Category: Daily Trust

Dutse, the Jigawa State capital, was agog at the weekend as President Bola Ahmed Tinubu received scores of defectors from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), African Democratic Congress (ADC), and other political parties into the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The event, tagged a ‘Defection Tsunami’, drew massive crowd to the Dutse Modern Stadium, turning the state capital into a hub of political and economic activities as traders also recorded massive sales.

Recall that prominent opposition members including governors – Sheriff Oborevwori (Delta) and Umo Eno (Akwa Ibom) – had defected to the APC ahead of the 2027 general elections. APC leaders have also said more bigwigs are being expected into the party ahead of 2027.

President Tinubu, represented by Yobe State governor, Mai Mala Buni, described the mass defection in Jigawa as a vote of confidence on the APC.

‘From today, you are full members of the APC and will enjoy equal rights and opportunities as older members. We are proud of your courage, faith, and commitment to the progress of our great nation,’ Tinubu said.

The President reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to enhancing national security, stimulating the economy, and completing key infrastructure projects particularly the Kano-Maiduguri Federal Highway, which he described as vital to regional trade and connectivity.

Similarly, the APC National Chairman, Prof. Nentawe Yilwatda, who led members of the party’s National Working Committee (NWC) to the event said, ‘The APC belongs to all of you. Feel at home, participate fully, and work for the continued success of the party.’

Every few months, headlines appear suggesting that Christians are being slaughtered in Nigeria for their faith. Yet for those who have lived through the nation’s painful years of insecurity, that claim could not be further from the truth. The reality is simpler and sadder: Nigerians are being killed, not Christians, not Muslims, just Nigerians.

This recurring narrative, often amplified by foreign media and sometimes echoed by local voices, paints a picture of religious persecution that does not reflect Nigeria’s complex reality. Our nation has endured terrorism, banditry, communal clashes, and kidnappings, but none of these are rooted in a coordinated religious war. To frame them that way is to misrepresent the truth and deepen the divisions that have already cost us too much. The truth is that both Christians and Muslims have fallen victim to the same forces of chaos, insecurity, poverty, corruption, and weak governance.

The roots of this misleading narrative trace back to the early days of Boko Haram’s insurgency. Because the group cloaked its terror in extremist Islamic rhetoric, international observers quickly assumed its violence was directed primarily against Christians. Western news outlets, advocacy organizations, and even some humanitarian campaigns began to describe Nigeria’s insecurity as ‘a war on Christians.’ But this framing was built on shallow observation. In reality, Boko Haram’s ideology was political and power driven, not religious. The group declared war on anyone who rejected its twisted version of Islam, including Muslims. They bombed mosques, killed imams, murdered Qur’anic teachers, and wiped out entire Muslim villages. To call their victims ‘Christian martyrs’ is to ignore the tens of thousands of Muslims who also perished at their hands.

Let the facts speak. Reports from organizations like the United Nations, Amnesty International, and the International Crisis Group have shown that the majority of Boko Haram’s victims were Muslims. From Baga to Konduga, from Monguno to Gwoza, the group unleashed terror on communities that were overwhelmingly Muslim. When Boko Haram attacked the Central Mosque in Kano in 2014, hundreds of Muslims were killed while offering Friday prayers. When they invaded Bama and Gwoza, they massacred Muslim men and abducted Muslim women. In the early years of their campaign, they even executed Muslim clerics who denounced them as heretics. Yes, churches were attacked and Christian communities suffered, but these attacks were never about religion, they were about control, intimidation, and chaos. The same bandits who kidnap Christian schoolgirls in Kaduna also raid Muslim villages in Zamfara and Katsina. The same terrorists who burn down a church in Chibok kill Muslims in Damboa and Yobe.

The Nigerian tragedy has been indiscriminate. No faith group has been spared. To claim otherwise is to weaponize human suffering for political ends. Once we start counting corpses by religion, we lose sight of our common humanity. The moment a Muslim’s death becomes less tragic than a Christian’s, or vice versa, we have all lost our moral compass. Labelling Nigeria’s insecurity as ‘Christian persecution’ fuels mistrust between communities that have coexisted for centuries. It allows extremists, opportunistic politicians, and foreign actors to thrive on our divisions. The danger lies not only in the falsehood of the claim but in its consequences, every time we turn insecurity into a religious debate, we make reconciliation harder and suspicion stronger.

