By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Supreme Court on Friday, August 23, dismissed the appeal filed by the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and its gubernatorial candidate, Samuel Anyawu, challenging the outcome of the Imo State governorship election. 

A unanimous judgement delivered by a five-member panel of the court, led by Justice Mohammed Baba Idris, found the appeal to be without merit, thereby affirming the original election result. 

This ruling brings the legal battle over the Imo State governorship election to a close, providing clarity and finality to the political landscape of the state.

By Uzair Adam

A woman in Jigawa State has died by self-immolation after reportedly being devastated by her recent divorce.

The 40-year-old, whose identity has been withheld, set herself on fire in Garin Mallam village, located in the Guri Local Government Area.

The incident was confirmed by DSP Lawan Shiisu, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) for the state, in a statement released on Friday in Dutse.

According to Shiisu, the woman poured petrol on herself and set herself ablaze on the outskirts of the village.

“On Thursday at about 7:40 a.m., the command received heartbreaking news from Guri that a woman had set herself on fire after pouring petrol on her body. The incident occurred in Garin Mallam village, and she was burnt beyond recognition,” Shiisu stated.

Following the report, officers from the Guri Divisional Police Headquarters were dispatched to the scene to verify the incident. The woman’s charred remains were subsequently taken to a hospital and later released to her family for burial.

Preliminary investigations suggest that the woman had been struggling with depression for several months after her divorce.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Ahmadu Abdullahi, expressed his condolences and urged the public to seek guidance and counseling from elders when facing difficult situations.

He also encouraged people to entrust their affairs to a higher power for solace.

By Uzair Adam

A Chinese company, Zhongshang Fucheng Industrial Investment Ltd, has seized another Nigerian jet, this time in Canada.

The firm, which has already been involved in the seizure of three Nigerian aircraft in France and other assets in various countries, took custody of the Bombardier 6000 type BD-700-1A10 aircraft after a Quebec court authorized the seizure.

This action is part of Zhongshang’s efforts to enforce an arbitration award of over $70 million against Nigeria, leading to the confiscation of several Nigerian assets overseas.

The dispute stems from a legal battle involving the Ogun State Government, which has seen the firm seize numerous Nigerian properties and aircraft as it seeks to recoup its claims.

Despite ongoing tensions, Zhongshang recently released an Airbus A330 aircraft, allowing Nigerian President Bola Tinubu to travel to France for a scheduled meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron.

By Uzair Adam

Residents of Sabon Birnin Daji in the Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State have accused soldiers of killing three people and over 100 cows during an incident at a local cattle market on Sunday.

According to eyewitnesses, the soldiers, some reportedly on motorcycles, arrived at the market and opened fire, resulting in the deaths of both humans and cattle.

Villagers are demanding compensation for the damages and losses incurred, claiming over 140 cows were killed and goods worth more than N50 million were destroyed.

One witness, Shamsudeen Sabon Birni, described how the soldiers confronted the Sarkin Pawa, the market leader, before shooting him.

Shamsudeen lamented the indiscriminate nature of the soldiers’ actions, stating they forced traders to lie down before firing at the animals and damaging their goods.

In response, the Nigerian Army has ordered a thorough investigation into the incident.

Major-General Onyema Nwachukwu, the army spokesperson, confirmed that the Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Taoreed Lagbaja, has directed an inquiry to determine the causes of the incident and hold those responsible accountable.

Amnesty International Nigeria and the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) have called for an independent investigation, expressing concerns about potential bias in the military’s internal probe and emphasizing the need for transparency and accountability in such cases.

The Kaduna State Police Command has yet to comment on the incident, as efforts to reach their spokesperson were unsuccessful.

Meanwhile, the community continues to grapple with the aftermath of the event, seeking justice and answers.

By Nura Jibo MRICS

His Excellency, the former governor of Jigawa State, wrote:

“The APC-controlled government of Jigawa State has WON all the Chairmanship seats of the 27 Local Governments and the 283 Councilorship seats in the YET to be conducted local government elections throughout the State. The reason being no opposition Party is able to pay the FIVE MILLION NAIRA for the Chairmanship and TWO MILLION NAIRA for the Councilorship nomination forms from the State electoral commission! While other States are engaged in protests over hunger and poverty, congratulations to Jigawa for being the most prosperous State in Nigeria. “

I responded to him below. Enjoy!

