NEWS
Nigeria Rumbles over Sectarian Murder of Deborah Samuel in Sokoto
.Buhari Condemns Killing, Orders Probe
.Nigerians, Groups, Tambuwal, Sultan, NGF React
.CAN Slate Christian Protest, May 22
From Daniel Amasingha, Minna
The tenuous thread of religious harmony in the northern part of the country, notorious for religious upheaval snapped last Thursday as a lynch mob of students of Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto, took the law into their hands and attacked a young 200 Level female student, Deborah Yakubu Samuel to stupor and incinerated her alive within the school.
Preliminary investigations showed that the victim’s only offence was a voice note she sent to her class Whatsapp Group, cautioning on posting religious matters, adding that “Holy Ghost fire will shield her.
Her male Muslim classmates curiously interpreted this as offensive against Prophet Mohammed and took her life in the manner they did. Her assailants went ahead and broadcast a video of the stoning incident and bonfire of her on the internet.
The school management responded by shutting down the school indefinitely and in a statement, told the public that the only thing that happened was a students’ rampage.
“Following today’s early morning students rampage in the college, the college management has resolved to close down the college indefinitely with immediate effect.
“Consequently, all students are hereby directed to vacate the college campus immediately.”
But the Sultanate, headed by Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, condemned the barbarity in no unclear terms and urged the security agencies to bring the perpetrators to justice, urging all to remain calm and ensure peaceful co-existence among all the people of the state and nation.
Despite the fact that the murder drew flaks from a wide range of well-meaning Nigerians, Muslim youths in Sokoto who felt the barbarism was right troop into the streets on Friday in rampage against the arrest of two among Deborah’s killers.
They took umbrage against the respected Sultan for not taking side with the murderers and in their anger made efforts to breach his personal security. They extended same to any church building they site but in all were all repelled by security agents, led by the state Commissioner of Police, Kamalden Okunlola. However, they successfully invaded an ECWA church at Aliyu Jodi, a section of Catholic Clinic opposite Vision FM, along Bye pass. They invaded the residence of Bishop Matthew Kukah, Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese with intent for an attack, but the swift arrival of security agencies at his residence saved both his residence and the church cathedral.
The state governor, who had earlier condemned the senseless murder, warned the perpetrators and called for calm, reinforced his position on Saturday with a 24-hour curfew and by the following say, postponed the resumption of schools in the state by a week.
As anger raged, President Muhammadu Buhari on Friday strongly condemned the Deborah’s murder and the violence by Sokoto mob. He said the gruesome killing was a matter for concern and asked for an impartial, extensive probe into all that happened before and during the incident. Adding that no one had the right to take the life of another.
The President in a statement issued by his Senior Special Assistant to the President on Media and Publicity, Mallam Garba Shehu “noted that Muslims all over the world demand respect for the Holy Prophets, including Isah (Alaihissalaam, Jesus Christ) and Muhammad (SAW).
“But where transgressions occur, as alleged to be the case in this instance, the law does not allow anyone to take matters into their hands.
“Moreover, religious leaders preach that it is not for the believer to judge the actions of another person. The constituted authority must be allowed to deal with such matters when they arise.
“No person has the right to take the law in his or her own hands in this country. Violence has and never will solve any problem,” said the President.
He also directed the ministries of Information and Culture, Police Affairs, and Communications and Digital Economy to work with GSM providers and Tech companies to help contain the spread of false and inflammatory information through social media and extended his condolences to the family of the deceased student and wished all those injured a quick recovery.
He commended the immediate response to the incident by the Sokoto State Government and urged religious and community leaders to call citizens’ attention to the need to exercise the right to freedom of speech responsibly.
The president further called for tampered comments by the media and calm among the general population while the investigation is ongoing to find out the remote and immediate causes of the incident.
On their part, Northern Governors Forum weighed in with a call for calm. The chairman of the forum and governor of Plateau, Mr Simon Lalong, made the appeal in a statement conveyed by his spokesperson, Dr Makut Macham in Jos.
According to them, “The governors are concerned about the development which is clearly an extra-judicial measure of addressing perceived infraction.
“The northern governors appeal for calm following reports of the hijack of a peaceful protest which later turned violent and led to the imposition of a curfew in Sokoto metropolis,”.
The governors noted that any attempt to adopt self-help in addressing grievances whether religious or otherwise, could lead to further chaos.
The forum commiserated with the family of the victim and appealed that security agencies be allowed to thoroughly investigate the matter.
