By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Troops in Zamfara State demonstrated “exceptional bravery” but suffered significant losses during a terrorist ambush over the weekend, military authorities confirmed.

The incident occurred on January 19, 2026, along the Bingi–Kekun Waje–Gusau Road. Soldiers from Operation FANSAN YAMMA (OPFY) were returning from a series of successful offensives and responding to a distress call when they were attacked at Gidan Wagni.

Despite the surprise assault, the troops fought back, preventing the attackers from reaching nearby communities. The engagement, however, came at a high cost, with five soldiers and one police officer killed.

Reinforcements, including a Mobile Strike Team and a Quick Reaction Force personally led by a Brigade Commander, swiftly mobilized to the scene. A counter-ambush forced the terrorists to withdraw.

Credible intelligence suggests the fleeing terrorists suffered heavy casualties, with notorious kingpins JANWUYA and ALHAJI BELLO—a top lieutenant to bandit leader KACHALLA SOJA—seriously injured.

The ambush followed a major three-day operation from January 17-19, where troops raided terrorist enclaves in Birnin Magaji and Anka. Those earlier operations led to three arrests, four terrorists killed, and the recovery of a cache of weapons, including a PKT machine gun, five AK-47 rifles, and communication radios.

The Theatre Commander has condoled with the forces and commended their courage. Operation FANSAN YAMMA assures the public that the situation is under control and has urged citizens to continue supporting security efforts with timely information.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar AlgasgainiA major political realignment may be imminent as President Bola Tinubu is set to meet with the leader of the Kwankwasiyya movement, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso.The highly anticipated meeting, scheduled for later today, follows closely on the heels of President Tinubu’s closed-door session with Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, a key Kwankwaso protégé, at the Presidential Villa on Wednesday.Reliable sources indicate Governor Yusuf facilitated the engagement after President Tinubu expressed a desire to harmonize political interests across party lines. This is seen as part of broader consultations ahead of the 2027 general elections.Senator Kwankwaso, the 2023 presidential candidate of the New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), had previously opposed joining the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC). However, he recently hinted at a potential shift, stating he would consider a move if presented with a “satisfactory offer” from the ruling party.A senior APC North-West leader confirmed the planned meeting, stating, “The President is keen on broadening his political base. Discussions will likely focus on national stability, political cooperation, and the future alignment of forces ahead of 2027.”This rapid political maneuvering has intensified speculation about the future of the NNPP and the influential Kwankwasiyya structure. It remains unclear whether Kwankwaso and Governor Yusuf are planning a coordinated move or separate strategies.Political analysts suggest that aligning the Kwankwasiyya movement with the APC would significantly reshape northern politics. Such a move could also undermine efforts by opposition figures like Peter Obi and Atiku Abubakar to form a formidable “Third Force” coalition, with Kwankwaso previously considered a central pillar.Securing the cooperation of both Kano’s sitting governor and its most influential political movement would dramatically bolster the APC’s strength in the vote-rich state, a critical battleground in any national election.All parties involved have yet to make official statements as the political landscape awaits the outcome of this crucial meeting.

By Abubakar Muhammad

AFCON has just concluded. Senegal won the trophy, but many football enthusiasts know that the actual play of the game is only half of the big spectacle. There are many things going on backstage that take time to materialise. When you look at the countries, roll the camera, and see them doing well, you will see patterns lock into place. There might be visible investment and development of physical infrastructure, but there is also something more to it. 

As a sideline to every soccer tournament, one of the things I pay attention to is the grassroots, street-level infrastructure that feeds talent to the national team. In these tournaments, you would not only pay attention to the official game or what happens in the big arenas, but also to the images that come out from foreign visitors depicting themselves playing outside the formal venues. The soccer crowd, wherever they are, tend to find where to play.  To host a tournament, you really need a solid infrastructure for both formal and informal arenas. But more so, this tells us stories about the status of the game, leisure and where citizens play. 

As usual, it seems Nigeria is left behind when it comes to grassroots soccer infrastructure. Senegal, Algeria, Angola, etc, have a thriving street soccer infrastructure. This infrastructure is not formal, but it seems to enjoy greater consensus that cuts across the formal-informal divide between citizens and governments. 

In Latin America, there are spaces in favelas and barrios where local kids can play the game. The spaces may not be the same, may use different nomenclature, may straddle the line between the formal and the informal, but they retain the same purpose and spirit.