The truth is simple: Nigeria’s security failures are not faith based; they are systemic. Our problem is not Islam or Christianity, it is bad governance, corruption, unemployment, and the absence of justice. Those are our common enemies. Whether in a mosque or a church, the cries of mourning echo with the same agony. Our people are not dying because of their religion, they are dying because their government failed to protect them. In Borno, Muslim farmers are slaughtered while tending their fields. In Kaduna, Christian teachers are abducted on their way to school. In Sokoto and Zamfara, Muslim traders are kidnapped for ransom. Across Nigeria, children of every faith have been orphaned, widows have been created, and futures destroyed.

Grief knows no religion. It does not ask whether the victim prayed facing east or west, or whether he called God Allah or Jehovah. It only asks why a human life was lost, and why a nation of such potential allows its citizens to perish so easily. Sadly, part of the blame lies with the media, both international and domestic. For years, Western journalists have painted Nigeria as a theatre of religious warfare because that sells better to their audiences. It simplifies a complex story and invites sympathy, funding, and political pressure. Locally, some political and religious leaders exploit this same narrative to score points. They speak of persecution to attract foreign support or to rally their followers, not realizing the damage they inflict on interfaith trust. Such exploitation of tragedy is morally wrong. It undermines national unity and feeds the perception that Nigerians are enemies of one another.

What Nigeria needs is responsible journalism, one that sees insecurity as a national tragedy, not as a Christian or Muslim problem. We need leaders who speak the language of unity, not division. If there is any lesson to draw from our years of insecurity, it is that division only multiplies pain. The bullets that killed our people did not ask for their baptismal names. The bombs that tore our markets apart did not check prayer times. Nigerians must reject every narrative that pits one faith against another. We must rise above religious and ethnic fault lines and recognize that what threatens one Nigerian threatens all. The solution lies in cooperation, in interfaith dialogue, in community policing, in rebuilding trust among neighbours, and in holding leaders accountable for every life lost, regardless of faith.

Nigeria’s wounds are deep, but they are shared wounds. If we must rise again, we must do so as one people, not as Christians or Muslims, but as Nigerians bound by hope, history, and destiny. A lie repeated often enough becomes the truth, until truth itself speaks. The truth is that in Nigeria, no faith owns the monopoly of pain. Our collective duty is not to argue over who suffers more, but to ensure that no one else must suffer at all.

A 14-year-old boy (name not disclosed) was shot dead after a security guard on duty fired shots in the direction of attendees at a funeral party in Ilesa, Osun State.

The spokesperson of Osun State Police Command, Abiodun Ojelabi, who confirmed the incident during an interview with PUNCH on Sunday, said two people had been arrested in connection with the incident, which occurred on Saturday at Oke Ero Area, Ilesa.

Ojelabi said those arrested in connection with the incident had been moved to the command headquarters in Osogbo, where a probe into the remote and immediate causes of the shooting was being handled.

He said, ‘One person was shot dead. The deceased is a 14-year-old. It happened at a funeral party in Ilesa.

‘A guard was allegedly involved in the shooting. Three other people sustained injury. But two of those injured were discharged from the hospital this morning.

‘The two people arrested are in our custody, and the investigation is ongoing into what happened at the event.’

However, while speaking under condition of anonymity, sources close to the scene of the incident in separate interviews explained that the guard who fired the shot is a member of the Nigerian Forest Security Service who was on guard duty at the event.

They said the shooting was an accidental discharge, adding that the funeral ceremony came to an abrupt end, following the shooting.

One of the eyewitnesses said, ‘The incident was an accidental discharge because the man involved, an operative of the Nigeria Forest Security Service, was on guard duty with some of his colleagues when he released the shot.

‘One person was hit, and he died immediately. Some people were also injured. The shooting led to serious panic as people ran in different directions. The event came to an abrupt end after the shooting.’

When contacted for further clarifications, the Osun State Commander of the Nigeria Forest Service, Hammed Nureni, said the police had taken over the investigation into the incident, describing the shooting as accidental discharge, and called for calm to allow a diligent probe by the appropriate security agency.