It commending the proactive measures Governor Tambuwal adopted to restore normalcy in the State.
The governors assured him of their solidarity and prayers in dealing with the matter, noting that they would ensure the adoption of necessary measures to forestall recurrence in any part of the region and nation at large.
The forum also stressed the need for people from the northern part of the country and Nigerians to show love, tolerance and respect for one another irrespective of faith, ethnicity or other affiliations.
At individual state level, Kano Assembly postpones resumption by three weeks.
This is contained in a statement in Kano, on Sunday by Uba Abdullahi, the Director of Press of the Assembly.
According to Abdullahi, Speaker of the Assembly, Hamisu Ibrahim-Chidari, announced the postponement via a statement.
Ibrahim-Chidari said the House was now expected to resume plenary and normal legislative activities on June 6.
Though no reason was adduced but it is widely believed not to be unconnected with tension and security breaches in the region following Deborah’s murder.
In Kaduna, the state governor, Malam Nasir el-Rufai swiftly banned religious protest in the state. While the state is a hotbed for sectarian crisis, the Kaduna State Security Council which declared the ban said it was to ensure security of lives and property in the state.
The statement signed by the state commissioner for Internal Security and Home Affairs, Samuel Aruwan, said the ban was with immediate effect, geared to check the move by “some unpatriotic elements to organize series of for-and-against protests related to security in Sokoto State, following the lynching of a student for alleged blasphemy.”
According to him, “Governor Nasir Ahmad El-Rufai, who has been briefed of the development, has charged security agencies to ensure strict enforcement of this ban against any form of religious protest in the State.
“The Governor also charged religious leaders, community leaders and traditional rulers throughout the State to complement the efforts of government and security agencies towards the maintenance of peace and stability,” the statement added.
Mr Aruwan said security agencies in the state would stop any attempt to disrupt the peace in the state. He also said violators would be prosecuted accordingly.
“Citizens are implored to remain calm as they go about their lawful pursuits, and to immediately report any such activity or security concern to the Kaduna State Security Operations Room, on 09034000060 and 08170189999,” Mr Aruwan said in the statement.
Meanwhile, a gutted Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN) has set aside May 22, 2022 for a nationwide protest over the gruesome murder to Miss Deborah.
The Christian association in a statement by its General Secretary, Joseph Daramola, on Saturday, said that the protest will take place within church premises at 3pm to avoid further losses.
CAN called on all Nigerians Christians to join the protest by using all the nation’s embassies all over the world for the peaceful protest.
He said that the protest would also be used to call to an end to the murders carried out in the name of fighting for God and to pray for the family and friends of the late Deborah, the country, godly political leaders in the next election.
The statement reads, “I have been directed by the CAN President, His Eminence, Rev. Dr Samson Olasupo A. Ayokunle, to request all church leaders, through your various churches to organise a peaceful protest in honour of one of our daughter, Deborah Yakubu, who was gruesomely murdered on Thursday, May 12, 2022, at the Shehu Shagari College of Education, Sokoto in Sokoto State by some Islamic extremists.
“The protest will take place on May 22, 2022, in the afternoon by 3:00 pm in every secretariat of the Christian Association of Nigeria nationwide and not on the streets in order to avoid further loss of lives.
“Those without CAN’s Secretariat may use any church with big premises. We are to hold placards with some succinct messages like: ‘WE DEMAND JUSTICE 4 DEBORAH’, ‘NO MORE KILLING IN GOD’S NAME’, ‘ENOUGH IS ENOUGH’, ‘POLICE, STOP UNPROVOKED KILLINGS IN NIGERIA’, ‘CHRISTIANS ARE NOT SECOND CLASS CITIZENS’, ‘KILLERS OF DEBORAH MUST BE PROSECUTED’, ‘WE CONDEMN RELIGIOUS KILLINGS’, ‘WE SAY NO TO ISLAMIC EXTREMISTS’.
“We urge those who could afford it to make use of the traditional media and the social media and others can use only the social media to give it wide coverage in order to sensitise the whole world.
“We also call on Nigerian Christians in the diaspora to join us using our embassies all over the world.
“The occasion can also be used to pray for Deborah’s family and friends, peace for the country, victory for the Church and godly political leaders in the coming general election.”
Her remains were said to have been buried on Saturday at her hometown, Tungar Magajiya, Rijau Local Government of Niger by her family.
