Nigeria

By Uzair Adam

The Kebbi State Police Command has arrested a 20-year-old woman, Maryam Atiku, for allegedly attempting to kill her newborn baby girl by burying her alive in a bush in Dandi Local Government Area of the state.

This was disclosed in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Police Public Relations Officer, CSP Nafiu Abubakar, on behalf of the Commissioner of Police, Kebbi State Command, Bello M. Sani.

According to the statement, the incident happened on June 25, 2025, around 8:00 p.m., when Maryam, a resident of the Nasarawa area of Kamba, gave birth and allegedly tied three wrappers around the baby’s neck, covered her mouth, and buried her in a shallow grave at Malam Yaro bush.

The statement explained that on June 26, at about 12:30 p.m., a farmer, Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, discovered a disturbed patch of soil resembling a fresh grave while working on his farm near Mallam Yaro village.

He raised an alarm, and with the help of nearby residents, the baby was exhumed alive.

The statement further noted that the baby was immediately rushed to General Hospital, Kamba, where she received medical attention and was certified to be in stable condition.

On receiving the report, detectives from the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID), Birnin Kebbi, swiftly arrested the suspect.

According to the statement, she confessed to the crime during preliminary investigation. The Commissioner of Police, as quoted in the statement, condemned the act and described it as barbaric.

He reiterated the command’s zero tolerance for child abuse, exploitation, and all forms of gender-based violence in the state.

The statement added that CP Bello urged parents, guardians, and community leaders to fear Allah in safeguarding children under their care and to resist compromising their future because of poverty or other factors.

It also acknowledged the support of the wife of the Kebbi State Governor, Hajia Zainab Nasare Nasir Idris, for her intervention in ensuring the rescued child’s welfare, as well as the efforts of Alhaji Kabiru Muhammad, whose quick action saved the baby’s life.

The statement concluded that upon completion of investigation, the suspect was arraigned in court for prosecution to serve as a deterrent to others.

By Lawal Dahiru Mamman

There are times when the stars seem to be aligning. All trouble appears to be disappearing, awaiting only what happens when those stars fall into line. But then, unexpectedly, things take a different turn, and the trouble assumes a different shape, sometimes with an additional burden. Such is the irony of Nigeria.

Governance was generally out of reach for the common man, especially those at the grassroots level who lacked the basic necessities required to live a decent life. To address this, there has been a clamour for local government autonomy. Successive governments have attempted to do so, but it was only the current administration that secured this victory in July 2024.

Since then, bureaucracies and political “manoeuvring have clogged up full implementation. Enforcement faced a delay in August when the federal and state governments negotiated a three-month moratorium, due to concerns about council workers’ salary payments and the need to conduct LG elections in certain states, alongside other pressing matters.

Just as progress seemed imminent, another hurdle emerged. The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) directed LGs to submit at least two years’ worth of audited financial reports as a prerequisite for receiving direct allocation. Key stakeholders, including the Association of Local Governments of Nigeria (ALGON), condemned the directive as perceived delay tactics. 

While we are at it, the long-standing call for the creation of more states has resurfaced. In February, the House of Representatives’ Committee on Constitution Review threw a spanner in the works by proposing the creation of 31 additional states across Nigeria. If this comes to fruition, it would swell the number of states to 67, with some quipping that this would leave Nigeria with more states than “the Almighty United States”.

The proposed distribution of the new states is as follows: six to the North Central, four to the North-East, five to the North-West, five to the South-East, four to the South-South, and seven to the South-West. 

The proposed new states are New Kaduna and Gujarat from Kaduna State, FCT State, Tiga and Ari from Kano, Kainji from Kebbi State, and Etiti, Orashi, Adada, and Orlu from the South-East.

Others are Okun, Okura, and Confluence states from Kogi; Benue Ala and Apa states from Benue; Amana state from Adamawa; Katagum from Bauchi state; Savannah state from Borno; and Muri State from Taraba.

Also included are Lagoon from Lagos, Ogun, Ijebu from Ogun State, as well as Oke Ogun/Ijesha from Oyo/Ogun/Osun States, Ogoja from Cross River State, Warri from Delta, Ori and Obolo from Rivers, Torumbe from Ondo, and Ibadan from Oyo State.

