Arewa

By Anas Abbas

Former Kaduna State Governor, Nasir El-Rufai, says he holds no bitterness toward friends, colleagues and relatives who have stayed silent during his current troubles. He says he leaves any judgment on those who wronged him to Almighty Allah.

In a statement titled “My Relationships and the Aftermath,” dated September 23, 2026, El-Rufai said some people had expressed concern over the apparent silence of those he had publicly stood by in the past. He described his own view as “quite simple.”

He said his support for people and causes over the years was guided by his Islamic faith, his Arewa upbringing, his personal values and his conscience. It was never done in expectation of praise, gratitude or reciprocity, he said, and he remains answerable for those choices.

El-Rufai said those he supported are equally free to choose how to respond now that circumstances have changed. Some may speak, others may stay silent, and some may even deny their past association with him. He said he would not judge them for responding differently from what he or others might have expected.
“Adversity has a way of illuminating relationships,” he said.

He added that what he has learnt in recent months may lead him to “quietly and without regret” reconsider certain relationships. He stressed that this was not reproach or condemnation, only “part of seeing people, and life, more clearly.”

He said he has no regrets about standing by anyone, would rather stay true to his principles than let others’ conduct redefine them, and seeks “neither revenge nor retribution” for any injustice or ingratitude.

He said ultimate accountability belongs to Almighty Allah, “in this world and in the Hereafter.”

El-Rufai closed by saying posterity will deliver its own verdict, and that his only concern is to remain at peace with his conscience and with Allah.

El-Rufai has been in the custody of the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) since February 19, as it investigates corruption allegations from his time as governor between 2015 and 2023.
He has cast himself as a victim of political victimisation.

By y Sabiu Abdullahi

The Tinubu Must Go (TMG) movement has appealed to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, the presidential candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), to enter discussions with other opposition figures on the possibility of forming a united platform ahead of the 2027 presidential election.

The appeal was contained in a letter dated September 22, 2026, with the reference number TMG/NAT/2026/001 and addressed to Atiku through the National Chairman of the ADC.

The letter, titled “REQUEST FOR DIALOGUE TOWARDS A UNITED OPPOSITION FRONT FOR THE 2027 PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION,” said the group seeks discussions among major opposition figures on a possible consensus presidential candidate.

TMG described itself as a citizen-led movement whose members have put aside individual and partisan preferences in pursuit of what it described as a united opposition capable of presenting an alternative to the current administration.

The movement cited insecurity, economic pressures, inflation, poverty and unemployment among the issues it said have strengthened the case for opposition cooperation.

On insecurity, the group referred to figures from SBM Intelligence’s report, “The Capture of the Kidnap Economy”, which covers the period from July 2025 to June 2026. According to the letter, the report recorded 7,825 abducted persons and 1,142 deaths across 1,411 recorded kidnapping incidents out of 1,713 total kidnapping-related events.

The letter also stated that Northern Nigeria accounted for 93.7 per cent of reported abductions and 96 per cent of civilian fatalities in the period covered by the report, while Southern Nigeria accounted for 6.3 per cent of abducted victims.

On the economy, TMG said high inflation and food prices had reduced household purchasing power and placed essential commodities beyond the reach of many families.

The movement also cited rising energy costs, electricity and fuel tariffs, grid failures, poverty and youth unemployment as issues it said required urgent attention.

TMG said its immediate request was for opposition leaders to meet, engage in good faith and consider possible compromises that could produce a single consensus presidential candidate.

“We do not presume to dictate who should lead, who should concede, or what specific power-sharing arrangement should emerge,” the letter stated.

It added that such matters should be resolved through direct discussions among the opposition leaders.

“Our guiding principle is clear: the broader national interest must be given room to prevail before individual political ambitions become irreconcilable.”

The movement said it plans to hold an internal consultation among its supporters on Thursday, September 24, 2026, to assess their current preferences in the event that the organisation eventually decides to consolidate its grassroots structure behind a single platform.

However, TMG stressed that any internal consultation would remain secondary to whatever voluntary consensus the opposition candidates themselves might reach.

“Every major opposition figure, along with their respective political structures and supporters, remains indispensable to this national rescue project before, during, and after the election,” the letter said.

“Our mission is coalition-building, not exclusion.”

