14 Christian groups allege plan to islamize Nigeria

A coalition of 14 Christian groups has raised the alarm over alleged plan by the Presidency to turn the country to an Islamic State, “through the backdoor”, warning that such action contravenes Nigeria’s secular status.


According to them, the Bill in the House of Representatives proposing amendment to Section 262(1) of the 1999 Constitution with a view to expanding the existing jurisdiction of the Sharia Court of Appeal and the state by including criminal matters was insensitive and inconsistent with democratic and republican ideals of the constitution and the Nigerian State.


Members of the coalition include National Christian Elders Forum (NCEF); Nigerian Christian Graduate Fellowship (NCGF); Think Tank for the body of Christ(TTBC); Christian Lawyers Fellowship of Nigeria (CLASFON; Association of Christian Schools in Nigeria(ACSIN); Students Christian Movement(SCM); Christian Professionals Forum (CPF); Intercessors for Nigeria (IFN)and and International Prophetic Ministerial Association (Inc. Worldwide College of Bishops and Ministers: Africa, UK and USA.) The coalition also has Intercessors Without Walls IWW); Wailing Women International (WWI); Full Gospel Businessmen Fellowship (FGBF); Nigerian Fellowship of Christian Students (NFCS) and University Joint Campus Christian Fellowship (UJCCFF) as members.


Several calls to the Senior Special Assistant to the President (Media and Publicity), Mallam Garba Shehu, were not taken.


The spokesperson for the coalition and National President of NCEF, Mr. Solomon Asemota (SAN); Prelate of Methodist Church/Head of Christian Council of Nigeria bloc in Christian Association of Nigeria, Emmanuel Udofia and Leader of CPF, Prof. (Bishop) Funmi Adesanya-Davies, tabled these demands at a press conference held on weekend in Abuja.


Asemota said, “The proposed amendment is a desecration of the sanctity of the FCT as a symbol of national unity, which should be preserved. Nigeria’s membership of religious organisations and associations, particularly the Organization of Islamic Cooperating Countries and the Coalition of Islamic Nations against ISIS, is insensitive, against our best national security interest and democratic and democratic norms. “To maintain the unity, faith, peace and corporate progress of Nigeria, we demand that Shariah should be expunged from the constitution and Shariah-based public institutions, agencies and practices in the states should be abolished. In this respect we demand the return to status quo as per the Republican Constitution of 1963”

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NSCIA felicitates with Muslims on Ramadan 1437 A.H.

The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President General, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto, has congratulated the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and all over the world on the month of Ramadan, 1437 A. H expected to start tomorrow asking the Muslims to look out for the moon tonight.


In a statement signed by the Secretary General, Prof Ishaq Oloyede, the council said: “by the month of Ramadan in which was revealed the Quran, a guidance for mankind and clear proofs for the guidance and the criterion (between right and wrong). So whoever of you sights (the crescent on the first night of) the month (of Ramadan i.e. present at his home), he must observe fasting that month… (Q.Al-Baqarah 2:185) “The Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), under the leadership of its President General, Alh. Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, the Sultan of Sokoto, congratulates the Muslim Ummah in Nigeria and all over the world on the auspicious occasion of Ramadan, 1437 A. H. The Council prays that Allah make the month a positively new beginning in our individual and national lives in terms of spiritual excellence and national development.


“The Council appreciates the educative release from National Space Research Development Agency (NASRDA) on crescent sighting, which was meant to provide just the scientific explanation concerning sighting of the crescent. We urge the NASRDA to make it a monthly affair for public awareness and education. One of the beauties of Islamic calendar is its being natural, based on a monthly phenomenon as created by the Almighty Creator of both humanity and nature.


“It is also instructive that the findings of NASRDA agree with those of the Islamic Scholars on when and where the conjunction of the new crescent would take place. The only difference is that mere conjunction without its physical appearance (after sunset) is not enough for the commencement of the Ramadan except on the 30th of the receding month when its existence is certain.