Some proponents interestingly argue that these new states possess abundant mineral and natural resources, which would be harnessed post-creation for the benefit of their people. One is forced to question the logic behind such reasoning and then wonder, are these not already entities within existing states, or would these new states be conjured out of thin air to perform this economic magic?

One would also need to educate Nigerians on a little bit of history and the processes required to achieve state creation in the country. The last time Nigeria created new states was in 1996, under the late General Sani Abacha. The only time a civilian government created a federating unit in the form of a state, rather than a local government area, was in 1963, and it was reportedly done without good faith. 

The Northern People’s Congress (NPC) was the ruling party at the centre, and it was in alliance with the National Council of Nigeria and the Cameroons (NCNC), which was the ruling party in the Eastern Region. The ruling party in the Western Region was the Action Group (AG), while the opposition party was at the centre. There were other smaller parties, but only the NPC, NCNC, and AG were well-known. The alliance at the centre wanted to counter the growing influence of the Action Group, so a region was created from it. 

That region was named the Midwest Region, which later became Bendel state (derived from Benin and Delta). Bendel later became the Edo and Delta states.

Since then, only military regimes have created states in Nigeria. The Gowon administration, on May 27, 1967, abolished the regional system and created 12 states – North-Western, North-Central, North-Eastern, Kano, Benue-Plateau, Kwara, Western, Lagos, Mid-Western, East-Central, South-Eastern, and Rivers States – as part of the strategies to weaken Col. Odumegwu Ojukwu and prevent the civil war. 

Creation of states continued under subsequent military regimes. General Murtala Mohammed created an additional seven states (Bauchi, Benue, Borno, Imo, Niger, Ogun, and Ondo) in 1976, bringing the total to 19. 

General Babangida created Akwa Ibom and Katsina states in 1987, and nine more states (Abia, Delta, Enugu, Jigawa, Kebbi, Kogi, Osun, Taraba, and Yobe) in 1991, bringing the total to 30. General Sani Abacha sealed it in 1996 by creating six more states – Bayelsa, Ebonyi, Ekiti, Gombe, Nasarawa, and Zamfara.

Conditions for state creation in a democratic setting are stringent and cumbersome, making it unlikely to happen. Military governments created states by decree, but in a democracy, it is a different ball game.

Before anyone advocates for the creation of a new state, they should study the provisions required to do so. Two-thirds of the National Assembly, as well as endorsements from State Houses of Assembly and Local Government Councils,must be achieved. This requirement makes it challenging to create new states in Nigeria. 

In accordance with Section 8 of the Nigerian Constitution, any new state creation must be preceded by the approval of citizens from the area in question through a referendum conducted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). For the referendum to be successful, a two-thirds majority of the people in question must consent to the creation of the new state.

Then comes resubmission of proposals in line with the prescribed guidelines, which includes submitting hard copies and electronic copies of memoranda to the committee’s secretariat, among other things. 

At a time we all advocate for a cut in governance costs, what would creating new states mean for the economy? What about the scarce resources consumed in holding meetings to contest whether or not to create new states? And what about the cost required to set up additional administrative units, the elections to be conducted, or the SUVs that would need to be purchased for 31 new brand governors and deputies, as well as principal officers in the House of Assembly? 

The stars seem to be aligning in favour of local government autonomy, and hope is on the horizon for meaningful governance at the grassroots level, which will lead to national development. The movement towards state creation,therefore, appears to be an unnecessary and costly distraction.

Lawal Dahiru Mamman writes from Abuja and can be reached via: dahirulawal90@gmail.com.

“In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing…. ” – Thomas Carlyle 

Around 7:00 am, I was awakened by a call from one of my friends, who wanted me to inquire on his behalf about admission into one of the colleges of Health Sciences I attended about a decade ago.

As our conversation progressed, he shared with me another contact he had made at another school, stating that, considering the security situation in that state, he could gain admission into the final year to take the final professional exams and be awarded a certified healthcare practitioner.

When I inquired further about how possible that was, considering his lack of knowledge in that field, I knew him to have studied another related healthcare course and was now looking to switch over. His answer was, “You know the ‘Nigeria factor.'”

I was taken aback, unprepared for this update. I was so naive, not expecting this level of decadence. How does it come about that a person could obtain a certificate in any health-related course without the required rigorous training and hands-on skills?

