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• October 2, 2025
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‘Empty, no ideology’ – Falana slams political parties for Nigeria’s woes

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has slammed Nigeria’s political parties, saying they are a major factor stalling the country’s growth 65 years after independence. Falana spoke on a special broadcast on Channels Television to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary. He faulted the ‘winner-takes-all’ mentality of contemporary political parties, contrasting it with practices in the
‘Empty, no ideology’ – Falana slams political parties for Nigeria’s woes

Human rights lawyer, Femi Falana, SAN, has slammed Nigeria’s political parties, saying they are a major factor stalling the country’s growth 65 years after independence.

Falana spoke on a special broadcast on Channels Television to mark Nigeria’s 65th independence anniversary.

He faulted the ‘winner-takes-all’ mentality of contemporary political parties, contrasting it with practices in the Second Republic.

The senior lawyer also said that there is no way power can be concentrated in the hands of the ruling party, stressing that it must share power with other constituencies.

“There must be proportional representation. The winner-takes-all system is part of the problems we face currently,” he said.

The elder statesman stated further that without an ideological base or orientation for political parties, corruption, impunity, and recklessness will continue.

‘Empty, no ideology’ – Falana slams political parties for Nigeria’s woes

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Troops foil terrorists’ attack in Taraba, neutralize two, recover weapons

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have repelled a planned terrorist attack in Taraba State. The feat, which the army said took place on Sunday, was also confirmed to have led to the killing of two terrorists, as well as the recovery of a cache of
Troops foil terrorists’ attack in Taraba, neutralize two, recover weapons

Troops of the 6 Brigade, Nigerian Army and Sector 3 of Operation Whirl Stroke (OPWS) have repelled a planned terrorist attack in Taraba State.

The feat, which the army said took place on Sunday, was also confirmed to have led to the killing of two terrorists, as well as the recovery of a cache of weapons.

In a statement released by Lieutenant Umar Muhammad, Acting Assistant Director of Army Public Relations, in the early hours of Thursday, the operation was said to be part of the ongoing statewide military campaign codenamed Operation Lafiya Nakowa, aimed at flushing out criminal elements in the region.

“Acting on credible intelligence, troops advanced to Tor Ikyeghgba village, where armed bandits were reportedly gathering.

“Upon arrival near the Powerline axis of the village, the soldiers engaged the terrorists in a firefight, resulting in the death of two attackers,” the army said.

Weapons and equipment confirmed to have been recovered during the operation include one locally fabricated pistol, two dane guns, three rounds of 7.62mm special ammunition, a Baofeng radio, a motorcycle, and other items.

The Commander of the 6 Brigade, Brigadier General Kingsley Chidiebere Uwa, commended the troops for their swift response, resilience, and professionalism.

He urged them to sustain the momentum of the operation and reiterated the military’s commitment to ensuring peace and security in Taraba State.

General Uwa also called on residents to support ongoing efforts by providing timely and credible information to aid in the fight against terrorism and criminality.

Troops foil terrorists’ attack in Taraba, neutralize two, recover weapons

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DSS compensates wrongfully detained Abuja-based woman with N10m

The Department of the State Services, DSS, has awarded a N10 million compensation to an Abuja-based woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, found to have been wrongfully arrested and detained by a sister security agency on allegations of involvement in illegal oil bunkering. The woman was held in the DSS detention facility some months back. Director General
DSS compensates wrongfully detained Abuja-based woman with N10m

The Department of the State Services, DSS, has awarded a N10 million compensation to an Abuja-based woman, Mrs. Chineze Ozoadibe, found to have been wrongfully arrested and detained by a sister security agency on allegations of involvement in illegal oil bunkering.

The woman was held in the DSS detention facility some months back.

Director General of the DSS, Mr Oluwatosin Adeola Ajayi, who after a painstaking investigation, found the arrest and detention of the woman to be wrongful, ordered her immediate release.

She was picked up on suspicion of alleged involvement in illegal oil bunkering, considered to be a serious economic crime against the country and moved to the DSS months back for a thorough investigation.

However, as part of his avowed determination to operate within the ambit of the law and best global practices, the DSS DG was said to have launched an independent investigation into the oil bunkering suspicion and found the woman to be innocent.

Apart from Mrs Ozoadibe’s N10 million compensation, the DSS boss also directed that five other persons wrongfully arrested should share N10 million as compensation and be released as well.

The businesswoman was arrested in the course of busting an illegal oil bunkering syndicate by a team of security operatives.

However, In the course of detailed investigation, eagle-eyed DSS men established that Mrs Ozoadibe’s arrest was coincidental and convinced, prompting the DSS DG to order her immediate release and compensation.

“You’ll realize that the release of wrongfully arrested and detained persons, and the award of compensation to them, have become the new culture of the DSS since that man, Mr. Ajayi took over as DG.