By Bridget Tikyaa
Getting to the life journey of a senior citizen should ordinarily be a source of pride, a stage of celebration in life, less hassles, basic comfort, and time to savour the fruits of one’s labour. However, the reality is that things don’t turn out to be this way in most climes.
Just like in other parts of the world, in Nigeria, the elderly population are facing numerous challenges ranging from difficulties in accessing affordable, specialized healthcare services to address age-related health issues, irregular pensions and financial support to ensure decent living, improper access to basic amenities like housing, sanitation, and nutrition, emotional support, and many others.These are essentials that can significantly improve the quality of life for elderly individuals. The difficulties in accessing them highlight the need for improved social support systems, healthcare infrastructure, and policies to protect the rights and dignity of elderly individuals in Nigeria.
However, amidst these challenges, an organisation committed to better welfare for Nigerians has significantly focused on rendering vital support to vulnerable elderly Nigerians, giving them hope, comfort, and a new lease of life. This is the Renewed Hope Initiative (RHI), through its Elderly Support Scheme.
The Renewed Hope Initiative is the flagship programme of Nigeria’s First Lady Oluremi Tinubu, focusing on women, youth, children, and the elderly. The RHI is where every Nigerian’s dream of a better life is reached and has been creating real, lasting change by focusing on families, dignity, and opportunities.
Since 2023, the Renewed Hope Initiative has consistently celebrated elderly citizens every December as a mark of appreciation for their sacrifices. On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, the RHI held the third edition of such intervention – the Elderly Support Scheme – in Benue State at the Old Banquet Hall, Government House, Makurdi, with the theme “Finding Joy in Old Age”.
It is not just an RHI agenda but part of the Nigerian government broader social investment efforts aimed at promoting the dignity, comfort, and well-being of elderly Nigerians.
During the third edition of the Elderly Support Scheme, 250 vulnerable elderly citizens aged 65 years and above were supported by the RHI in Benue State. Significantly, the same number of elderly citizens in all the states of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory received similar support.
Each beneficiary received N200,000 during the ceremony in Makurdi, while Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia gave each beneficiary a bag of rice. There was also a free medical outreach for the elderly, during which beneficiaries received basic health checks, consultations and medical support, underscoring the holistic approach of the initiative to both financial and health needs of senior citizens.
Benue State Coordinator of the Renewed Hope Initiative, Hon. Scholastica Ben-Sor said the initiative, a pet project of Nigeria’s First Lady Remi Tinubu, reflects a resolute determination to honour senior citizens who have contributed immensely to nation-building.
She noted that since 2023, the Renewed Hope Initiative has consistently celebrated elderly citizens every December as a mark of appreciation for their sacrifices, with a total of 9,500 beneficiaries nationwide each receiving ₦200,000, totalling N1.9 billion.
“As we approach the festive season, it is our moral duty and indeed our joy to ensure that our elderly live their twilight years in comfort, good health and dignity,” the First Lady said in the message to the event.
The purpose is to make the senior citizens remain active, find purpose in community life, and embrace joy in old age.
For Hon. Scholastica Ben-Sor, valuing elderly citizens is absolutely necessary. “What you are today is not forever. Life may take you through certain curves you don’t know. The least person you see today may be the person you will look up to tomorrow,” she said, calling on society to treat the elderly with dignity, respect, and compassion.
She hailed all those impacting lives including Governor Hyacinth Iormem Alia, whom she described as a man of integrity, sacrifice and uncommon commitment to service, who has positively impacted families, homes and society at large, stressing that family, church and school form the bedrock of any society.
Although the governor did not attend the event, Hon. Ben-Sor disclosed that he directed that each of the 250 beneficiaries receive a bag of rice through the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), in addition to facilitating the free medical outreach conducted for the elderly during the programme.
Goodwill messages were delivered by several dignitaries, including a representative of the wife of the Deputy Governor of Benue State, Hon. Mrs. Christy Ode, who praised the First Lady for sustaining the initiative and applauded Governor Alia for his visible developmental strides across the state while the Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Mrs Teresa Odachi Ikwe, represented by the Director of Finance and Accounts, Hon. Ifa Celestine commended the transparency of the RHI and advised beneficiaries to use the funds judiciously to improve their standard of living. Similarly, the Benue State Women Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Hon. Mrs. Helen Agaigbe appreciated the First Lady for her remarkable traits of compassion displayed through consistent support for the vulnerable in the society.
By Tony Obiechina, Abuja
The Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) has revoked the operational licences of Aso Savings and Loans PLC and Union Homes Savings and Loans PLC.