I thought this could happen somewhere, but not in my beloved profession. Our love for shortcuts is going to ruin us. This ‘Nigeria factor,’ if it continues, definitely would consume us. 

It wouldn’t come as a surprise when some of our elites do not believe in being treated at our local facilities. How certain are you that such a quack isn’t in the teaching hospitals or the National Hospital in Abuja?

The system that allows them to obtain a certificate without the required training is the same system that could lead to their employment ahead of more competent and well-grounded individuals.

Given the current state of affairs, I couldn’t entirely blame those who can afford the best private hospitals or overseas clinics. Eight years, and one man was incapable of rectifying this mess. It was a systematic and complex problem that required collective efforts.

President Muhammadu Buhari wasn’t present when the candidate paid the highest sum to the school director or head of department to get admission. Buhari or Tinubu wasn’t present when the National Board of Examinations failed to conduct the necessary checks before approving those candidates, or to verify whether they had attained the required training. 

President Goodluck Jonathan, or President Olusegun Obasanjo, wasn’t present when the agency responsible for recruitment employed such reckless individuals without conducting a thorough investigation into their accredited institution or level of expertise.

Our universities are well-regulated and produce individuals who are competent enough, but they primarily focus on producing senior nursing officers, medical doctors, senior pharmacists, and radiographers or medical laboratory scientists. What of those responsible for taking your blood sample or those who gave your child the vaccine doses?

I am not questioning the entire workforce. Indeed, there were many hard-working and competent personnel, but with the way things were moving, there was also a lot more quackery. If things like this can occur in the most regulated sector, such as healthcare, how confident are you in other professions? 

What guarantee do you have over the NAFDAC recommendation on specific products? How assured are we of the technicians managing our airline services and the local engineers constructing our bridges?

The system that you seem smart enough to outmanoeuvre, driving a car without the necessary papers and licenses, might be the very system that produces some of your teachers, your drivers, and your law enforcement, whom you entrust your very life to. This creates a form of distrust in Nigeria. 

I was interested in a documentary aired by the BBC about Heathrow Airport in the UK. Although it’s an international airport and one of the best globally, comparing the standardised system there could be absurd, but still, it’s obvious the British have a culture of meticulous attention to detail and ensuring everything is done correctly with due process.

 It’s not surprising that there are the fewest number of automobile accidents, maternal mortalities, electricity power grid collapses, and flood disasters.

In a system where everyone took responsibility as if the success or failure of a task depended on him/her, life could have been nicer. However, in our society, we enjoy the blame game too much. Every failure is attributed to the leaders at the top, sometimes ridiculously, upon a single soul, the president.

In the movie Titanic, it’s evident that the fateful accident of the mega ship was attributed to some technical errors made by the crew assistants, not just the captain alone.

 Imagine a minor negligence that led to such a catastrophe, and compare that to the thousands of such mistakes, even greater, that we commit daily in our various walks of life.

The deliberate 15 minutes you were late could have been the cause of someone’s death. The intentional habit of switching your phone off on duty could have been the source of losing someone’s life.

The lack of a proper checklist could have led to a conflagration, a dam break, a bridge collapse, or a building collapse.

Trying to do the right thing doesn’t cost more than doing otherwise. It only builds your character, gives satisfaction, and pays in the long run.

How sustainable was this, the  ‘Nigeria factor’?

Saifullahi Attahir wrote from Federal University Dutse. He can be reached via saifullahiattahir93@gmail.com.

By Anwar Usman

The Federal Government has declared Friday, 5th September, 2025, a public holiday to mark Eid-ul-Mawlid, the birth of the Holy Prophet Muhammad.

This was contained in a statement issued by the Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Interior, Dr Magdalene Ajani, on Tuesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, the Minister of Interior, Dr Olubunmi Tunji-Ojo, who made the declaration on behalf of the Federal Government, extended warm greetings to Muslims in Nigeria and across the world.

He urged the Muslim Ummah to emulate the Prophet’s virtues of peace, love, humility, tolerance and compassion, emphasizing that these values are crucial to building a united and progressive nation.

The minister also called on Nigerians of all faiths to use the occasion to pray for the peace, security, and stability of the country while supporting government efforts toward national harmony and sustainable development.