He further said, ‘They came from Jos for a burial ceremony in Ilesa. From what I was told, the shooting occurred while the guards were performing a gun salute in honour of the person who was being interred.

‘The operative involved, we were told, shot into the air, and by the time he was bringing down the firearm, the gun suddenly discharged again, killing one person, said to be a relation to the deceased that was being honoured with the gun salute.’

Former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) National Secretary, Sunday Ude-Okoye, has announced his resignation from the party.

Ude-Okoye, a former National Youth Leader of the PDP, was involved in a bitter war with the incumbent National Secretary of the party, Senator Samuel Anyanwu.

In 2021 Anyanwu and other members of the National Working Committee, NWC of the PDP were elected into office, but 2023 Anyanwu contested the Imo Governorship election which he lost to Governor Hope Uzodimma.

However, before his return, the South East caucus of the party led by Enugu state Governor Peter Mbah, and Deputy Zonal chairman, Ali Odefa, had nominated Ude-Okoye as his (Anyanwu’s) replacement. On his return hell was let loose as Anyanwu demanded that he must be reinstated as Secretary.

After a protracted legal tussle, the PDP leadership recognised Udeh-Okoye as the substantive National Secretary of the party in compliance with a Court of Appeal judgment, in Enugu.

Not satisfied, Anyanwu continued his case to the Supreme Court. But the Supreme Court judgement further intensified the crisis as Anyanwu and Okoye laid claim to victory.

The PDP leaders allowed Anyanwu to resume office after the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said it would only recognize him as Secretary.

On Monday, news emerged that Ude-Okoye had dumped the PDP.

When asked why he took the decision, Ude-Okoye who personally confirmed the development to Daily Trust, said, ‘The party has lost its moral compass, ideological direction, and founding principles of unity, justice, and equity.’

In his resignation letter dated October 13, 2025, and addressed to the PDP Ward Chairman in Agbogugu, Awgu Local Government Area of Enugu State, Udeh-Okoye said the decision followed ‘deep reflection and careful consideration,’ lamenting that the PDP had ‘strayed far from the ideals of its founding fathers.’

He added, ‘I have come to the solemn conclusion that I can no longer, in good conscience, remain within a system that has strayed so far from its original purpose.’

He argued that the PDP that once stood as a beacon of hope for democratic governance has regrettably lost its ‘moral compass and ideological direction.’

Senior Special Assistant to the President on citizenship and leadership, Hon. Nasir Bala Aminu Ja’oji (Adon Garin Kasar Hausa), has extended his heartfelt congratulations to the son of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, Seyi Tinubu, on the occasion of his 40th birthday.

In a congratulatory message issued on Monday, Ja’oji described Seyi as a humble, kind and generous person, whose life has inspired many within and outside his generation.

Ja’oji said, ‘I join family, friends, associates and well-wishers in celebrating you on this special day of your 40th birthday anniversary because you are such a rare humble, kind and generous person among your peers. I am proud to be associated with you now and always.

The presidential; aide also congratulated Seyi Tinubu for attaining what he described as an accomplished life of solid years. He added, ‘A journey of an accomplished life of 40 solid years like yours isn’t a joke; you have achieved a lot and lived a simple and descent life that many others may wish to emulate.’

‘May Almighty Allah grant you sound health and wisdom, as you continue to serve humanity. Please accept my heartfelt felicitations.’

Deputy Speaker of the House of Representatives, Benjamin Okezie Kalu, has called for the inclusion of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-powered learning initiatives in lawmakers’ constituency projects to enhance access to technology education and human capital development across Nigeria.

Kalu made the call during a visit to Bildup AI Learning Hub in Enugu on Saturday, where he interacted with young Nigerians undergoing AI-assisted training.

He was accompanied by the House Majority Leader, Prof. Julius Ihonbvere, and other lawmakers on the sidelines of the House Committee on Review retreat.

The Deputy Speaker commended Bildup AI’s innovative approach to education, describing it as a model that could bridge the learning gap, empower youths, and boost the country’s digital economy.

‘Bildup has simplified learning and made it affordable. It’s time we adopt such initiatives as part of our constituency projects so that more students can access quality education and develop tech skills. Human capital development is key to Nigeria’s future,’ he said.