In Senegal, they are in the form of navétanes, a semi-formal regional tournament played in local spaces. These spaces are not owned by the government or private individuals, unlike, say, primary school premises or other government buildings. They are simply communal spaces where the navétanes games are played. These spaces are respected by everyone; no encroachment or erection of structures, public or privately owned. Kids start their careers in their neighbourhoods and progress to regional teams, then to the professional league, the national team, and onward to international careers. You find similar spaces in Brazil as developing ground for talents that would later go on to dazzle a global audience. 

In North Africa, they have a thriving culture of street football played in what we can call in Nigeria a 7-aside stadium. The difference is that these spaces in North Africa are free and open to everyone. They sit in open spaces in the middle of neighbourhoods. The key idea here is access and openness. The use of open space for soccer must not require any payment and must remove any other impediments that can exclude people. A truly public space is one that lets you in without charging a fee or asking for proof of innocence.

In Nigeria, empty lots and vacant spaces are constantly being developed. There is no respect for spaces where kids can play. The idea is that in places where formal sporting infrastructure is not in place, small-scale community members use these spaces for leisure and sporting activities. Kids will have a chance to play the game from a very young age until they dribble their way to the national team. The grassroots in many parts of the world are where players are developed and imbued with the spirit of the nation before they enter the academy for the refinement of their talents. 

African soccer, like its South American counterpart, is largely dependent on informal infrastructure, with local people coming together to build their own. People-as-infrastructure is a concept in which citizens enter into a series of temporary, makeshift arrangements with one another to provide services that authorities are unable to deliver.

By killing these spaces, Nigeria is killing her young talents. It makes it difficult for the local kids to develop an interest, let alone play the game and nurture their talents. Angola, not really a footballing nation, has a thriving street football culture. I noticed from the videos I watched that street lots exist, and they are everywhere. They don’t seem to be developed or encroached so rampant as we see in Nigeria. It seems these spaces are protected by consensus, just like they are protected in Brazilian favelas and Argentina’s barrios. 

Football is the game of the poor. Commercialise football, and you create a barrier where only the rich can afford to play. Commercial football delivers more money to the pockets of a few individuals without bringing much-needed collective glory to the national team. The English Premier League is the wealthiest league in the world, but the country has fallen far behind other footballing nations.  Germany has an academy system in place, but their overall sporting culture is anchored around a process that resembles socialist democratic football more than an individualistic, capitalist model that Nigeria tends to lean towards. 

One of the biggest problems that Nigeria’s football faces as an institution is the seeming, increasing reliance on the academy for its national talents. Academies are simply there for money. Another thing is the seeming sole reliance on foreign-based players. This is understandable for the refined talents abroad, but there seems to be a problem with that in Nigeria. 

There is nothing wrong with foreign-based players populating the national team. Countries tap into their talents abroad, sharpened by cutting-edge training models and infrastructure. One of the biggest problems with this, in the case of Nigeria, is that players know exactly why they’re called up to the national team. They understand why, and there is no confusion about the nature of the transaction. There is nothing that dilutes or softens the nature of the transaction. The country only sees them when it needs them. The country is not there when they need her, and so, in their bloom and glory, they may not give their all. They will not play with their blood and heart. 

Secondly, tapping into foreign players in Nigeria is not grounded in any philosophical sporting policy. For instance, what does it mean for a player to play for the national team? What does the national team mean to them? What is that one thing that all players can understand as a common language and shared values? Something like a unique national culture common among the youth? You can only find this in street football played across the country. Pick that ideology and craft it into the national sports policy. What we see instead is total indifference at best, if not outright obstacles thrown in the way of the nation’s youth by the government and private interest groups. 

By eliminating informal spaces, we have destroyed the conviviality and socio-spatial relations that emerge from street games. Street soccer gives the manager of the national team a foundation, something to start with. The street is where every player understands what it means to play for the national team. From the ground up, the Nigerian player can develop a sense of Nigerianness, just as French players are instilled with French values and what it means to play for the national team. But since we don’t have the formal structures and arrangements of the French, Germans, or English, where players are developed through various academies under the guidelines of the national football federations, the street is where our players should build their character. The Senegalese have taken the navétanes and use it as a national sports policy. It is an informal, grassroots football that develops independently of the government. The coach and players speak the same football language that came from the streets. 

By erecting structures on every available space in Nigeria, you tighten the rope for the children in local communities and make it hard for ordinary folks to make their way to the national team. So many talents would slip through the cracks before rising to the top and reaching their full potential. We are already importing a dangerous trend from abroad, where only kids from wealthy backgrounds can play the game and reach the professional level.