The group further told Atiku that it recognised his presidential ambition as part of a broader desire to serve Nigerians and change the country’s direction.

It argued that opposition cooperation could provide a means for the various political figures to work together, while also allowing their respective political structures and supporters to retain a role in the wider political process.

TMG urged whoever eventually emerges as the consensus candidate to maintain cooperation with other opposition leaders and their supporters.

It also called for an administration that would draw on the capabilities of the various partners if the coalition receives the mandate of Nigerian voters.

The movement specifically asked Atiku to open high-level discussions with other leading opposition candidates in order to identify areas of common ground.

“Political dynamics evolve rapidly as elections approach; consequently, the door to dialogue, compromise, and strategic alliance must remain open to the very end.”

TMG also requested an opportunity for a delegation from the movement to meet Atiku in person to formally present its appeal and discuss practical steps towards further dialogue.

The letter was signed by Abba Hikima, Esq., for Tinubu Must Go (TMG).

In a separate statement contained at the end of the letter, TMG said any formal response from Atiku or his political party could be communicated through verified social media accounts.

The statement reads:

“In the interest of complete transparency and to engage the millions of young, digital-first Nigerians following this initiative, any formal reply or statement regarding this appeal may simply be posted directly on the verified social medial handle (X, Facebook, Instagram) of Your Excellency or your political party under the hashtag #TMG. Any such post shall be deemed as having officially reached us and served upon the TMG leadership and nationwide community”.

By Anwar Usman

Former Kano State governor and the Vice Presidential candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), Rabiu Kwankwaso, has said a government led by the party’s candidate, Peter Obi, would reintroduce fuel subsidy, but through a different approach.

Kwankwaso, made this known during an interview with Arise News while discussing fuel pricing and the economic policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration.

He said the NDC would look for other alternatives to reduce the cost of petrol for Nigerians, including increased investment in domestic refining.

“No, no, no, look. We are bringing subsidy in our own way,” Kwankwaso said when asked whether the party’s position on subsidy would affect its campaign in the North-West.

Explaining how that could be achieved Kwankwaso said government could establish more refineries to boost local production and reduce dependence on imported petroleum products.

He further stated that, the expansion of domestic refining capacity would help ensure that Nigerians can purchase petrol at what he described as a reasonable price.

“Now, if individuals in this country could build refineries, I see no reason why government, under certain circumstances, will not build a refinery or refineries to the extent that we achieve the minimum requirement,” he said.

Kwankwaso said the NDC would prioritise measures aimed at lowering fuel prices.

“What is the minimum requirement? The minimum requirement is for the people across the country to go to the filling stations and buy fuel at a reasonable price,” he added.

“We, in the NDC, will do whatever it takes, really, to put the price of oil down.”

The NDC chieftain also criticised how Tinubu removed the petrol subsidy shortly after assuming office in 2023.

He noted that the major presidential candidates in the 2023 election had supported subsidy removal as the major way of reviving the country’s economy but accused the current government for implementing the policy withoutproper consultation.

According to him, the decision was taken without adequately addressing the consequences associated with subsidy removal.

“And not only he decided to remove the subsidy, what he did was to remove it immediately — in fact, day one — without looking at all those possible issues that were associated with that,” Kwankwaso said.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Nyesom Wike, has alleged that the opposition of some All Progressives Congress governors to the proposed Rainbow Coalition is linked to their political calculations over the leadership of the National Assembly after the 2027 elections.

Wike made the allegation on Monday during an appearance on TVC’s Journalists’ Hangout, where he defended the coalition and rejected concerns that it could weaken the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The FCT minister said the coalition was primarily intended to mobilise support for President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election. He argued that politicians could support Tinubu for president while backing candidates of their preferred parties in governorship and legislative elections.

He cited the 2023 elections as an example, recalling that members of the G5 group supported Tinubu’s presidential bid while their parties contested other positions.

“In 2023, core leadership G5, we said we are going to support Mr President. But we never said that all our candidates in other elections will fail. We never said so,” Wike said.

He added, “Particularly in Rivers State, we supported Asiwaju Bola Tinubu; he won the presidential election. But in National Assembly election and the state election, PDP won.”

Wike dismissed the argument that such a voting pattern would confuse Nigerians. He said voters had already demonstrated that they could support different parties in different elections.