Kalu pledged to partner with Bildup AI and called for government support through the Ministries of Education and Science, and Technology, as well as private organizations and NGOs.

‘This is not about politics; it’s about development. Our young people are the country’s most valuable resource. With proper investment, they can sit here in Nigeria and provide services to global tech giants while earning foreign exchange,’ he added.

He also encouraged the trainees to remain innovative, describing them as ‘disruptors’ who are challenging tradition and driving technological progress.

Earlier, Bildup AI Chief Executive Officer, Chibuike Aguene, said the indigenous AI platform was the first of its kind in Africa, designed to provide one-on-one virtual tutoring for students, improve learning outcomes, and connect graduates to global opportunities.

‘Our AI system teaches and interacts with students just like a human teacher. It’s transforming access to quality education and positioning Africa as a leader in tech innovation,’ Aguene said.

Nigeria’s total public debt has risen to N152.40 trillion as of June 30, 2025, from N149.39 trillion recorded at the end of March, according to the latest data released by the Debt Management Office (DMO).

The figure represents a quarterly increase of N3.01 trillion, or 2.01%, while in dollar terms, the debt stock climbed from $97.24 billion to $99.66 billion, reflecting a 2.49% rise.

According to the report, external debt rose to $46.98 billion (N71.85 trillion) in June from $45.98 billion (N70.63 trillion) in March.

Multilateral lenders remain Nigeria’s largest creditors, holding a combined $23.19 billion, which accounts for 49.4% of external obligations. The World Bank, through the International Development Association (IDA), is the single largest lender with $18.04 billion outstanding.

Bilateral loans amounted to $6.20 billion, led by the Export-Import Bank of China with $4.91 billion, followed by smaller exposures to France, Japan, India, and Germany.

Meanwhile, commercial borrowings totalled $17.32 billion, nearly all of which are Eurobonds, representing 36.9% of the external portfolio. An additional $268.9 million was owed under syndicated facilities and commercial bank loans.

On the domestic side, Nigeria’s debt rose to N80.55 trillion by June, up from N78.76 trillion in March-an increase of N1.79 trillion. Federal Government bonds remained dominant, accounting for N60.65 trillion or 79.2% of total domestic debt. This includes N36.52 trillion in naira-denominated bonds, N22.72 trillion in securitised Ways and Means advances, and N1.40 trillion in dollar bonds.

Treasury bills accounted for N12.76 trillion (16.7%), while Sukuk bonds stood at N1.29 trillion. Other smaller instruments included savings bonds (N91.53 billion), green bonds (N62.36 billion), and promissory notes (N1.73 trillion)-the latter comprising both naira and foreign currency-denominated liabilities converted at the June CBN exchange rates.

Out of the total N152.40 trillion public debt, the Federal Government accounted for N141.08 trillion, representing 92.6% of the total.

This comprised N64.49 trillion in external obligations and N76.59 trillion in domestic debt.

The DMO wrote: ‘The Foreign Denominated Promissory Notes Outstanding amount of USD850,069,492 and £98,526 as at June 2025 were converted to Naira using CBN Official exchange rate of 1USD to N1,529.2105 and 1GBP to N2,093.9479 as at June 30, 2025.’

Concerns over public debt

Daily Trust reports that there have been concerns from experts and Nigerians over the rising public debt even as the federal government plans to borrow more money.

Last week, President Bola Tinubu asked the Senate to approve a fresh external borrowing of $2.3billion.

The President’s request was contained in a letter read during plenary by Senate President Godswill Akpabio.

Tinubu said the new loan is to implement the 2025 Appropriation Act, refinance maturing Eurobonds, and expand Nigeria’s debt instruments to include Islamic finance products.

‘The 2025 fiscal framework anticipates $9.27bn in new borrowings to address the budget deficit, of which $1.84bn is earmarked for external sources at an assumed exchange rate of N1,500 to the dollar,’ he said in the letter.

A key element of the plan is the refinancing of Nigeria’s $1.118bn Eurobond, issued in 2018 at a coupon rate of 7.625% and due in November 2025.