“Your Excellency,

Courtesies and good morning, sir.

With due respect, this was what your president and you did as his governor(s). Indeed, you did similar political maneuvering during your stewardship as Jigawa State Governor and got much of it! However, one thing that you politicians so often forget or hardly understand is that life is just like a piano! It keeps on repeating itself! I am happy you mentioned hunger and poverty in this short satirical write-up. 

Lest you forget, you were quoted several times on social media and in the national dailies asserting that the Talaka that your type impoverished cannot do anything to effect any meaningful change or something like it! You were quoted in the Leadership Stable Newspaper by Wole Olaoye in an article that he dubbed “Too Poor to Revolt,” saying: 

“Nigeria is too weak to break. Who will break it? The ordinary person in Jigawa, the ordinary person in Sokoto, or the ordinary person in Bayelsa? Is it the Igbo vulcanizer, the Yoruba woman selling kerosene by the roadside, or the Okada man in Delta? They don’t have the capacity to unite because they are burdened by poverty. We have taken away from them their dignity, their self-esteem, their pride, and their self-worth so that they cannot even organize.” Wole went ahead to quote you, affirming the fact that “Up there, we (the elite) unite… We will never allow Nigeria to break because once it breaks, we will lose. But the common man loses nothing. What is he losing? He is already in hell; he cannot lose anything more than this hell.”

Unfortunately, all these statements that you made were full of a dearth of political history and knowledge of the political changes that happened in certain parts of the world. Your Excellency, let me take you back to memory lane and inform you so that you see the reasons for the superficial statements that you made in the Leadership and so that you may give thanks to Jibo one day for telling it exactly how it is!

Excellency, you should be aware that the recent Zanga Zanga that started in Nigeria is just a precursor to what you hypothesized above, and want to make those with little or no knowledge of how politics and politicians use words to manipulate or intimidate the hapless and vulnerable by eating therefrom. Your Excellency, what you and all the Northern Governors failed to understand is this:

The resilience in Talaka that you spent so long a time defining and controversially defending under the tutelage, or better put, an appendage of Malam Aminu Kano’s school of thought, is only workable and thrives on individual mental toughness, which is not sufficient! Whenever you talk of hunger and poverty plus starvation in Talaka, there are other sides of it that local champion politicians, especially the northern ones, don’t know or deliberately ignore. 

The hunger and poverty-driven Zanga Zanga that you see is what I prefer to call organizational resilience and sustainability. Indeed, that form of deliberate Talaka’s subjection to poverty and hunger that you mentioned suggests that those highly pauperized Nigerians that your type thinks have dribbled and can charge them and score points any day are no longer susceptible to individual resilience and adaptability, sir! They are now resorting quickly to community resilience support systems essential for successfully navigating unpredictable circumstances. 

I don’t have the time, sir. Still, I could have opened up this political history debate by making you think profoundly about those statements you made, which, by and large, are nothing but one of those political mistakes that most African political leaders are good at. They no longer see the dangerous paths they have led their people down until they are consumed by it.

In any case, I wish you all the best in reviving the political atmosphere in Nigeria.

Sincerely,

Jibo.

By Haruna Chiroma

The emergence of social media has democratized the dissemination of information to the extent that it has put pressure on mainstream media to compete for visibility. However, mainstream media filters and verifies the authenticity of information before publication, unlike social media platforms, where anyone can publish content, including fake or fabricated news.

Additionally, mainstream media consider ethics and morality when disseminating information, whereas social media ethics and morality often depend on individual consciousness. Although social media platforms have policies that users are expected to follow, these policies often prove ineffective despite efforts to remove unethical content. 

Today, I focus on TikTok, a platform that provides video editing features and allows users to post videos. Before delving into the main issue, it’s noteworthy that TikTok has been banned on government devices in several countries, including the United States, Denmark, Australia, France, Belgium, Taiwan, and others. Even in China, where TikTok originated, the international version has been banned, with Chinese citizens required to use the strictly controlled local version. Other countries that have banned TikTok include Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Malta, and Latvia. TikTok in Nigeria should be banned for significantly promoting immorality and toxic content.     