“Since the last Ramadan fast, the National Moon Sighting Committee (NMSC) of the NSCIA, under the leadership of Mallam Hafiz Wali and Prof. Usman El-Nafaty, assisted by Bro. Muhammad Yaseen Qamarud-Deen, advises the President General of the NSCIA on the commencement of every lunar month. The President General, as advised, always makes monthly declaration of the commencement of every lunar month. “The NMSC had advised the President General that the crescent of Ramadan should be searched for on Sunday, 5th June, 2016 equivalent to 29th Sha’ban 1437 AH. If the crescent is actually sighted by informed persons on Sunday night and His Eminence is so advised by the experts, he would declare Monday, 6th June, 2016 as the first day of Ramadan. If, however, the crescent is not sighted on the night of Sunday, Tuesday, 7th June, 2016 automatically becomes the first of Ramadan, 1437 AH. “Muslims all over the Country are hereby enjoined to be on the lookout for the directive of His Eminence, the President General of the NSCIA, on the commencement of the 1437 AH Ramadan fast.

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Insurgency: 1,000 Borno farming families get N40m, food stuffs

Over 1000 families and Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in the northeast part of the country have benefited from the philanthropic gesture of a Non Governmental Organization, Peace Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Initiative (PRRI).


The gesture according to the Executive Secretary of the group, Dr Sam Ode, is targeted at providing a source of livilihood for the returning families whose communities have been ravaged by the Boko Haram insurgency.


He revealed that the group visited Biu Local Government and gave raw cash support of N10m and food stuffs worth over N10million.


Other communities also visited include, Buratai, Sabon Gari, Kwajafa, Shaffa, Biu IDP camps where assistance were given to some corporative societies. He added that the organisation has resolved to give improved seedlings procured from IITA, Ibadan to help the farmers boost their yields in the coming years.


Ode said Agriculture is key to the development of any nation and it remains the first line of any action plan to deliver people from economic hardships. He said PRRI is keen to see that the returning families are empowered.


According to him, the PRRI team is moving to Yobe and Adamawa State where the team have identified some villages and the inhabitants have fully returned home as a result of military operations which have restored normalcy to the area.


The Executive Secretary of the organization while briefing news men in his office in Abuja, said it was quite challenging as no government or individual can completely rebuild what was destroyed by the insurgents but a through the concerted efforts of all stakeholders including the once displaced persons.


While recalling their experience during the tour and distribution of farming materials, he said some communities have not received a grain of rice or corn from any government or organization which is very pathetic, adding that while waiting for the Federal Government to reach out to the IDPs, well spirited individuals must be encouraged to support the IDPs particularly those who have returned to their communities with food, money and farming facilities to help them totally recover . Ode who was full of praises for President Muhammadu Buhari and the military, pointed that the level of devastation suffered in the north east before military interventions to reclaim those lost territories cannot be quantified in material terms and commended the Nigerian military for restoring law and order to these communities.


The PRRI, led by the Executive Secretary, Sam Ode said it has now given over N40 million as part of its philanthropic gesture to the various communities it has visited in Borno State

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Adulterated kerosene in circulation in Borno – NSCDC

The Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, on Sunday in Maiduguri alerted Borno residents that kerosene mixed with petrol is currently in circulation in the state.


The Borno NSCDC Commandant, Ibrahim Abdullahi, stated this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria.


The commandant said that some patriotic citizens alerted the command on the circulation of the adulterated commodity.


“We have been receiving distress calls from the public.


“A man from Maduganari reported that his house was almost gutted by fire because he used adulterated kerosene.


We are surprised how they mixed kerosene and petrol, We don’t know whether it is another ploy by Boko Haram to cause havoc,” he said.


He said the command would leave no stone unturned to apprehend whoever was responsible for the act, and urged the public to report any form of nefarious activities to the law enforcement agencies.


Kerosene is a common commodity used in stoves for cooking in Borno and other Nigerian states

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El-Rufai flags off sale of affordable fertilizers to farmers

Governor Nasir El-Rufai of Kaduna State has flagged off the sale of affordable fertilizers to farmers for the 2016 cropping season.