‘This is a standard practice in debt capital markets,’ the President wrote. ‘Refinancing through

Eurobonds or syndicated loans will guarantee debt sustainability and boost investor confidence.’

Economist and CEO, Centre for the Promotion of Private Enterprises (CPPE), Dr. Muda Yusuf, said the devaluation of the naira occasioned by the floating of the exchange rate system had put more pressure on Nigeria’s debt profile.

He said, ‘One important factor that amplified the debt number was the exchange rate. Because if you look at the totality of our debts in dollar terms, you will discover that the difference between where we were and where we are now is not that significant, but because of the naira depreciation, the dollar component of the debt has gone up by almost three times.

‘We used the exchange rate of N450/$ before the coming of this administration to convert dollar debt; now we are using N1,540/$ to convert it; that is three times. So, the exchange rate factor is a very big factor in the growth of the debt. The only way to understand this is to look at the DMO figure and check the total debt in dollars.’

FAST Microfinance Bank, a leading micro credit and innovative services provider, in collaboration with Water.org and the National Association of Microfinance Banks (NAMB), has launched FastWash, a financial product designed to give millions of Nigerians access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene.

At the unveiling of the financial product in Benin, Edo State, the Acting Managing Director of FAST MfB, Mrs. Juliet Odigie, stated that the bank believes strongly that financial empowerment must go hand in hand with social impact.

According to her, access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene is not just a basic need but a fundamental right and a key to sustainable development.

Specifically, she explained that the FastWash product was ‘designed to provide affordable financing to households, small businesses,(SMEs) and communities seeking to invest in water and sanitation solutions, adding that through this initiative, FAST MfB is removing the financial barriers that limit access to clean water, proper toilets, and safe hygiene practices.

The banker further clarified: ‘With FastWash, beneficiaries can now Access low-interest loans for water and sanitation facilities; Improve their health, productivity, and living conditions; and Drive community development through better hygiene.

‘We understand that financial products must serve real needs. That is why FastWash is not just another loan, it is an investment in dignity, health, and hope’, she added.

Odigie expressed micro lender management’s appreciation to Water.org, adding that the partnership does not only validate FAST MfB’s values but also demonstrates the power of collaboration in delivering positive change in Benin City.

In his remarks at the event, Water.org Senior Partnership Account Manager, Mr. Gilbert Okpono, said the FastWash product was the result of deep collaboration, rigorous research, and a shared vision: to empower communities, reduce disease, and promote sustainable living, represented an innovative loan product for the Water, Sanitation, and Hygiene sector in Edo State and Nigeria at large, to not just only meet a need, but to transform lives.

He said: ‘Access to clean water, safe sanitation, and proper hygiene is not a luxury – it’s a basic human right. Yet, millions still face daily challenges in securing these essentials. That’s why today’s launch is more than a product unveiling; it’s a commitment to health, dignity, and progress.’

The Executive Secretary of NAMB, Mr. Eddy Orok, also praised FAST MfB for this innovation and the desire to implement one of the SDG goals- goal 6.

He assured the public that there will be more roll out of similar products by other MfBs in the country soon. We are proud of our collaboration with Water.org and FAST MfB.

The Assistant Head Teacher of the Local Education Authority (LEA) primary school at Naharati Tsoho in Abaji Area Council of the FCT, Salihu Mohammed Aliyu, has passed away in his sleep at his residence.

A senior brother of the deceased, Alhaji Mohammed Dan Masani, who spoke to our reporter on Saturday, said his younger brother died around 12:32 am on Friday, shortly after he had retired to his bedroom.

He said his late brother had been discussing with one of his wives in his bedroom parlour until around 12:32 am when he retired to sleep but did not wake up again.

According to him, the deceased’s wife went back to check on her husband and found him dead, upon which she immediately raised an alarm.

‘In fact, my late young brother was believed to be hale and hearty throughout that day,’ he said. ‘He was meeting with one of his wives as they both sat at the parlour discussing until around 12:32 am when he retired to bed and couldn’t wake up again,’ he said.

Dan Masani, who is the chairman of the PDP in the area, said it was after receiving the call that he quickly rushed his brother to the General Hospital, where doctors confirmed him dead.

He said the remains of the deceased were buried according to Islamic rites.