The statement read in part “The celebration of Eid-ul-Mawlid offers us yet another opportunity to strengthen the bonds of brotherhood, promote peaceful coexistence, and imbibe the Prophet’s teaching’s of mutual respect and selfless service to humanity”.

He further urged citizens to remain law-abiding, security-conscious, and supportive of government policies aimed at enhancing the well-being of all Nigerians, while wishing Muslims a joyous and peaceful Eid-ul-Mawlid celebration.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has authorized a major security overhaul for Katsina State, promising a fierce military blitz involving drone technology and tactical troop redeployments to crush banditry.

The decisive move comes after a high-powered Katsina delegation, fearing the state was under siege, stormed the State House to demand urgent action.

The delegation, a who’s who of Katsina’s political, traditional, and religious leadership, was led by Governor Dikko Umaru Radda.

It included the Emir of Daura, former Governor Aminu Masari, all three state senators, and two federal ministers.Confronted with the grave situation, President Tinubu issued immediate orders to security chiefs.

“I have directed all the security agencies to energize further… Additional deployment of air drones, and if they have to shift movement between Katsina and other boundary areas, they should do so,” the President declared.

He promised that ground forces would intensify operations to “smoke them out.”

The President also backed the growing call for sub-national policing, revealing plans are underway to establish state police as a critical part of a holistic security strategy.

Governor Radda expressed profound relief, thanking the President for his unwavering support and labeling him “a true son of Katsina.”

During the meeting, the Emir of Katsina’s representative, Senator Ibrahim Ida, disclosed the state’s massive financial commitment to the crisis, having already invested over N40 billion in security logistics.

He pleaded for federal reimbursement and the establishment of a permanent military presence in the vulnerable southern part of the state.

The meeting signifies a significant escalation in the federal government’s response to the security crisis plaguing the Northwest.

By Abbas Datti

Our beloved Kano State has now become a nightmare of unprecedented violence, lawlessness and phone-snatching all courtesy of thugs’ criminal activities. Once-peaceful communities now live under the shadow of fear as ruthless and armed gangsters unleash a reign of terror daily. These assailants, wielding deadly local weapons, have maimed, killed, and left countless families in mourning.

The attacks often strike without notice. Some places have now become theatres of war in the dead of night, forcing residents, young and old, to flee into the darkness with nothing but the clothes on their backs. Homes must be locked in broad daylight for fear of being a victim of some happy, menacing marauders. 

The cruelty has engulfed so many metropolitan places of Kano State, with no concerted effort to stop the horrendous activities of those brutal thugs. We wonder when these horrible experiences will stop? Thugs have become a significant threat to the collective well-being of the people of Kano. 

In the chaos, the gang of thugs attack with no mercy. Men are butchered as they defend their families; they have no scruples to attack even women and children as they attempt to escape. Residents speak of the horror of seeing loved ones hacked with machetes, swords and other local dangerous weapons. They destroyed properties, smashed buildings and cars parked outside houses and buildings. 

As this wave of violence rages on, we call for urgent and decisive action from security agencies. Moreover, the Inspector General of Police is to dispatch a special intelligence unit to analyse the situation on the ground and subject it to a holistic review of the present strategy. 

The people of Kano demand not only the arrest and prosecution of the perpetrators but also the establishment of permanent security posts in the most vulnerable areas. Although some security posts were built in some places for that purpose, they are yet to be fully operational, leaving residents with only the building structures. Without swift intervention, Kano risks slipping further into lawlessness, and the fragile threads of peace may be torn beyond repair.

This is not merely an attack on individuals; it is an assault on our shared humanity and our future. We ask for definite action before the fires of thugs consume us all. We ask for an end to this bloodbath that has been threatening the peace and stability of Kano and its people. 

Abbas Datti writes from Kano via comradeabbasdatti@gmail.com.