“Who will be more confused? Is it not my own candidates that will even be more confused when I’ve told them to support Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and then again, they now go back to support other candidates?”

According to Wike, some APC governors are concerned that politicians who fail to secure tickets under the ruling party could contest on other platforms and win their elections. He alleged that such lawmakers might then refuse to support candidates favoured by the governors for leadership positions in the National Assembly.

“APC in their ongoing party primaries, the governors, in their own wisdom, believe that they should be able now to put senators or House of Reps members who they will dictate to who will become the next Senate President or the Speaker,” he alleged.

He continued, “The fear now is that, if they run and they win, it means that they’re not going to support him to be the Senate President,” he said.

Wike specifically linked the issue to Imo State Governor and Chairman of the Progressive Governors Forum, Hope Uzodimma. He alleged that Uzodimma was interested in becoming Senate President after leaving office.

“Mr. President will be inaugurated by May 29. This man’s office will expire by January, February 2028.

“Now, he wants to leave his office to run for Senate. Now, what does that mean? He wants to run for Senate President. Now, what he does is to say to his colleagues, ‘Look, let us, the governors, be the ones that will produce the senators that will produce members of the House of Representatives.

“And of course, some of the governors are not experienced. They buy in, thinking it’s going to make them powerful, not knowing that he has his own interests, his own agenda, to become Senate President,” Wike said.

The FCT minister also made his position on Uzodimma’s alleged ambition clear.

“Life or death, I will never support a character of Hope Uzodimma to be the Senate President of Nigeria. Everybody knows that,” the minister stated.

Wike said his position should not be interpreted as a personal dispute. He maintained that the political interests behind the disagreement should be considered within the wider contest ahead of 2027.

The disagreement comes after the APC Governors Forum declared that it would not support any alliance or political arrangement capable of undermining Tinubu’s re-election, weakening the APC or affecting the party’s candidates. Uzodimma announced the position after a meeting of the governors in Abuja.

Wike also rejected reports that President Tinubu had agreed to concede nine states to the PDP or the Rainbow Coalition as part of a political arrangement.

“The nine states, did they tell you the nine states?”

He added, “Let us help Nigerians. Let’s get the facts. Who are… which are those states? Tell us. That they said the President agreed with me that he has conceded nine states.”

The minister said his political focus remained on supporting Tinubu’s re-election and promoting what he described as the achievements of the administration.

“Mr. President is showing his postcard. We are selling Mr. President what he’s been doing, why he should be re-elected,” he said.

Wike also said Tinubu was aware of the Rainbow Coalition and his activities around the proposed arrangement.

“As I speak to you here, Mr. President knows about my concept, of the rainbow coalition…. Mr. President understands me very well,” Wike said.

He maintained that the coalition was not intended to take over the APC or prevent other parties from presenting candidates for governorship and legislative contests.

The FCT minister has previously said the coalition has no formal connection with the APC and that his stated objective is to support Tinubu’s second-term bid.

The disagreement has continued to generate reactions within the APC. The party’s South-East caucus previously called on Wike to apologise to APC governors over his comments about their opposition to the coalition.

Wike, however, has maintained his position that support for Tinubu in the presidential election can coexist with support for candidates from other parties in governorship and legislative elections.

The minister’s latest comments further highlight the growing disagreement between his Rainbow Coalition initiative and APC governors over how political support should be organised ahead of the 2027 elections.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Gunmen have killed and beheaded the village head of Lafagu community in Bagudo Local Government Area of Kebbi State.

The Kebbi State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bashir Usman, confirmed the incident, which occurred on Sunday.

Usman said the identity of the traditional ruler had not been disclosed, adding that some suspects had been arrested in connection with the killing.

“Yes, it is true the village head was killed in Lafagu under Bagudo Local Government. We have made some arrests in respect of the incident and will provide details later,” the PPRO said.

However, preliminary findings cited by PUNCH suggested that the attack may have been carried out by an armed ethnic militia rather than bandits or Lakurawa insurgents.

A source, Tukur Kaoje, said Fulani, Kambarawa and Bargawa communities had lived together in the area for decades before the recent escalation of insecurity linked to allegations of cattle rustling and kidnapping.

Kaoje alleged that the reported infiltration of some communities by Lakurawa fighters led some residents of Bargawa and Kambarawa communities to accuse Fulani residents of involvement in the attacks.