This was contained in a statement issued on Tuesday by the CBN Acting Director of Corporate Communications, Hakama Sidi-Ali.
According to the Apex Bank, the two mortgage institutions violated various Sections of BOFIA 2020 and the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria.
The statement reads in part, “As part of its efforts to re-position the mortgage sub-sector and promote a culture of compliance with relevant laws and regulations, the Central Bank of Nigeria, in exercise of the powers conferred on it under Section 12 of BOFIA 2020, and Section 7.
3 of the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria has revoked the licenses of Aso Savings and Loans Plc and Union Homes Savings and Loans Plc.“The affected institutions had violated various Sections of BOFIA 2020 and the Revised Guidelines for Mortgage Banks in Nigeria, including: Failure to meet the minimum paid-up share capital requirement for the category of the bank licence granted to them by the CBN:
Having insufficient assets to meet their liabilities; Being critically undercapitalised with a capital adequacy ratio below the prudential minimum ratio as prescribed by the CBN; and; Failure to comply with several directives and obligations imposed upon them by the CBN.
“The CBN remains committed to its core mandate of ensuring financial system stability”.
By David Torough, Abuja
President of the Dangote Group, Alhaji Aliko Dangote, has petitioned the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) over alleged corruption and financial impropriety by the Managing Director of the Nigerian Midstream and Downstream Petroleum Regulatory Authority (NMDPRA), Ahmed Farouk, prompting the anti-graft agency to announce an immediate investigation.
In the petition filed yesterday and addressed to the ICPC Chairman, Musa Adamu Aliyu (SAN), Dangote called for Farouk’s arrest, investigation and prosecution, alleging that the NMDPRA chief had lived far beyond his lawful earnings as a public servant.
Dangote alleged that Farouk spent over $7 million within six years on the education of his four children in different schools in Switzerland—an amount he said could not be justified by the official’s legitimate income. The petition reportedly listed the names of the children, their schools and the sums paid to enable the commission verify the claims.
According to Dangote, the NMDPRA boss also used his position to embezzle and divert public funds for personal gain, actions he said had contributed to protests and instability in the downstream petroleum sector. He argued that Farouk had spent his entire adult working life in public service, making the alleged expenditure a clear case of illicit enrichment.
“It is without doubt that the above facts in relation to abuse of office, breach of the Code of Conduct for public officers, corrupt enrichment and embezzlement constitute gross acts of corruption,” Dangote stated, citing Section 19 of the ICPC Act, which prescribes up to five years’ imprisonment without an option of fine upon conviction.
He urged the ICPC to act decisively, stressing that the matter was already in the public domain, and pledged to provide documentary evidence to support his claims. Dangote added that a thorough probe would help safeguard the image of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s administration.
Confirming receipt of the petition, ICPC spokesman, Mr. John Odey, said the commission had received a formal complaint from Dangote through his lawyer against the CEO of the NMDPRA and would investigate the allegations.
“The ICPC wishes to state that the petition will be duly investigated,” Odey said in a terse statement.
Dangote, however, clarified that he was not calling for Farouk’s removal but for accountability. “He should be required to account for his actions and demonstrate that he has not compromised his position to the detriment of Nigerians,” he said, also urging the Code of Conduct Bureau and other relevant agencies to wade into the matter.
Speaking earlier at a press conference at the Dangote Petroleum Refinery, the business mogul accused the leadership of the NMDPRA of frustrating local refining through the continued issuance of petroleum product import licences despite rising domestic refining capacity. He claimed that licences covering about 7.5 billion litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) had reportedly been issued for the first quarter of 2026, sustaining Nigeria’s dependence on imports and discouraging local investment.
Dangote warned that continued importation of refined products was pushing modular refineries to the brink of collapse, while benefiting entrenched interests at the expense of national development.
On fuel pricing, he assured Nigerians of further relief, announcing that PMS would sell at no more than ₦740 per litre from Tuesday, starting in Lagos, following a reduction of the refinery’s gantry price to ₦699 per litre. He said MRS filling stations would be the first to reflect the new price.
He added that the refinery had reduced its minimum purchase requirements to accommodate more marketers and was ready to deploy its Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) trucks nationwide to ensure affordability. Dangote also reiterated plans to list the Dangote Petroleum Refinery on the Nigerian Exchange to enable Nigerians to own shares.
“This refinery is for Nigerians first. I am not giving up,” he said.
As of the time of filing this report, the NMDPRA had yet to issue an official response to the allegations.
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