materials now vital in energy storage, clean water production, and environmental sustainability.

Yaghi described his motivation as both artistic and intellectual: “I set out to build beautiful things and solve intellectual problems.”

For many across the Arab world, especially Palestinians, Yaghi’s achievement serves as an inspiring reminder that brilliance can arise from the most difficult beginnings.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Former Vice President Atiku Abubakar has accused President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration of promoting forgery and deceit as instruments of governance, following the resignation of Uche Nnaji, Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology.

In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, Atiku described Nnaji’s “voluntary resignation” as an attempt to cover up a scandal that exposes the “deep moral crisis” within the Tinubu government. He said Nnaji should have been dismissed and prosecuted for falsifying documents rather than allowed to quietly exit.

Atiku also faulted the Department of State Services (DSS) for clearing Nnaji despite alleged discrepancies in his records, accusing the agency of “failing in due diligence” and embarrassing the nation.

He linked the scandal to what he called a wider pattern of deceit that “begins from the very top,” pointing to longstanding controversies over President Tinubu’s own identity and academic credentials.

“When a man of questionable identity leads a country, deception becomes the standard of governance,” Atiku said, alleging that Tinubu’s personal history has “institutionalized falsehood in public service.”

The former vice president called for an independent and transparent investigation into the academic and professional records of all members of the Federal Executive Council, starting with the president.

Atiku concluded that Nigeria would continue to suffer “moral decay, economic ruin, and global embarrassment” unless integrity was restored to public life.

By Anas Abbas

The Senior Staff Association of Nigerian Universities (SSANU) and the Non-Academic Staff Union of Educational and Associated Institutions (NASU) have declared a one-day nationwide protest for Thursday, October 9, 2025, over the Federal Government’s failure to address their long-standing demands.

Acting under the umbrella of the Joint Action Committee (JAC), both unions have directed their branches to hold joint emergency congresses on Wednesday, October 8, to mobilise members for the protest.

According to the directive, the protest activities will include peaceful marches within campuses, display of placards, and press briefings to draw public attention to their grievances.

The decision followed a comprehensive review of government actions during JAC’s meeting held on October 6, after the expiration of several ultimatums earlier issued to the Federal Government.

Among the unresolved issues are the alleged unequal disbursement of the ₦50 billion earned allowances, delay in renegotiating the 2009 FGN/NASU/SSANU agreements, non-payment of two months’ outstanding salaries, arrears of 25 and 35 per cent salary increments, and non-remittance of third-party deductions for May and June 2022.

JAC had earlier given a seven-day ultimatum to the government on September 15, which was later extended by another 14 days, expiring on Monday, October 6, without any concrete response.

In a circular dated October 6, 2025, and titled “Commencement of Protest Actions,” jointly signed by NASU General Secretary, Prince Peters Adeyemi, and SSANU National President, Comrade Mohammed Ibrahim, the unions instructed all branches to fully participate in the protest.

The circular stated, “Following the inauguration of the Joint Consultative Committee by the Honourable Minister of Education to look into the demands of JAC of NASU and SSANU, the committee met twice on Friday, 19th September 2025, and Monday, 6th October 2025 with little progress, as our demands remain unresolved despite the extension of the ultimatum.”

It added that all members in both federal and state-owned universities “are expected to strictly comply with this directive,” stressing that unity and total participation were crucial to the success of the action.

SSANU President, Mohammed Ibrahim, recently accused the government of insincerity, warning that the unions could declare an indefinite strike if their demands remain unmet.

“Ours will not be the ‘mother of all strikes’; it will be the grandfather of all strikes,” Ibrahim said. “When SSANU or NASU strike, you know what it means. We must take our destinies in our hands.”

He also lamented the worsening condition of non-academic staff in universities, describing them as “the worst hit financially, economically, and psychologically.”

Both SSANU and NASU have been in prolonged disagreement with the Federal Government over issues relating to staff welfare, funding, and the implementation of existing agreements, like Academic staff union of universities ( ASUU)

By Muhammad Abubakar

The Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has denied claims of a Christian genocide in Nigeria, calling such reports misleading and lacking a consistent pattern, as reported by The Guardian (Nigeria).

The claims gained attention after U.S. comedian Bill Maher and Senator Ted Cruz accused Islamist groups and Nigerian officials of persecuting Christians. Cruz even proposed sanctions through the Nigeria Religious Freedom Accountability Act. 

At the same time, U.S. lawmaker Riley Moore urged the U.S. government to halt arms sales and label Nigeria a “Country of Particular Concern.”

In response, Nigeria’s Presidency denied any religious war, stressing that the violence affects all citizens regardless of faith.

CAN’s Director of National Issues and Social Welfare, Abimbola Ayuba, acknowledged widespread killings but said they were not targeted solely at Christians. He noted that both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to terrorist attacks, adding that bullets “don’t look for a Christian or spare a Muslim.”

Ayuba cautioned against foreign interference and urged Nigerians to work collectively to end the insurgency through local institutions rather than seeking sympathy abroad.