He said armed groups were subsequently formed to confront the alleged threats.

Kaoje further alleged that the militia recently attacked Boya village, where he claimed scores of Fulani residents were killed.

“Yes, the village head was beheaded in Lafagu, but we are not sure whether the killers were bandits or Lakurawa. There are allegations that it was carried out by an armed ethnic militia.”

He described the situation in Lafagu and neighbouring communities as tense and called for urgent government intervention to prevent further deterioration.

He also warned that failure to address the situation could trigger a wider cycle of communal violence that may become increasingly difficult to contain.

The police have yet to establish publicly who was responsible for the killing, while investigations into the incident continue.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

Former Vice President and African Democratic Congress (ADC) presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, has appealed to President Bola Tinubu to reconsider the Federal Government’s plan to end electricity subsidies from 2027.

Atiku made the appeal in a video address on Friday while discussing the rising cost of living, government interventions and increasing energy costs across Nigeria.

The Federal Government has said it intends to phase out electricity subsidies from 2027 as part of efforts to tackle accumulated financial obligations in the power sector and create a more sustainable electricity market.

Power Minister, Joseph Tegbe, said the government was developing measures to protect vulnerable electricity consumers from the impact of the reforms.

However, Atiku argued that removing the subsidy without first easing the financial pressure on households and businesses could further deepen the economic difficulties faced by Nigerians.

He said government measures such as food distribution and cash transfers could offer temporary relief but would not address the underlying causes of rising living costs.

“A bag of rice cannot repair an economy in which transportation costs outrun salaries,” Atiku said.

“A cash transfer cannot permanently compensate a worker for whose income is continually eroded by energy costs. Palliatives manage pain. Good policy addresses the source of the pain.”

The former vice president said Nigerians were already dealing with significant economic pressure, adding that the proposed electricity subsidy withdrawal could introduce another burden.

“And as if the pressure on families were not enough, Nigerians are now being told that electricity subsidies will be phased out in 2027,” he said.

Atiku maintained that electricity bills were already placing considerable pressure on households and businesses.

“Electricity is already expensive. Families are calculating how long their units will last,” he said.

“Small businesses are struggling to keep the lights on. Manufacturers are spending enormous amounts on electricity, diesel, and alternative power simply to keep factories running.”

He listed several businesses that rely heavily on electricity and could be affected by further increases in energy costs.

“The barber needs electricity for his clippers. The tailor needs it for her machines. The frozen food seller needs it to preserve her stock. The welder needs it for his equipment. The manufacturer needs it to keep the factory alive,” Atiku said.

The ADC presidential candidate also urged the administration to learn from the consequences of the removal of petrol subsidies before implementing another major energy reform.

“The lesson of petrol must not be repeated with electricity,” he said.

“Do not remove first and think later. Do not impose the pain first and search for palliatives afterwards.”

The planned withdrawal of electricity subsidies comes as the government seeks to address the financial difficulties within the power sector.

Tegbe said in July that the government was working towards ending electricity subsidy payments in 2027 while addressing an estimated ₦3.3 trillion in legacy debt within the electricity market.

Atiku urged Tinubu to devote the remaining period of his administration to measures that could reduce the financial pressure on Nigerians.

He also cautioned the government against treating the period before the 2027 general election as too short to make a difference in the lives of citizens.

“Eight months may sound short inside Aso Rock, but eight months is a very long time when you are living from hand to mouth,” he said.

“Use that time to reduce burden on Nigerians, please.”

Despite their political differences, Atiku said he was willing to share policy proposals with the Federal Government if they could help ease the difficulties facing Nigerians.

“And if your government requires policy ideas or technical input on how to bring relief, I am prepared to make mine available,” he said.

“Nigerians do not have to wait for another administration before they benefit from an idea that can help them today.”

He added: “If you need the framework, I will provide it. Implement it under your government. Give it whatever name you choose. Take the credit.”

Atiku said political competition between him and Tinubu should not come ahead of the interests of Nigerians.

“I ask for only one thing. Let Nigerians breathe,” he said.

“I am prepared to compete with you politically, but I will never compete with the welfare of the Nigerian people.”

The comments come as discussions over the future of energy subsidies continue ahead of the 2027 general elections. Atiku has also expressed support for restoring petrol subsidies if elected president, a position that has drawn criticism from the Tinubu administration and other commentators.