“This latest one is not an isolated case of setting free wrongfully detained persons. The DSS DG has done that several times. It is only a few that made it to the media. Remember the Jos-based businessman who was mistakenly shot by the DSS in 2016.

“It took eight years and the arrival of Mr. Ajayi as the DG of the DSS for the Service to agree to pay the N10 million a Federal High Court awarded the victim as damages.

“Not only did the new DSS DG pay N10 million, he doubled it to N20 million, and added free medicare for life for the victim.

“As a thoroughbred professional, Mr. Ajayi has seen and experienced first-hand that even the best security agencies sometimes make mistakes.

“That is why, on assuming office, he told his personnel to be very painstaking in their operations and also admitted that, as humans, they are fallible.

“However, when they make such mistakes, they should be man enough to own up to it, and that is the reason he is releasing wrongfully detained persons and awarding them compensation,” a top official confided in the media.

The official also said that in the bid to stem the tide of mistakes, the DG of DSS has approved the legal department of the Service to ensure that due process is painstakingly followed in all cases being handled by the Agency.

According to the source, “Now, the standard procedure is that all Investigation Officers conduct proper investigations before carrying out any arrests”.

DSS compensates wrongfully detained Abuja-based woman with N10m

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Abia Police Commissioner warns officers against posting faces of crime suspects on social media

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Danladi Isa has cautioned officers in his Command against posting faces of crime suspects on social media and involvement in civil matters. He also cautioned them against unprofessionalism and extortion, improper dressing while on duty, over-detention of suspects in non-felonious cases, as well as poor documentation of
Abia Police Commissioner warns officers against posting faces of crime suspects on social media

The Commissioner of Police, Abia State Command, CP Danladi Isa has cautioned officers in his Command against posting faces of crime suspects on social media and involvement in civil matters.

He also cautioned them against unprofessionalism and extortion, improper dressing while on duty, over-detention of suspects in non-felonious cases, as well as poor documentation of complaints and reports.

The CP, who gave the charge on Monday during a strategic meeting with Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers, Tactical Team Commanders and Departmental Heads of the Command, cautioned against unauthorized transfers of officers on one-year attachment, misconduct and acts of impunity.

He directed that there must be no loss of personnel or arms, and stressed that preliminary investigations into community-reported cases must be properly handled before transferring such cases to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation and prosecution.

The CP. who encouraged officers to lead by example, said true leadership is demonstrated through conduct, while urging them to continually build and improve themselves professionally in order to give their best service.

CP Danladi equally reminded the officers to make early preparations for retirement and ensure they stayed healthy.

He reiterated that enforcement of tinted glass permits commences on 2nd October, 2025, and warned officers to conduct themselves with the highest level of professionalism where motorists must not be extorted or exploited .

The meeting centred on the recent directive of the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun.

Abia Police Commissioner warns officers against posting faces of crime suspects on social media

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CAN, clerics, lawyers take position on new sermon policy in Niger 

“Everyone going to sermon on Friday, should bring his scriptures for review.” With those words during a TVC interview, Governor Umar Bago of Niger state introduced a new policy that has stirred heated debate across the state. The directive, which also requires clerics to obtain licenses within two months, has been welcomed by some as
CAN, clerics, lawyers take position on new sermon policy in Niger 

“Everyone going to sermon on Friday, should bring his scriptures for review.” With those words during a TVC interview, Governor Umar Bago of Niger state introduced a new policy that has stirred heated debate across the state.

The directive, which also requires clerics to obtain licenses within two months, has been welcomed by some as a tool for peace but criticized by others as a threat to freedom of worship.

Sermon law not new, only revived to sanitize preaching – Niger DG

The Director General of the Niger State Religious Affairs, Umar Farooq, has explained that the new directive on religious preaching is not a fresh policy but an existing law being revived.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST on Sunday, Farooq said the law has been in place since 1985.

“We have a law in Niger State, there has been an edict law since 1985, so it’s not a new policy. The preaching law has been in existence. What we are just trying to do now is to revive the law to make it useful, so that we can have peaceful environments and avoid creating tensions,” he explained.

He stressed that the state government has not banned preaching, but clerics must now be more careful with their words.

“All preachers should be guided and careful with their utterances. Being a cleric does not give anyone the right to say whatever they want. If a cleric wants to preach, he is free to do so, but it should be the words of God and His prophets. Nobody has banned preaching in Niger State. The governor did not ban preaching, but all preachers must avoid spreading hatred, inciting violence, or insulting other people and institutions. Everything should be done with order to maintain harmony in the state,” Farooq said.

According to him, the aim of the law is not to silence religious leaders but to bring order and discipline to the sector. “We never intended to silence any preacher. Our goal is simply to sanitize the sector,” he explained.