By Musa Kalim Gambo

In a rapidly evolving and increasingly secular world grappling with unprecedented challenges posed by science and technology, a groundbreaking symposium was convened at Kaduna State University (KASU) on August 28, 2025, to advocate for the integration of Islamic values into the academic content of tertiary institutions. Organised by the International Institute of Islamic Thought (IIIT), Central Nigeria Office, Abuja, in collaboration with KASU’s Department of Islamic Studies, the one-day event brought together leading scholars to explore the philosophical and theological foundations, pedagogical strategies, and practical pathways for embedding ethical and spiritual principles within conventional academic disciplines. The symposium was followed by the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between Kaduna State University and the International Institute of Islamic Thought, Central Nigeria Office, on research, publication, and other areas aimed at integrating Islamic knowledge.

The symposium underscored the urgent need for education to transcend mere knowledge transmission and embrace the holistic development of character, ethics, and purpose. Speaking at the event, Dr. Sa’idu Ahmad Dukawa, the national coordinator of IIIT Kano Office, thanked KASU for the opportunity to “interface” and highlighted the IIIT project’s aim to revive the early Muslims’ approach to acquiring knowledge, integrating acquired knowledge with revealed knowledge, and reclaiming a holistic knowledge heritage. On his part, Dr. Aliyu Tanko, Coordinator of the IIIT Central Nigeria Office in Abuja, highlighted the ongoing contributions of the IIIT towards reform in Islamic studies within the framework of contemporary global realities across the Muslim world.

The Philosophical Bedrock: Tawhid as the Unifying Principle

A central theme woven throughout the presentations was the concept of Tawhid, the Islamic principle of the oneness of God, as the fundamental basis for integrating revealed (theological) and rational (philosophical) knowledge. IIIT’s Secretary General, Professor Omar Hasan Kasule, whose virtual presentation from Riyadh in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia focused on the philosophical and theological foundations, explained that Islam itself is an integration of theology and philosophy. “All knowledge originates from one Creator,” Professor Kasule asserted, emphasising that revealed knowledge (Qur’an and Sunnah) and rational knowledge (human observation and experimentation) are inherently related and integratable.

Historically, Islamic intellectual discourse witnessed significant controversies between proponents of revealed and rational knowledge. Early Muslim thinkers, such as Al-Farabi and Ibn Sina, were heavily influenced by Greek philosophy, particularly Aristotelian thought. Al-Farabi was even known as “al mu’allim al thaani” (the second teacher) after Aristotle. However, this intellectual engagement also led to significant debates. Al-Ghazali, a towering figure in Islamic thought, famously authored “The Incoherence of the Philosophers” (Tahafut al-Falasifa), rejecting certain aspects of Plato and Aristotle’s philosophy and challenging the views of Muslim philosophers. Ibn Rushd later countered his critique in “Tahatuf al Tahatuf” (Incoherence of the Incoherent), arguing that reason and revelation cannot contradict each other because both seek truth.

Later, Ibn Taymiyah rejected Aristotelian philosophy and, in his seminal work “Removing Conflict between Reason and Revelation” (Darʾ taʿāruḍ al-ʿaql wa al-naql), proved that clear rational thought (sariih al ma’aquul) aligns with correctly transmitted revelation (sahih al manquul). This resolution to the perceived contradiction, rooted in the Tawhidi paradigm, underpins the modern movement for the integration of knowledge (IOK).

Professor Kasule further highlighted empirical observations supporting the unity of knowledge, citing discoveries such as:

• The synthesis of urea from inorganic materials breaks the barrier between organic and inorganic worlds.
• The atom is the common building block for all physical bodies.
• DNA serves as a common basis for the biological sciences, demonstrating a higher order.
• The interchangeability of mass and energy.
• Brain chemistry explaining mental phenomena.
• Universal phenomena of anticlockwise revolution, from celestial bodies to electrons and the tawaf around the Kaaba.

These scientific and natural phenomena serve as powerful evidence that the universe is integrated, implying that the disciplines studying it must also find integration.

Value-based Teaching and Research: A Holistic Approach

Professor Ahmad Bello Dogarawa, a seasoned scholar from Ahmadu Bello University, elaborated in his presentation on contextual approaches and pedagogical strategies, highlighting the value-based (VB) teaching and research methodology. From an Islamic perspective, this approach integrates ethical, spiritual, and moral values derived from Islamic teachings into the education and creation of knowledge. It seeks a “middle path,” preserving Islamic values without impeding scholarly progress.