While the Federal Government maintains that electricity subsidies are no longer financially sustainable and that reforms are necessary to strengthen the power sector, Atiku is calling for a transition that would not place additional pressure on households and businesses.

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has launched an investigation into the deaths of suspected illegal miners arrested during enforcement operations in Niger State.

The suspects were apprehended during operations carried out by the Niger State Command in the M.I. Wushishi/Lukoto axis on September 15 and 16, 2026, as part of efforts to tackle illegal mining activities.

Reports had earlier indicated that at least 33 suspected illegal miners died after they were detained at an NSCDC facility in Minna.

The deaths were reportedly discovered early Thursday. The Niger State Commandant, Suberu Aniviye, was said to have linked the deaths to a suspected disease outbreak.

However, the NSCDC National Headquarters said the exact cause of the deaths had not been established.

The Corps said claims that a particular disease caused the deaths would require medical and laboratory confirmation before such a conclusion could be reached.

The NSCDC National Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

According to Afolabi, the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has ordered the formation of a high-powered investigative panel to establish what led to the deaths.

The panel will be headed by the Deputy Commandant General responsible for Intelligence and Investigation.

Afolabi said investigators would examine several aspects of the incident, including the condition of the suspects when they were arrested, their period in custody, the conditions under which they were detained and the medical attention they received.

The statement partly read:

“NSCDC has confirmed the death of some suspected illegal miners who were arrested during enforcement operations conducted in parts of Niger State on September 15 and 16, 2026.

“Following the development, the Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has directed the constitution of a high-powered investigative team, led by the Deputy Commandant General in charge of Intelligence and Investigation, to immediately look into the circumstances surrounding the incident.

“The team has been mandated to undertake a comprehensive investigation into the circumstances leading to the deaths, including the condition of the suspects upon arrest, their period in custody, the conditions of detention, medical attention provided, and other relevant circumstances surrounding the incident.”

Audi also ordered the Corps to give priority to the health and welfare of people who remain in custody.

The NSCDC said measures were also being taken to protect personnel who may have come into contact with the affected detainees.

The Corps expressed sympathy to the families of those who died and assured them that the circumstances surrounding the deaths would be investigated.

Afolabi further said the Corps would avoid drawing conclusions until medical examinations establish the cause of the deaths.

“The NSCDC wishes to clarify that reports attributing the deaths to any specific disease remain subject to medical and laboratory confirmation. The Corps will therefore refrain from speculation until the outcome of the medical examination is established.

“The Corps extends its condolences to the families of the deceased and assures them that the circumstances surrounding the incident will be thoroughly investigated and appropriately addressed based on established facts.”

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Kwara State Government has closed an unapproved orphanage in Ilorin and taken 30 children found at the facility into government care.

Officials of the state Ministry of Social Development carried out the operation on Thursday at the Iranlowo Oluwa Orphanage and Children’s Home.

The children, made up of boys and girls between the ages of two and 15, have since been moved to a government-approved shelter.

The state government said the children would receive medical attention, food, education and psychosocial support at the shelter while officials determine their individual circumstances.

The intervention was disclosed in a statement issued by the Kwara State Ministry of Social Development and signed by its Press Secretary, Rasheedat Shodunnke.

The ministry said the action formed part of measures to protect children living in care institutions from neglect, abuse and other risks.

The Commissioner for Social Development, Mariam Nnfatima Imam, said authorities would first establish the needs and backgrounds of the rescued children before deciding on their long-term care.

She said the ministry would conduct family tracing and seek to reunite the children with their relatives where such reunification was considered safe and appropriate.

“The children are undergoing comprehensive medical screening, nutrition support and psychosocial counselling, while the ministry is also working on family tracing and reunification, where appropriate,” Imam said.

According to the commissioner, children whose return to their families is found to be unsafe will remain in government-approved care facilities.

She explained that the placement process would follow the required documentation and assessment procedures. Further assessments would also be carried out to ensure that each child continues to receive appropriate care.

Imam said the discovery had also led the ministry to intensify its monitoring of orphanages and other child-care institutions across Kwara State.

She directed operators of orphanages and children’s homes to secure government approval before operating.

The commissioner also instructed approved facilities to display the inscription, “Approved by the Kwara State Government,” prominently on their signposts.