And since we don’t have meaningful ways in which citizens feel indebted to their governments and their countries beyond familial ties, the very few that already found their way to the highest level of the game know why they’re playing. They’re simply playing commercial football. They have already paid the price on the way to Europe without the aid of any national structure. When you call them up to the national team after this, they will not play with their heart and their blood. 

Abubakar Muhammad is from Kano, Nigeria. 

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu is currently holding a closed-door meeting with Kano State Governor, Abba Kabir Yusuf, at the State House in Abuja.

Governor Yusuf arrived at the Presidential Villa shortly after 4:00 PM West Africa Time on Monday. He was received and escorted to the President’s office by the Chief of Staff, Femi Gbajabiamila.

The high-level meeting is taking place against a backdrop of sustained political speculation. There have been persistent reports suggesting Governor Yusuf may soon defect from the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to join the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).

Neither party has officially commented on the agenda of the private discussion. The outcome is being closely watched by political observers, given Kano State’s significant influence in national politics.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The father of Umar Auwalu, the prime suspect in the brutal killing of a housewife and her six children in Kano State, has urged authorities to hasten the prosecution of the case and carry out the death sentence on his son if found guilty.

Mallam Auwalu made the appeal on Monday while speaking during a programme on a local radio station in Kano. He openly condemned the alleged actions of his son and distanced himself from the crime.

“The likes of Umar, my son, should not be allowed to live in society. They should be eliminated to allow for a sane environment,” he said in Hausa.

He also claimed that he had earlier suspected Umar’s involvement in the killing of the junior sister of the same family in Dorayi Hausa last month. According to him, the suspect may have taken part in several crimes before his arrest.

“I am quite sure that Umar has been committing many crimes which we are not aware of. Now that he has been arrested, he should be punished accordingly,” he added.

Mallam Auwalu warned against any delay in the legal process, expressing concern that interference could lead to the suspect regaining freedom.

“I don’t want the government or security agencies to delay his trial. If he stays in prison even for one day, some politicians may come and forgive him, and that will not go well for our society,” he said.

The victims, identified as Fatima Abubakar and her six children, were killed after assailants invaded their residence in Dorayi Chiranchi Quarters of Kano metropolis on Saturday.

The Kano State Police Command disclosed that it received a distress call at about 12:10pm concerning an attack on the home of Haruna Bashir. Police said the victims were assaulted with dangerous weapons, which resulted in fatal injuries.

In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, the Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, ordered the immediate deployment of a team led by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations, DCP Lawal Isah Mani, to the scene.

The victims’ bodies were later moved to the Murtala Mohammed Specialist Hospital, Kano, where medical personnel confirmed them dead.

By Muhammad Abubakar

Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Saliu, the Chief Imam of Ilorin, has passed away at the age of 75.

His death was confirmed on Monday, January 19, 2026. The revered Islamic scholar reportedly died after decades of devoted service to Islam and the Ilorin Emirate.

Sheikh Muhammad Bashir Saliu was widely respected for his scholarship, spiritual leadership, and commitment to promoting peace and Islamic values within Ilorin and beyond.

His passing marks the end of an era for the Ilorin Muslim community, where he played a central role in religious guidance and communal affairs.

Tributes are expected to pour in from religious leaders, traditional institutions, and faithful across Nigeria, mourning the loss of a prominent cleric and community leader.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, has announced plans to dissolve the country’s parliament on Friday and hold a snap general election, a move aimed at securing public backing for her spending agenda and wider policy programme.

The announcement, made on Monday, comes barely three months after Takaichi assumed office as Japan’s first female prime minister. The planned election will determine all 465 seats in the lower house of parliament and will represent her first nationwide electoral test since taking office.

“Today, I, as the Prime Minister, have decided to dissolve the lower house on January 23,” Takaichi said at a news conference.

Political observers say an early vote could help the prime minister take advantage of her current popularity. It could also strengthen her position within the ruling Liberal Democratic Party and stabilise her coalition, which holds a narrow majority in parliament.

The coming election is expected to focus heavily on economic concerns, especially rising living costs. Many voters have expressed anxiety about inflation and household expenses. A recent opinion poll released by public broadcaster NHK indicated that 45 per cent of respondents identified prices as their biggest concern.