Professor Dogarawa emphasised that VB teaching aims to nurture graduates with a strong foundation of faith, deep knowledge, competence, skills, and value-based creativity and innovation. The approach is founded on six essential elements:

• Tawhidic worldview
• Ethical considerations
• Islamic epistemology
• Contextualisation
• Integrative approach
• Maqasid al-Shari’ah (objectives of Islamic law)

He outlined practical pedagogical strategies, including infusing the Qur’anic worldview into content delivery (e.g., biology for the concept of life as a trust from Allah, economics for the prohibition of interest, and accounting for Islamic contributions to double-entry accounting). He also introduced case studies with ethical reflections.

Critiquing the scientific approach often prevalent in modern research, Professor Dogarawa pointed out its weaknesses, such as:

• Disconnection from ethics and values
• Knowledge dichotomisation
• Secularist worldview
• Neglect of context and over-reliance on statistical significance
• Vague claim of objectivity

He presented the Islamic approach as an alternative, combining spiritual, philosophical, and empirical perspectives to foster a more holistic understanding, encouraging purposeful investigation, contemplation, reflection, and verification of truth.

Challenges and Opportunities in Conventional Academia

Professor Khalid Aliyu Abubakar, the Secretary-General of Jama’atu Nasril Islam (JNI), addressed the challenges, opportunities, and strategic pathways for promoting the Islamic worldview in conventional academic environments. He acknowledged the “epistemological tensions” present in modern academia, which are often rooted in secular, materialist, and positivist frameworks that may dismiss metaphysical or revelation-based perspectives as “non-scientific”.

“Universities in the West and increasingly in Muslim majority contexts tend to separate faith from scholarship,” Professor Abubakar lamented, highlighting the resulting erosion of character and learning. He also pointed to internal fragmentation among Muslim scholars themselves, who may “lack consensus on how to integrate Islamic principles with modern disciplines”. Dr. Dukawa also used the analogy of Imam Al-Ghazali, likening acquired knowledge to “eyes” and revealed knowledge to “light” – both are essential, and neglecting either leads to blindness or inability to see. He further elaborated on Ibn Taymiyah’s work, which deconstructed Aristotelian philosophy regarding the relationships between “essence and existence” and “body and soul,” demonstrating how an Islamic perspective provides a more comprehensive understanding of reality and the afterlife.

Despite these challenges, Professor Abubakar identified significant opportunities:

• Enhancing ethical discourse: Islamic values can enrich debates on bioethics and other fields.
• Offering holistic paradigms: Integrating material and spiritual aspects of human existence (body, mind, and soul) can broaden understanding in psychology, education, and health sciences.
• Interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue.
• Revival of intellectual tradition: Promoting classical Islamic thought (e.g., Ibn Khaldun in sociology, Al-Ghazali in philosophy) and demonstrating its relevance to modern challenges.

Practical strategies include curriculum development that incorporates Islamic perspectives into the social sciences, economics, and psychology, as well as framing research questions informed by the Qur’an, Sunnah, and Islamic intellectual history.

A Call to Action and KASU’s Commitment

Professor Kasule also highlighted several societal problems arising from the lack of integrated values in the modern technological era, including:

• Lack of purposiveness (غائية): Technology advancements occur without a clear vision or purpose, leading to mere “play” or “pastime” (عبث).
• Blind following (تقليد): People blindly adopt new gadgets and trends without questioning their necessity, echoing historical instances of following forefathers without intellect.
• Over-reliance on concrete thinking over conceptual thinking: Modern life, with its abundance of imagery, discourages abstract thought, thereby impacting reflection on divine signs.
• Loss of balance (توازن) and equilibrium (اعتدال): An immersion in virtual reality and a culture of extremes can lead to a loss of natural balance in various aspects of life, contrasting with Islam’s emphasis on moderation.

To counter these issues and advance the integration of knowledge, Professor Kasule strongly advocated for professors and lecturers to write their own textbooks, integrating Islamic values rather than merely consuming knowledge from others. He outlined a detailed process for textbook writing, from general epistemology seminars to specific discipline working groups, curriculum outlines, and structured chapter development, including Islamic input, case studies, and texts from Islamic sources. IIIT offers grants to support authors in this endeavour.