Farooq also explained that the move will help the state gather proper data on clerics.

“This development will give us data, like the number of preachers we have in the state. We are going to generate forms and give to Islamic religious groups so that they can identify their members who preach. As we are giving them forms, we will also be training them, building their capacity, and giving them certificates which will increase their exposure and knowledge on what to say and what not to say. We don’t have a limit,” he said.

On enforcement, Farooq said any preacher who violates the guidelines will be held accountable through their group or sect.

“When a preacher violates these things, we go after their groups because it’s their sect that knows them and will be their guarantors. Any preacher that derails, we will hold his group responsible. Because there will be serious monitoring, the group will help us and the Religious Affairs office will also do,” he explained.

When asked if the law applies to Christians, Farooq confirmed that it does. “Yes, there is no law for only one sect, the Christians are also involved. The law is for all. But where we have more problems now is from the Muslims,” he said.

CAN clarifies Niger preaching law, says christians not affected for now

Daniel Atori, media aide to Reverend Bulus Dauwa Yohanna, Chairman of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), Niger State chapter, has clarified that the state government’s directive on licensing preachers currently applies only to Islamic clerics, not Christians.

Speaking in an interview with DAILY POST, Atori said the government’s move was misunderstood at first because the memo went viral on social media without context, creating the impression that both pastors and imams were required to submit their sermons.

“When the news first broke, many thought it covered everyone pastors, reverends, and imams. But upon review, it became clear that the directive was mainly for Islamic clerics under the Da’awa registration,” Atori explained.

He noted that the state government introduced the regulation in response to reports of some preachers delivering inciting messages, particularly in certain parts of Niger State, where sermons were said to challenge democracy and stir up unrest.

“At the Christian Association, we discovered that the directive was not applicable to Christians. The form that is available is strictly for the Islamic community,” he said.

Atori, however, stressed that CAN does not object to government checks on religious preaching, especially when messages are found to be inciting or capable of causing public disorder.

“The government has made it clear that they are watching how things go. If there’s ever a need to extend the regulation to Christians, they may consider it. But for now, it’s strictly Da’awa registration for Muslim clerics,” he added.

Cleric warns against extremism, rivalries, and political manipulation

An Islamic cleric in Kano, Jabeer Mukthar Salisu, has said that the Niger State government’s move to regulate religious preaching may have been triggered by the rise of different sects and the activities of extremist preachers.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with DAILY POST, Jabeer explained that some clerics use their influence to incite followers into violence, a trend that has become worrisome.

“Clerics have followers, and anything they say, their followers take seriously. If a cleric is known for inciting violence, the government has a responsibility not to license such a person,” he said.

He added that rivalries between sects such as Ahlul Sunnah and Darika, or Shi’ites and others sometimes degenerate into hate speech, threats, and even violence

“We’ve seen cases where a sect threatens to burn down another’s mosque or accuses them of insults and blasphemy. This kind of exchange creates disharmony,” Jabeer noted.

According to him, religion is one of the few areas in Nigeria where anyone can declare themselves a cleric without formal training, sometimes using social media or their homes to preach messages that mislead followers.

He argued that while regulation may be necessary, the government should instead develop clear guidelines that prevent abuse and protect genuine clerics.

“What worries many people is whether the government will use this law to silence voices it doesn’t like, even if those clerics are qualified to preach. Until the guidelines are issued, people will remain concerned about who decides, what the criteria are, and how fair the process will be,” he said.

Jabeer warned that while the present government may have good intentions, future administrations could politicize the law and use it as a tool of control. “Even if this government is sincere, another might use it to push their own agenda,” he cautioned.

Drawing a parallel with Kano, he recalled a recent controversy where a cleric was accused of blasphemy after expressing his religious views.

“Instead of street protests, another cleric should have come out to challenge him with knowledge and debate. Correct him, if he is wrong and not trying to find mistakes. That is the proper way. People must stop interfering in matters they don’t fully understand,” Jabeer said.

He concluded by urging clerics to engage one another respectfully on religious differences rather than allowing politicians or extremists to hijack the conversation.

Governor’s power backed by law

Barrister Usman Yau said Governor Umar Bago has the legal right to enforce the new policy on sermons since the law already exists.

“The governor is not doing anything outside the constitution,” he explained.

According to him, edict laws were legal instruments enforced by military governors at the state level before Nigeria’s return to democracy. He noted that during military rule, decrees were issued at the federal level, while edicts were used in the states as the main tools of governance.

“Many of these edicts were later carried over and adopted into Nigeria’s democratic constitutions, which is why some of them are still in effect today,” Yau added.

He further explained that the constitution gives state governments the legal power to enact and reinforce laws aimed at promoting good governance, peace, and order.

CAN, clerics, lawyers take position on new sermon policy in Niger