TikTok users are generally expected to create educational, technological, and entertaining content for the benefit of the public. Unfortunately, the platform has increasingly become a venue for promoting toxic and unethical content, particularly from Northern Nigeria. For now, I will focus on northern Nigeria before addressing the broader situation across Nigeria in my next article. In Northern Nigeria, abusive speech contradicts both cultural norms and religious beliefs. 

The rise of TikTok has seen a troubling trend among many youths from the region. The majority have created abusive content rather than using TikTok to advance technological development, promote cultural and religious values, or provide educational content. Particularly concerning is the trend of women leading this shift towards toxicity, often to attract large numbers of followers. This phenomenon is exacerbated by the fact that followers tend to encourage such content by flocking to those who produce it. 

Preliminary surveys of TikTok content from Northern Nigeria reveal that creators of abusive and sexual content often garner more followers in a short period than those sharing religious or moral teachings, including Islamic scholars. Notably, a significant portion of those promoting this harmful content are divorcees and young girls, mostly from very poor backgrounds.  

Apart from the abusive content, women and young girls found a new trend of creating sexual content by posting their half-naked videos on TikTok dancing while shaking heaps and front side, engaging in sexy talks, and exposing sensitive parts of their bodies to attract followers and viewers. It has reached an extent where you see videos of very young girls and divorcees on TikTok from Northern Nigeria showing themselves half naked in the name of entertainment to gather followers and viewers. Previously, it was extremely rare to see anyone publicly promoting the non-existence of Allah in northern Nigeria. However, with the advent of TikTok, this has changed. Now, it has become increasingly common to see videos on the platform that promote the non-existence of Allah, encouraging others to abandon their religion and embrace atheism. This shift has sparked significant discussions and controversies within the region.

The situation is further complicated by the troubling trend of politicians celebrating creators of toxic content. These individuals are often rewarded with luxurious gifts like cars and houses and branded as “celebrities.” This acknowledgment from politicians encourages other young ones to produce similar toxic content on TikTok in hopes of gaining large followers and eventually receiving similar recognition from the politicians. 

One prominent example is a woman in a northern state known for her creation of toxic content. Her videos, which focus on explicit, abusive, and sexually suggestive material, starkly contradict religious norms and cultural values. Despite the negative impact of her content, she has amassed a significant following of over one million, and she is frequently seen in photos with prominent politicians from the region. 

When the Hisba (a moral police organization) initially intervened, she was issued a warning, which she disregarded. The Hisba then took legal action, but she was released on bail and continued to post her controversial content on TikTok, defying the court order. Adding to the controversy, a high-profile politician publicly defended her, citing human rights, further complicating the situation and undermining efforts to address the issue.

A man residing in Kano recently gained notoriety on TikTok for his abusive “skills,” quickly amassing a large following. Wealthy individuals have been flying him from one location to another to perform his abusive acts, often laughing along. Sheikh Aminu Daurawa, the general commander of Hisba, had to summon the man to his office to caution him about the inappropriate and morally bankrupt content. No responsible person would want their children exposed to such material. 

To my astonishment, I saw a video of the man in the presidential villa. Shortly after, I noticed an appointment letter bearing the presidential letterhead circulating online, “Appointment As Special Assistant On Entertainment,” with the aid of the Nigerian president. This revelation shocked me; I had to start following the media closely. I have not heard any denial from the presidency, which suggests the appointment might be genuine. On the contrary, I read in the Leadership newspaper, published three weeks ago, confirming the appointment.

One troubling aspect of this issue is that the toxic content is created in Hausa, a language widely spoken and understood across Northern Nigeria. This includes not only the local population but also many people from the southern regions of Nigeria who reside in the north and speak Hausa fluently. As a result, the toxic content produced by these creators reaches a vast audience, significantly contributing to the moral decay within Northern Nigeria.

Despite the troubling prevalence of toxic content, there are individuals from Northern Nigeria with substantial followings who engage in legitimate and moral activities, such as Islamic preaching, cooking, etc. However, these positive contributors represent a minority compared to the growing influx of harmful content. Given the rapid expansion of this toxic material, it is crucial to consider measures similar to those taken by other countries, such as banning TikTok to block access and mitigate its negative impact.  