The main achievement of the IOK movement, Professor Kasule noted, has been the establishment of integrated schools and universities globally, alongside integrated curricula and teaching materials, particularly in finance and food technology. However, the remaining challenge is to move beyond merely “adding Islamic values to existing knowledge or subtracting non-Islamic ones” towards creating new integrated or Islamised knowledge, making Muslims “creators and innovators and not consumers of knowledge by others”.

Concluding the symposium, Professor Abdullahi Musa Ashafa, the Vice-Chancellor of Kaduna State University, lauded the organisers and expressed KASU’s deep commitment to the integration agenda. Emphasising that “Islam is knowledge, knowledge is Islam,” he stated that KASU would analyse the presentations, implement the ideas, and organise a follow-up workshop on value-based teaching and research. Significantly, the Vice-Chancellor announced that KASU’s governing council had recently approved a brand-new Centre for Quranic Science, which will serve as a hub for discussions on knowledge, Islamic perspectives, and the relationship with Quranic insights. He also indicated a strong desire to formalise the partnership with IIIT through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU).

The symposium at KASU marks a crucial step in re-establishing the holistic and value-driven pursuit of knowledge that characterised early Islamic scholarship, paving the way for a future where academic excellence is inextricably linked with ethical grounding and spiritual purpose.

Musa Kalim Gambo writes from Kaduna, Nigeria

By The Citizen Reports

The British government has begun sending direct messages to tens of thousands of foreign students, cautioning them to depart the country once their visas run out or risk deportation, the BBC reported on Tuesday.

According to the report, the Home Office introduced a new initiative in response to what it called an “alarming” surge in student visa holders attempting to prolong their stay by applying for asylum.

For the first time, officials are reaching out to students via email and text to outline the consequences of overstaying.

The government expressed worry that more students are turning to the asylum process as a way to remain in the UK after completing their studies.

One of the messages being circulated states, “If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”

Official data shows that roughly 15 per cent of asylum requests last year—about 16,000—came from individuals who originally entered on student visas. Although it is unclear how many applied after their visas had expired, authorities believe the trend is significant enough to require urgent measures.

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper told the BBC that some students are “claiming asylum even when things have not changed in their home country.”

She added, “We obviously will do our bit to support genuine refugees, but if nothing has changed in their country, people should not be claiming asylum at the end of a student course.”

Cooper also highlighted the strain that the rising number of asylum claims from students places on the UK’s housing system, particularly accommodation and hotels for asylum seekers.So far, around 10,000 students with visas close to expiration have received these warnings.

The Home Office expects to contact another 130,000 students and their dependents in the coming months, in line with the busy autumn academic intake, the BBC reported.

The message being sent further reads, “If you submit an asylum claim that lacks merit, it will be swiftly and robustly refused.

Any request for asylum support will be assessed against destitution criteria. If you do not meet the criteria, you will not receive support. If you have no legal right to remain in the UK, you must leave. If you don’t, we will remove you.”The move forms part of broader immigration reforms introduced by the Labour government.

In May, the Home Office announced stricter requirements for universities, linking their ability to sponsor international students to higher standards on visa refusals and course completion rates.

While much of the immigration debate in Britain has focused on Channel crossings, officials say they are also increasingly troubled by those who entered legally but later shifted to the asylum system.

Figures show that of the 108,000 asylum applications lodged last year, about 40,000 came from people who arrived through legal routes, compared with 35,000 from small boat arrivals.

Students accounted for the largest share of these legal entrants seeking asylum, with numbers nearly six times higher than in 2020.

Although applications from students have since dropped by 10 per cent, the Home Office insists further reductions are necessary. Cooper noted that student visa holders represent just over one-tenth of all asylum claims but maintained that “to fix the system, we must tackle every single bit of it.”

The government has also reduced the time foreign graduates can remain in the UK after completing their degrees, cutting it from two years to 18 months. Recent figures show that successful asylum claims from skilled worker visa holders have also decreased.

By Abdullahi Mukhtar Algasgaini

President Bola Tinubu has celebrated his deputy, Vice President Kashim Shettima, as a loyal partner and a pillar of his administration, on the occasion of Shettima’s 59th birthday.

In birthday message released on Tuesday, President Tinubu commended the Vice President for his unwavering “courage, sense of duty, tenacity, determination, and belief in Nigeria’s greatness.”