Diplomacy and national security followed, with 16 per cent.If confirmed, the snap election will set the stage for a major political contest that will shape Japan’s economic direction and test public confidence in Takaichi’s leadership at an early stage of her tenure.

By Professor Salisu Shehu, Executive Secretary, Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council (NERDC)

Paper Presented at the maiden international conference of the Department of Art and Social Science Education, Federal University, Dutse. Jigawa State held on the 13^th January 2016

Introduction

It is with great enthusiasm that I wish to thank the organisers for inviting me to the maiden International Conference of the Department of Arts and Social Science Education, Federal University, Dutse. I am delighted to be delivering a paper on “Policy, Pedagogy and Practice: Reforming the Curriculum for Moral and Digital Competence”. This maiden conference is of particular significance because of its focus on upholding moral responsibilities in the face of rapid penetration of information technology in the world of  today. It is no news to anyone that although information technology has positively impacted on our world, making life a lot easier than it was some decades ago, it comes with a myriad of challenges that sometimes undermine our moral values, age long principles of good living and our most cherished societal norms.

Without a doubt, education is the sector of the economy that holds the key to transformational national development. It remains the gateway to human capital development, social reengineering and total rebirth of a society confronted with many ills arising, largely from the wrong use of information technology. The unprecedented integration of digital technologies into daily life in recent times has raised important issues regarding responsibility, ethics, and the effects on society. Digital competence, encompassing abilities in information literacy, data security, and the responsible use of AI, must now intersect with moral competence, which encompasses values such as civic engagement, respect, and accountability. To fulfil these two imperatives and ensure that education not only transmits knowledge but also develops responsible digital citizens, curriculum reform remains indispensable.

Globally, contemporary curriculum reform is increasingly informed by internationally recognised frameworks such as Global Citizenship Education (GCED), Education for Sustainable Development (ESD), and the European Union’s Digital Competence Framework (DigComp). These foreground ethical responsibility, social justice, sustainability, global interconnectedness, and ethical engagement in digital environments (EU, 2018). These global frameworks have also influenced our national curriculum reforms with the aim of refocusing our education system and preparing learners for responsible participation in a rapidly changing world. However, the influence of these frameworks on curriculum reform process has been gauged with our uniqueness as a people.

The accelerating integration of technologies into education has also heightened concerns around misinformation, cyberbullying, data privacy breaches, online radicalisation, and digital addiction. Consequently, moral education, digital citizenship, and ethical use of technology are no longer optional but have become central pillars of contemporary curriculum design. In parallel, persistent global challenges of equity, access, and inclusion continue to shape reform agendas. Curriculum transformation must therefore address disparities in digital access and learning opportunities, particularly within developing contexts. In this regard, Nigeria’s curriculum reform efforts are geared towards striking a careful balance between global best practices and our local socio-cultural realities.

More broadly, curriculum reform has become a global imperative as nations strive to respond to the rapid technological change, moral uncertainty, economic restructuring, and the pressures of globalisation. Today’s education no longer focuses solely on knowledge transmission, but on fostering competencies that enable learners to function effectively, ethically, and responsibly in complex, digitalised, and pluralistic societies (UNESCO, 2015; OECD, 2019). As a result, moral competence and digital competence have emerged as critical learning outcomes in our revised national school curricula.

The revised national school curricula also represent a deliberate shift away from content-heavy instructional models toward the development of functional skills, values, attitudes, and competencies that align with our national development priorities and global competitiveness. In the new school curricula, moral competence and responsible technology use are highly emphasised. As digital technologies are integrated into learning, it is our responsibility as educators to ensure that learners are not only digitally proficient but also morally grounded in the ethical use of technology.

Arising from the foregoing, this paper argues, and correctly, that meaningful and sustainable curriculum reforms must deliberately integrate moral and digital competence across policy formulation, curriculum design, pedagogy, and classroom practice. Drawing on global curriculum trends and using the NERDC curriculum review process as a reference point, the paper advances the position that moral and digital competence should be conceptualised and implemented as core curriculum outcomes not as extracurricular activity.

Statement of Position and Central Argument

For curriculum reform to produce functional and adaptable learners for the 21st century, it must deliberately prioritise moral and digital competence within an outcome-based competency framework. Disciplinary and subject knowledge are increasingly insufficient in addressing contemporary social, economic, and technological challenges. There must be a deliberate integration of values and digital skills into curriculum design.

