Renowned Islamic cleric Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has advocated for a more active role for Islamic scholars in resolving the ongoing banditry crisis in Nigeria’s North-West, stating that deploying credible Muslim clerics to reach out to bandits through sustained preaching could yield substantial results in subduing regional insecurity.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

The cleric made this call in a post on his official Facebook page on Wednesday. Gumi argued that religious engagement serves as a valuable complement to conventional security operations, pointing out that many bandits are themselves products of ignorance, social neglect, and deprivation. He suggested that strengthening religious and community-based outreach could reduce the heavy reliance on military and kinetic measures.

Reflecting on his efforts, Gumi noted, “Since 2021 up until now, almost six years since we began preaching to bandits, one cannot help but imagine what could have been achieved if many credible Islamic scholars had been systematically deployed to engage bandits across the North-West.” He emphasized that these engagements should focus on educating bandits on Islamic teachings regarding the sanctity of human life, the protection of property, and the strict prohibition of killing and oppression. Furthermore, the cleric maintained that public views on the crisis are frequently clouded by bias, remarking that “people are the victims of their own prejudice.”

Arise Television anchor Rufai Oseni has publicly questioned the political influence asserted by FCT Minister Nyesom Wike, specifically challenging Wike’s claim that he can secure electoral victories for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 elections. Oseni raised these doubts on Wednesday while analyzing the ongoing political disputes between Wike and governors elected on the All Progressives Congress (APC) platform. Wike, a member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has controversially pledged his support for Tinubu’s re-election bid, despite his party’s intention to field its own candidates in 2027.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Oseni further critiqued the tendency of politicians to cite their political “structure” as proof of their ability to dictate election outcomes. He specifically referenced Wike’s 2019 re-election as Rivers State Governor, a process marked by significant disruption and a 22-day suspension of result collation by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before Wike was declared the winner. While INEC records show Wike won that election with 886,264 votes against the AAC candidate’s 173,859, Oseni highlighted irregularities in the process.

Additionally, Oseni pointed to reports regarding the 2023 presidential election in Rivers State, noting a discrepancy between official results, which favored the APC’s Bola Tinubu, and independent tallies, which suggested the Labour Party’s Peter Obi won by a wide margin. Questioning the nature of the “structure” politicians rely on, Oseni asked, “Is it the structure that we can turn INEC around? Is it because INEC is not as independent as an institution as it should be?”

Oseni concluded by referencing the 2022 PDP presidential primary, where Atiku Abubakar defeated Wike with 371 votes to Wike’s 237. Arguing that Wike’s claims of “delivering” candidates do not align with his own performance in internal party contests, Oseni stated, “If Wike was that popular, why didn’t he win the primaries in the PDP and beat Atiku Abubakar? … Politicians keep acting as God.”

Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC) presidential candidate Peter Obi has addressed his relationship with Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister Nyesom Wike, affirming that the minister remains a good friend despite his repeated criticisms of Obi’s 2027 presidential ambitions.....KINDLY READ THE FULL STORY HERE▶

Reflecting on the time they crossed paths in government between 2011 and 2014—when Obi served as Anambra State Governor and Wike as Minister of State for Education—Obi recalled how Wike used to visit Anambra to inspect and commission education projects like renovated secondary schools. During an online interview, Obi noted that Wike appeared significantly healthier and happier back then, remarking, “Someone even told me that Wike said if I became president, he would be the first person I would come after. But I’m not campaigning to become president to start pursuing people. I want to go into office to focus on tomorrow, not chase people around.”

Obi further emphasized that he harbors no ill feelings toward Wike, concluding that true contentment transcends wealth: “Sometimes, you can have too much money and everything, but you don’t have happiness.”