Reflecting on their political journey, the President stated that his choice of Shettima as a running mate was based on “competence and other qualities that Nigeria could depend on,” adding that the Vice President has justified that choice every day by strengthening the administration’s work and bringing fresh perspectives.

The message highlighted Shettima’s past service as a two-term Governor of Borno State and a Senator, noting that he demonstrated that “leadership is service, not privilege, even in the face of immense challenges.”

President Tinubu credited their partnership as integral to the early successes of the ‘Renewed Hope Agenda,’ specifically mentioning advancements in securing global partnerships, food security, and investment reforms.

Looking ahead, the President expressed confidence that their collaboration would continue to yield visible results for Nigerians, including new trade corridors, schools, hospitals, and jobs.

He concluded by describing their relationship as a bridge across Nigeria’s regions and traditions, united in purpose. He wished the Vice President “renewed vitality, wisdom and more years of impact.”

The Vice President marks his 59th birthday on Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

By Muhammad Abubakar Tahir

Jigawa State was created on August 27, 1991, by the administration of General Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida. Since then, the state — with its 27 local government areas and Dutse as its capital — has grown remarkably in almost every sector, living up to its nickname: “The New World.”

Anyone familiar with Jigawa today will agree that, among the states created at the same time, it has made more than commendable progress. Its story has been one of consistent development, particularly in modern agriculture, healthcare, environmental sanitation, good governance, and infrastructure.

Over the years, each governor who served the state has left a footprint of meaningful projects. Their efforts deserve gratitude and prayers from the citizens, for together they have turned Jigawa into one of Nigeria’s quiet models of growth.

One of the most visible achievements is in road construction. According to surveys, Jigawa ranks among the top three states with the best road networks in the country. Travelling from Birniwa to Gwaram, one will see how successive governments have invested in quality roads that connect communities, ease transportation, and improve livelihoods.

In agriculture, Jigawa stands tall as a national pillar. About 75 per cent of Nigeria’s exported food products originate from the state — a feat that underscores its central role in sustaining the nation’s economy.

Governor Umar Namadi’s administration, in particular, has deepened support for farmers. By making fertiliser affordable, offering loans, and providing milling machines and rice processing equipment, his government has empowered rural farmers and strengthened food security.

In Hadejia, the rice business has transformed lives. Buyers now flock in from across the country, increasing state revenue and creating employment opportunities. Many youths have become millionaires through rice farming and processing. And it is not just rice — Jigawa also thrives in sesame, hibiscus, millet, and maize, with many of these products being exported internationally.

The state’s lesser-talked-about sectors are also booming. Fish and frog farming, for instance, are creating jobs for youths from both North and South, while contributing to local revenue. My recent investigative work with WikkiTimes highlighted this silent but powerful transformation.

Education has also advanced. The sons and daughters of Jigawa continue to make their mark both nationally and internationally. Governments past and present have invested in schools and supported talented youths to acquire modern skills abroad — laying a foundation of knowledge for future generations.

Governor Namadi has shown particular resolve by announcing plans to recruit 10,000 teachers — a bold initiative that will strengthen the education system.

Progress is also visible in other areas, including electricity, water supply, and street lighting. Towns and villages that were once engulfed in darkness are now well illuminated, symbolising infrastructural renewal.

Jigawa has also remained at the forefront in welfare policies. It was one of the first states to implement the national minimum wage, long before it became mandatory across Nigeria. This pro-worker stance has relieved hardship for civil servants and enhanced productivity.

The state’s reputation for peace and security is not to be overstated. Jigawa remains one of the safest states in the country — a fact that allows visitors to move freely without fear. Governor Namadi has further strengthened this by addressing farmer-herder conflicts, ensuring lasting harmony among communities.

Tourism is another rising potential. The serenity, natural beauty, and hospitality of Jigawa are gradually attracting visitors, opening new doors for cultural and economic growth.

Truly, Jigawa has fulfilled its promise as the “New World.” From humble beginnings, it has become a source of pride not only for its people but also for Nigeria.

May Allah continue to bless Jigawa with peace, progress, and prosperity. Ameen.

Muhammad Abubakar Tahir wrote in from Hadejia, Jigawa State, via abubakarmtahir81@gmail.com.