The central argument of this paper is threefold. First, moral and digital competence constitute foundational capacities for lifelong learning, employability, social participation, and responsible citizenship in today’s world. Learners who possess technical skills without ethical grounding are ill-equipped to navigate complex moral dilemmas, misinformation, and digital risks. In fact, such learners constitute a danger to the society, in all ramifications. Second, curriculum reform that concentrates primarily on policy redesign and content restructuring, without corresponding alignment in pedagogy, assessment, and classroom practice, risks remaining rhetorical rather than transformative (Fullan, 2016). Meaningful reform requires coherence between curriculum intentions and everyday teaching and learning processes. Third, the long-term effectiveness of the NERDC curriculum reform initiative depends on the extent to which moral and digital competence are systematically embedded across subject areas, instructional strategies, assessment approaches, teacher professional development, and school culture. Without such integration, curriculum reform may not meet the intended impact on learning outcomes and national development.

Policy landscape for moral and digital competence in the Nigerian education sector

Educational policy provides the normative, regulatory, and structural foundation for curriculum development and implementation. In Nigeria, the National Policy on Education places strong emphasis on the holistic development of learners who can contribute to national development (Federal Republic of Nigeria [FRN], 2014). Consistent with this policy orientation, our curriculum reviews reflect a deliberate shift toward functional, learner-centred teaching and learning.

It is on this premise that our revised school curricula explicitly integrate 21st-century skills, including critical thinking, creativity, collaboration, communication, and digital literacy. This aligns our policy direction with global curriculum reform trends that prioritise transferable skills, adaptability, and problem-solving capacities over rote memorisation and content accumulation (UNESCO, 2015; World Bank, 2020). It is also done in recognition of the need to prepare learners for the rapidly evolving labour markets, civic participation, and lifelong learning in our digitalised world.

Despite these advances, significant policy gaps persist, particularly in the linkage between education policy, national digital transformation strategies, and youth development frameworks. It is against this backdrop that this paper argues that there should be greater coherence between education policy, national digital transformation strategies, and youth development frameworks to ensure policy alignment and systemic implementation for impact at the school level. Without such integration, the transformative potential of curriculum reform risks being undermined in implementation.

Pedagogical Imperatives for Moral and Digital Competence

Curriculum reform cannot yield meaningful outcomes without a corresponding pedagogical transformation. Traditional teacher-centred instructional approaches, which are largely characterised by rote memorisation, passive learning, and examination-driven practices, are fundamentally incompatible with competency-based education. This is because the competency-based approaches prioritise the development of transferable skills, values, and applied knowledge (Darling-Hammond et al., 2020). To effectively cultivate moral reasoning and digital competence, learning environments must be learner-centred, participatory, and reflective. Learning must also enable learners to actively construct meaning and apply learning in their daily lives.

Furthermore, there must be emphasis on the use of pedagogies that foster moral competence and sustained engagement with values, ethical reasoning, and real-life moral dilemmas. These strategies (such as values clarification, character education, moral dilemma discussions, service learning, and civic engagement) would provide learners with opportunities to reflect on ethical issues, negotiate moral conflicts, and internalise socially desirable values, and are achieved through practice and social interaction (Nucci, Narvaez, & Krettenauer, 2014). These approaches shift moral education from abstract moral instruction to lived moral experience, thereby strengthening learners’ capacity for ethical judgment and responsible citizenship.

In a similar vein, the development of digital competence requires pedagogical approaches that promote creativity, collaboration, critical thinking, and problem-solving. Learner-centred strategies such as project-based learning, inquiry-based learning, collaborative learning, and blended or technology-enhanced learning environments allow learners to engage meaningfully with digital tools while simultaneously developing ethical awareness, media literacy, and responsible online behaviour. Through these pedagogical models, learners are not merely users of technology but reflective digital citizens capable of evaluating information, managing digital risks, and applying technology responsibly.

Furthermore, assessment practices must also be aligned with the principles of outcome-based competence education. Teachers should use portfolios, project work, performance-based tasks, peer assessment, and formative feedback to evaluate moral and digital competence (OECD, 2019). These assessment approaches would capture learners’ ability to apply knowledge, demonstrate ethical judgment, and assess how skills are transferred across contexts.

A major challenge to this is funding. Limited professional development opportunities, insufficient monitoring and evaluation mechanisms, teachers’ resistance to change, limited capacity for innovative instructional practices, and deeply entrenched examination-oriented school cultures are affecting curriculum implementation. Additionally, technological constraints, such as infrastructure and unequal access to digital resources, are affecting the effective integration of digital competence.