She said the measure would help residents identify facilities that have received official authorisation from those operating without approval.

The Director of Social Work in the ministry, Hamzat Abdulfatah, who took part in the rescue operation, stressed the importance of cooperation among government agencies and other stakeholders involved in child protection.

“This intervention has given these children hope and encouraged us to work together. We now understand that if we manage this process properly and follow due process, these children will have the opportunity to live better and more fulfilled lives,” Abdulfatah said.

The ministry said efforts would continue to establish the identities and family backgrounds of the children and determine suitable long-term arrangements for their care.

By Maji Bappa Maina

What happens when markets are no longer treated as isolated projects, but as interconnected pieces of an economic system?

That question becomes interesting when we look at the spread of modern and ultra-modern markets being developed across Yobe State under Governor Mai Mala Buni.

From the Yobe City Mall in Damaturu to markets in Yunusari, Potiskum, Nguru, Gashua and Ngalda, and from Geidam, Buni Yadi, Machina and Jajere to Ngelzarma, Sabon Garin Nangere, Yusufari, Jajimaji, Bumsa and Gir Gir, the locations tell a story that goes beyond the construction of individual market buildings.

They suggest a broader attempt to create an economic network across the state.

To understand this, perhaps we need to change the way we look at a market.

A market is not simply a place where people come to buy and sell.

It is where farmers meet traders, where goods move from producers to consumers, where transporters find business, where small enterprises grow, where money circulates and where economic relationships are created.

In development planning, therefore, the location of a market can be just as important as the structure itself.

Consider Geidam.

Its proximity to Nigeria’s border with Niger Republic gives commercial infrastructure there a significance that extends beyond the immediate community.

A functional market in such a location can potentially serve local commerce while also connecting Yobe to wider patterns of regional trade.

Then consider Nguru, Gashua and Machina.

These are important points within Yobe’s commercial geography.

When modern trading facilities are introduced in such locations, they can help distribute economic activity across different parts of the state rather than concentrating everything around the capital.

Then there is Potiskum, with its long-standing reputation as one of the major commercial centres of Yobe.

And in Damaturu, the Yobe City Mall introduces another form of commercial infrastructure, one associated with a more formal and modern retail environment.

But perhaps the more interesting part of the strategy is found outside these major centres.
Ngalda. Buni Yadi. Jajere. Yusufari. Sabon Garin Nangere. Jajimaji. Bumsa. Gir Gir.

Why invest in markets across such a wide geographical spread?
Because development does not become inclusive simply because a state has a few major commercial centres.

Economic opportunity has to be connected to where people actually live and produce.

A farmer in a rural community needs somewhere to sell.
A trader needs somewhere to operate.

A transporter needs somewhere goods can be aggregated.
A small business needs customers.

And consumers need accessible places where goods and services can be exchanged.

This is where Governor Buni’s market strategy becomes interesting from a public-policy perspective.

The question is no longer simply how many markets are being constructed.

The more important question is:

What economic relationships can these markets create when they begin functioning as a network?
Imagine the possibility.
A farmer produces in one community.

The produce moves to a nearby market.
From there, traders aggregate it and transport it to a larger commercial centre.

From a major centre, goods can move toward other parts of Yobe or beyond the state.

At the border, commercial activity can potentially connect with regional markets.

Along the way, transporters, wholesalers, retailers, financial institutions and small businesses participate in the same economic chain.

That is how infrastructure begins to function as an economic ecosystem.
And there is another important dimension.

For a state that has experienced prolonged disruption to economic activities in some communities, rebuilding commercial infrastructure can also contribute to restoring normal economic life.

A market can become a sign that people are returning to ordinary economic activity.
Traders return.
Customers return.

Farmers have somewhere to sell.
Young people can establish small businesses.
Communities begin to reconnect economically.

In that sense, the market becomes part of a wider process of economic recovery and reintegration.

But there is a deeper lesson here for public administration.

Government projects should ultimately be judged not only by what is constructed, but by the systems they help create.

A beautiful market that remains empty is infrastructure without sufficient economic function.

A functioning market, however, can generate activity far beyond its walls.

That is why the next phase becomes just as important as construction itself.