Speaking during the flag-off ceremony at Giwa Local Government Area of the state, the Governor explained that his administration had since inception removed subsidy on fertilizer due to the alleged corruption associated with it.


He said that with the subsidy removal, the farmers were buying fertilizers at an affordable price of 4,000 naira per bag through government’s intervention.


The leader of farmers in Giwa Local Government, Garba Shika, complained of challenges being faced by his colleagues participating in the Anchor Borrowers’ Programme, and wants the state government to intervene.


Speaking to newsmen, Governor El-Rufai gave the assurance that government was assessing the challenges being faced by dry season farmers’ Anchor Borrowers Programme aimed at boosting agriculture and food supply in the state.

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Book Haram planning large-scale bombing during Ramadan – Army

The Defence Headquarters has raised the alarm that members of the Boko Haram sect were planning a large scale bombing during the Ramadan festival.


The Acting Director Defence Information, Brig. Gen. Rabe Abubakar, said in an electronic mail on Saturday that the insurgents had a plan to carry out massive bomb attacks during early morning and evening prayers during Ramadan.


Abubakar urged religious organisations to take necessary security precautions during the period. He also called on the members of the public to be on the watch out for strange objects and report all suspicious movements to security operatives for prompt action.


He said, “Information available to this Headquarters indicated plans by terrorists to use the Ramadan period which usually attracts gathering of large number of persons during morning and evening worships and prayers to carry out large scale bombings Against this background, the Defence Headquarters wishes to once again advice the general public to be watchful of strange persons and objects in their localities particularly, around places of worship and to promptly report same to security agencies.


“It is further to advice that adequate security and surveillance be evolved by respective places of worship to forestall any unwholesome acts by some unscrupulous elements.


“The DHQ wishes to reassure law abiding citizens to go about their normal businesses while efforts are being made to eliminate the remnants of the terrorists from their hideouts as well as addressing other security challenges in the country.”

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Oyo NLC demands release of union leaders

The Oyo State Chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress, NLC, on Saturday demanded the immediate release of its chairman, Comrade Waheed Olojede, and six others arrested by the state government.


The union further charged the state government to withdraw the charges levelled against them in the court.


The NLC described the arrest and subsequent prosecution of the labour leaders as a ploy to force the union to support the planned privatisation of secondary school education by the Abiola Ajimobi-led administration.


Addressing journalists at the union’s secretariat at Agodi, Ibadan, the treasurer, Comrade Bosun Daramola, said that the union’s leaders should not only be released from Agodi prison custody, government should also pay the outstanding salaries and arrears of workers in the state.


The police arrested Olojede and six others and charged them to a magistrate court last Friday on a seven-count charge bordering on breach of public peace and damage of public property.


The unionists were accused of disrupting a stakeholders’ meeting organized by the Oyo State government to address issues on the proposed privatisation of selected secondary schools in the state.


The accused persons could not meet the bail conditions slammed on them by Chief Magistrate Jamiu Adebisi and were remanded in prison custody.


The conditions include two sureties with national identity cards, work identity card, three years tax clearance and a sum of N200,000 for each of the accused persons. In his speech, Daramola said, “the union was aware that the arrest, arraignment and incarceration of our union leaders was a deliberate gimmick of the Oyo State government to weaken the determination of the union to lead the entire suffering workers in the state.


”The union would like to inform the public and parents of students in public schools in the state that they remain resolute and no amount of arrest and prosecution of the union leaders would deter them from the struggle to rescue public schools in the state from being sold.


”The public educational system in Oyo State and other parts of the country is enmeshed in crisis, characterized by inadequate facilities for proper learning.


The union will continue to defend the economic rights of the Nigerians working masses and urge all individuals or religious organizations who may be interested in buying over the public schools to rescind the decision. We say Oyo public schools are not for sale”.


The union also demanded for proper and adequate funding of the education sector, including payment of living wages and other incentives for educational workers and likewise the immediate payment of six months outstanding salaries and pension arrears.

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