Socio-cultural factors also present challenges, including divergent value systems, parental concerns, and ethical anxieties surrounding learners’ exposure to digital environments. Without deliberate planning and sustained support, there is a risk that moral and digital competence may be treated superficially, resulting in symbolic compliance rather than genuine pedagogical transformation and meaningful learning outcomes.

Strategic Directions and Suggestions

To address these challenges, this paper proposes several strategic directions.

1. Curriculum policy implementation and monitoring must be strengthened to ensure alignment between intended and enacted curricula.
2. Moral and digital competence should be explicitly defined as compulsory learning outcomes across educational levels beginning from the teacher training institutions.
3. Improved and sustained investment in teacher professional development is essential. This should include comprehensive pre-service training in teachers’ training institutions to build foundational skills in moral and digital competence from the outset, as well as ongoing in-service training programmes for practising teachers.
4. Establishment of sustained partnerships with technology firms and the community. This would support resource provision and also provide opportunities for experiential learning.
5. Curriculum reform should be viewed as a continuous, evidence-informed process responsive to societal change.

Conclusion

Reforming the curriculum for moral and digital competence is necessary in the context of Nigeria’s educational transformation. The Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council curriculum review is a significant step toward outcome and competency-based education. However, its success depends on the adoption of innovative pedagogies and effective classroom practice.

Preparing learners for ethical and functional participation in a digital world requires coordinated action among policymakers, educators, communities, and other stakeholders. Curriculum reform must therefore be intentional, holistic, and sustained if it is to produce morally grounded, digitally competent, and socially responsible citizens.

Other Resources

Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2020). Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development. Applied Developmental Science, 24(2), 97–140. https://doi.org/10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791

European Union. (2018). DigComp 2.1: The Digital Competence Framework for Citizens with eight proficiency levels and examples of use. Publications Office of the European Union.

Federal Republic of Nigeria. (2014). National policy on education (6th ed.). NERDC Press.

NERDC. (2023). Revised national curriculum framework for basic and secondary education in Nigeria. Nigerian Educational Research and Development Council

Nucci, L. P., Narvaez, D., & Krettenauer, T. (2014). Handbook of moral and character education (2nd ed.). Routledge.

Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). (2019). OECD learning compass 2030: A series of concept notes. OECD Publishing.

UNESCO. (2015). Global citizenship education: Topics and learning objectives. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

UNESCO. (2015). Rethinking education: Towards a global common good? United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

UNESCO. (2023). Guidance on generative AI in education and research. United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation.

World Bank. (2020). World development report 2020: Trading for development in the age of global value chains. World Bank Publications.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

The Kano State Judiciary has pledged to expedite the trial of those accused of a gruesome massacre that claimed seven lives in Dorayi, Chiranci, Gidan Kwari.

A spokesperson for the council, Baba Jibo Ibrahim, made the declaration in an interview with Freedom Radio Nigeria, stating that there would be no delays as the incident has profoundly shaken the conscience of the community.

“The case will not be delayed because this matter has deeply disturbed every person of faith,” Ibrahim stated emphatically.

He further issued a strong appeal to the executive arm of government, urging them to ensure the prompt execution of court judgements once delivered.

This, he emphasized, is crucial for restoring lasting peace and public confidence in the justice system.

The commitment follows public outcry over the brutal killings, with authorities now under pressure to demonstrate that justice will be both swift and sure.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

Kano State Police have arrested three men suspected of masterminding the brutal killing of a housewife and her six children in the Dorayi Chiranchi area of the state.

The arrest followed a sting operation conducted between 10 p.m. on January 17 and 4 a.m. on January 18, 2026, based on directives from the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun.

Commissioner of Police, CP Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, stated that the principal suspect, Umar Auwalu, 23, who is a nephew to the deceased woman, confessed to the crime during interrogation.

Auwalu also admitted that his syndicate was responsible for several other recent violent attacks, including the killing and burning of two housewives in Tudun Yola Quarters.

Other suspects arrested are Isyaku Yakubu (aka Chebe), 40, and Yakubu Abdulaziz (aka Wawo), 21.

Police recovered several items from the suspects, including blood-stained clothes, the deceased’s two mobile phones, a cutlass, a club (Gora), an undisclosed sum of money stolen from the scene, and other dangerous weapons.

The Kano State Police Command commended the officers involved in the operation and the public for their support, assuring that investigation is ongoing and that all criminals will be brought to justice.