Will traders occupy the shops?
Will farmers gain easier access to markets?
Will storage facilities reduce post-harvest losses?
Will transport networks connect the markets efficiently?
Will financial services follow the commercial activity?
Will the markets create employment?
Will they contribute to sustainable internally generated revenue?
These questions will determine whether the buildings become genuine economic assets.

And this is perhaps the most interesting way to understand the direction Governor Mai Mala Buni appears to be taking with market infrastructure.

The strategy is potentially bigger than building markets.

It is about creating places through which economic activity can move.

From Damaturu to Geidam, from Potiskum to Nguru, from Gashua to Ngalda, and from the larger towns to smaller communities, these projects can be understood as nodes within a wider economic geography.

The Yobe City Mall represents one end of that commercial spectrum.

The border communities represent another.

The modern markets scattered across the state provide the connecting points in between.

And when those points begin functioning together, something more important than individual buildings can emerge: a more connected local economy.

Perhaps, therefore, the real measure of this strategy will not be the number of markets opened.

It will be the number of economic opportunities that begin moving through them.

Because in development, infrastructure matters most when people can use it to move goods, services, ideas, income and opportunity.

That is where a market stops being merely a building.
It becomes part of the development system.

Maji Bappa Maina is a Political Writer | Voice of Development, Leadership & Public Insight

By Sabiu Abdullahi

The Emir of Kano, Muhammadu Sanusi II, has attributed the persistence of insecurity in Nigeria to years of ethnic and religious divisions that, according to him, were fuelled by political rhetoric and public discourse.

Sanusi made the remarks in Abuja on Wednesday at the launch of a biography chronicling the tenure of retired Lieutenant General Tukur Yusufu Buratai as Chief of Army Staff.

The former Central Bank of Nigeria governor said the roots of Nigeria’s security challenges went beyond the emergence of Boko Haram, banditry and terrorism. He argued that the country’s present difficulties were preceded by a pattern of political and media discourse that divided Nigerians along regional, religious and ethnic lines.

“The fundamental point I wish to emphasise is that the security crisis in this nation did not commence with violence as we currently witness it, nor did it commence with banditry. It did not commence with Boko Haram and terrorism. It originated with the violence inherent in language that appeared in newspapers and emanated from political discourse, wherein we commenced categorising ourselves not as Nigerians, but as Northerners and Southerners, Muslims and Christians, Yoruba and Igbo and Hausa, thereby establishing an environment that facilitated the emergence of these movements,” stated the former Governor of the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Sanusi warned that the country could face another cycle of violence if political leaders and other influential groups fail to move away from the use of ethnicity and religion as tools of political mobilisation.

“We are only laying the foundation for a new round of violence. We have to go back to seeing ourselves as Nigerians, as people committed to this country, and focus on what is important, which is the development of our people. It is not the responsibility of politicians to give us religion. They are there to give us education, to give us healthcare, to give us an economy and allow the religion to be in the hands of those who are religious leaders.

“It is also not the duty of religious leaders to get into politics. Right now, there is no distinction between imams and bishops and senators and how everybody is a politician. We’ve got to start tracing ourselves. Otherwise, we create these interests that feed and benefit from insecurity.

“The moment we all get absorbed into the projects of politicians, we cannot hold political society in check. We cannot have a country that we want because we need to have those institutions who are not there on elections, the army cannot think in four-year cycles. The police cannot think in four-year cycles. The central bank cannot think in four-year cycles. We have to think 20 years, 30 years, 50 years, whereas elected officers are thinking in four-year cycles.”

Also at the event, retired Lieutenant General Domenico Giani, Inspector General of the Corpo della Gendarmeria, the police and security force of Vatican City, spoke about leadership, institutional accountability and the need to assess the legacy of those who command security institutions.

Giani said lasting institutional progress should be judged by the strength of institutions, protection of civilians and public trust.

“Transformation is measured by institutions strengthened, civilians protected, trust earned.

“Boko Haram was not born in 2015. Its roots lie in the poverty and distrust of the early 2000s North-East. After Yusuf’s death in 2009, it hardened under Shekau. Chibok in 2014 revealed what Borno, Yobe and Adamawa had endured. By 2016, it had split into JAS and ISWAP, fragmented, mobile, adaptive.

“A terrorist organisation that changes form must be met by a state that learns faster than its enemy. Intelligence and regional cooperation are essential, but so are schools, justice and opportunity. If the state arrives with weapons but not services, the vacuum returns.”