Our reporter learnt that the late teacher was married to two wives and is survived by 12 children. Meanwhile, the chairman of the FCT wing of the Nigeria Union of Teachers (NUT), Comrade Abdullahi Mohammed Shafas, has condoled with the family of the deceased.

Shafas, who paid a condolence visit to the family of the deceased at Naharati on Saturday, expressed shock over the demise of the deceased and prayed for Allah to grant the deceased’s family the fortitude to bear the irreplaceable loss.

He also prayed for Allah to grant the deceased’s soul eternal rest, while describing him as a hardworking and committed class teacher.

The Kano State Shura Council on Monday held a closed-door session with Islamic cleric Malam Lawan Shu’aibu Abubakar, popularly known as Triumph, to discuss allegations of blasphemy leveled against him by five Islamic groups.

The meeting, which took place at the Department of State Services (DSS) office in Kano, was convened to clarify statements attributed to the cleric in some viral videos that allegedly contained remarks considered derogatory to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).

Present at the session were the Chairman of the Council, Wazirin Kano, Sa’ad Shehu Gidado; the Secretary, Shehu Wada Sagagi; the Kano Director of DSS, and several respected Islamic scholars who are members of the Shura subcommittee tasked with examining the matter.

The meeting began at exactly 11:39am with an opening prayer led by Malam Abba Koki, after which the Council Chairman, Wazirin Kano, welcomed participants and outlined the purpose of the gathering. ‘In September 2025, the government received a petition from five Islamic groups alleging that some teachings of the accused amounted to blasphemy against the Prophet. The petition was forwarded to the Shura Council to investigate and make recommendations after hearing from him,’ Gidado said.

‘This is not a court session but a discussion between the Council and the accused. Whatever we do here will be forwarded to the government for further consideration.’

The Council said although nine issues were raised in the petition, four specific allegations with verifiable evidence were selected for deliberation. These included claims that the Prophet was born circumcised and with eyeliner (kwalli), that he had lice on his head, and that he used to visit the homes of married women, citing an example involving Ummu Haramun, his aunt.

A video recording containing the contentious statements was played at 11:53am, and by 12:09pm, Malam Triumph confirmed ownership of the clips.

‘They are all my submissions,’ he said.

When given the floor to explain, the cleric denied making the statements in the manner alleged.

‘I said the Prophet was not born circumcised, with a cut navel or with eyeliner. That he was born circumcised is false; his uncle, Abdulmuttalib, took him for circumcision. Books are available to verify this,’ he stated while referencing multiple Islamic texts to support his argument.

On the issue of eyeliner, the cleric said, ‘I said even animals are born with eyeliner but it cannot be associated with the Prophet because he is above that. I said he did not have it because anything Allah gives him is always special.’

During the discussion, Sheikh Habibu Muhammad Dan Almajiri questioned the cleric’s sources, asking him to identify scholars who explicitly supported his position. Other members, including Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais, Malam Usman Makwarari, and Malam Mai Bushira, emphasized the sensitivity of religious teachings and cautioned against statements that could be misunderstood by the public.

‘People of Kano are very sensitive when it comes to anything related to the Prophet. You must be careful with language and context. Even if your intention is good, your words might cause confusion. Please change your approach to teaching,’ Mai Bushira said.

Malam Triumph responded that his remarks were taken out of context.

‘We sat with the Shari’a Commission earlier and they understood me. Some people didn’t even hear the full clip but judged from short videos. I was misunderstood,’ he said.

The Chairman of the Council, Wazirin Kano, reminded participants that the session was not for debate but dialogue aimed at clarification.

In his closing remarks, Malam Triumph expressed appreciation to the Council and reiterated his commitment to peaceful preaching.

‘Some people took my clips and misinterpreted them, which can instigate the public. I believe in the Prophet and his teachings; he is our saviour. To those who misunderstood my words, I seek forgiveness. It was not intentional.

‘God knows I love peace and peaceful coexistence. May He guide us all,’ he said.

Sheikh Abdullahi Uwais Limanci concluded by advising the cleric and other preachers to exercise caution in their choice of words to avoid future controversies.

The meeting ended with a resolution that the Council would forward its findings and recommendations to the state government for appropriate consideration.