Haruna Chiroma, Ph.D. Artificial Intelligence, wrote from the University of Hafr Al Batin, Saudi Arabia, via freedonchi@yahoo.com.

By Uzair Adam

Reports coming from northwest Nigeria have shown that bandits attacked the Moriki community in Zamfara State on Wednesday night, abducting over 10 residents and demanding a ransom of N50 million.

The attack has further intensified the sense of insecurity in the area.The Zamfara State Police Command, through its spokesperson ASP Yazid Abubakar, confirmed the incident.

He stated that the Commissioner of Police has ordered immediate action to rescue the victims.

A resident of Moriki community shared with the BBC Hausa Service on Thursday that the bandits have been a constant threat to the community.

He revealed that they previously abducted other residents and claimed their cows were killed by a local commander.

During this latest attack, the bandits reportedly went from house to house, capturing people and setting a deadline for the ransom payment.

According to the resident, this isn’t the first time the bandits have attacked the community for ransom.

He recounted a recent incident where they extorted N20 million from the community, allowing locals access to their farms in return. “The community remains in a state of insecurity,” he said.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The burial of Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, the Sarkin Gobir of Gatawa District in Sokoto State, was conducted without his body after he was abducted, tortured, and killed by terrorists.

The traditional ruler’s death, which occurred on Wednesday, has been marked by a series of harrowing events and demands from the perpetrators. 

A distressing video surfaced before Bawa’s death, showing him pleading for his life and calling on the government to intervene.

In the footage, the late ruler, speaking in Hausa, described his horrific captivity and the dire conditions endured by him and his son, who were seized in July while traveling from Sokoto to Sabon Birni. 

The burial ceremony, as described by Facebook user Sarki Yaqi, adhered to Islamic guidelines for such tragic circumstances, which allow for burial without the physical presence of the deceased.

Yaqi’s post stated, “The burial of the Alhaji Isa Muhammad Bawa, the Sarkin Gobir of Gatawa District in Sokoto State has been held now without his corpse,” and further explained, “The burial of the king of Kudun Gobir has just concluded, the burial ceremony of the death of the gunmen who were killed and held his corpse and buried.” 

It was reported that the terrorists behind Bawa’s death had issued a chilling demand for a ransom of N60 million and five motorcycles in exchange for the return of his body.

This demand followed an initial ransom request of N1 billion for the release of Bawa and his son, who were abducted while en route to their hometown. 

The video also shows the extent of the coercion faced by Bawa and his son, with a gunman dictating their statements under duress. Tragically, their plea for rescue went unanswered in time, leading to Bawa’s brutal killing.

By Sabiu Abdullahi  

The Federal Government has announced a hike in the cost of obtaining Nigeria’s international passport, effective September 1, 2024. 

According to a statement by DCI Kenneth Udo, spokesman for the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the move aims to “maintain the quality and integrity of the Nigerian Standard Passport.” 

The 32-page passport booklet with a 5-year validity will now cost N50,000, up from the previous N35,000.

The 64-page passport booklet with a 10-year validity will now cost N100,000, up from the previous N70,000. 

However, the fees remain unchanged for applicants in the diaspora. 

The NIS spokesman apologised for any inconvenience the increase may cause, assuring Nigerians of the agency’s commitment to “transparency and quality service delivery at all times.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Residents of Galadimawa Village in Igabi Local Government Area of Kaduna State are living in fear after bandits attacked the community, abducting the wife and two children of the village head.

The brazen attack occurred on Monday night, with the bandits using gunfire to intimidate residents before breaking into the village head’s residence.

Fatima Aliyu, the wife of the village head, and their two sons, Abdullahi and Kamal Aliyu, were taken by the bandits.

According to eyewitnesses, the attackers had specifically targeted the village head, but when they couldn’t find him, they abducted his family members instead.

Hussaini Umar, a traditional leader in the community, described the situation as dire. “We are not safe here. The whole community is confused and we need help. We appeal to the authorities to save Galadimawa village from these bandits. We are tired of being abducted and attacked daily.”

The community is calling for increased security measures, including the deployment of military personnel, to protect them from further attacks.