COVER
Tinubu, Atiku, Akpabio, Abbas Preach Renewed Hope, Love, Sacrifice, Patience at Sallah
By Mathew Dadiya, Eze Okechukwu & Ubong Ukpong, Abuja
President Bola Tinubu has joined Muslims in Nigeria and all over the world in observance of Eid-el-Kabir, saying, “We must thank Almighty Allah for the grace to witness another Eid.”
Similarly, former Vice President and Presidential Candidate of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) in the February 25 general election, Atiku Abubakar, Senate President, Godswill Akpabio and Speaker of the House of Representatives, Tajudeen Abbas, yesterday urged Nigerians to use the occasion of the Eid-el-Kabir celebration to enthrone unity, peace and sacrifice in the country.
Both leaders stated this in their goodwill messages to Muslim faithful on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir celebration.
Tinubu stated that as the nation embraced the present challenges, everyone must face the future with vigour and Renewed Hope with the confidence that tomorrow “shall be better and brighter.”
Coming as the end of religious activities spanning the first ten days of the Islamic Month of Dhul Hijjah, Eid-el-Kabir enjoins all Muslims to show mercy and compassion to their fellow humans, Tinubu said in his Message to mark the Islamic festivity on Tuesday in Lagos.
“At the moment, our country is going through some challenges especially with our struggling economy and simmering security challenges.
‘While I acknowledge all of these, I want to assure you that they are not insurmountable. I am working day and night with my team, fleshing out solutions,” he said.
His administration, the President said, has started with the decisions taken so far, to reform the nation’s economy and remove all impediments to growth.
“As we immerse ourselves in the joy of this moment and celebrate, let us remember those who may not be as fortunate like us.
“Eid-el-Kabir is a festival of sacrifice and total obedience to Allah as exemplified in the exceptional action of Prophet Ibrahim.
“There is no greater sense of duty ever recorded in history outside the ennobling example of Prophet Ibrahim in offering his only son Ismail as sacrifice to Allah.
“The best way by which we can demonstrate this example is in how we conduct ourselves in relation to our fellow citizens and in our duties to our beloved country. We must imbibe and manifest those values inherent in Prophet Ibrahim’s life, namely; complete devotion to Allah, tolerance, patience, perseverance, selflessness, love and compassion.
“This season, let us endeavour to multiply good deeds with our kindness to our fellow Muslims and others by helping and supporting the weak and vulnerable in our communities. By so doing, we showcase the values and virtues of our faith,” the President stated.
Atiku Charges Muslims on Love, Sacrifice
Former Vice President of Nigeria and presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the 2023 general elections, Atiku Abubakar, has congratulated Muslims in Nigeria and across the world on this year’s celebration of the Eid-el-Kabir festival.
A press release signed by the Media Office of the Waziri Adamawa on Tuesday enjoins Muslims in Nigeria to take a lesson of forbearance from the sacrifice of Prophet Ibrahim (AS).
According to the former Vice President, “the significance of the festival that we are celebrating today (Wednesday) is about the profitability of being patient with God in our affairs as human beings, and most especially, as Muslims,” Atiku is quoted to have said.
He went further to also remind Muslims of the obligation to follow the noble examples of Prophets Ibrahim (AS) and Mohammed (SAW) by being kind and generous to the people around them.
“The scriptures on all prophets of Allah are replete with good examples of how they related with everyone during their lifetimes.
“We are also enjoined to follow the footsteps of the prophets, especially Prophet Mohammed, which means that we must live our everyday life as a sacrifice, not just for our families, but the communities where we find ourselves.”
Atiku further urges Muslims in Nigeria to pray for the country at various Eid prayer grounds, saying that, “Nigeria is currently in need of prayers. We must continue to ask God Almighty to show His blessings upon the country and to elevate Nigeria to a path of peace, harmony, and prosperity.”
The former Vice President concludes by calling the attention of Muslim not to be extravagant on the celebration of Eid and enjoins those of means to share the joy of the celebration with the needy.
Akpabio Canvases Patience, Support for Tinubu Government
The Senate President, Godswill Akpabio has enjoined Nigerians, particularly the Muslim Ummah, in celebrating this year’s Sallah festival while canvassing for patience and support for the President Tinubu led administration.
He also rejoiced with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu who celebrates the first Eid-el-Kabir as President of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, alongside the Vice President, Senator Kashim Shettima, and the Chief of Staff to the President, Rt. Hon. Femi Gbajabiamila, on the occasion of the celebrations of an important pillar of Islam.
“As we join our Muslim brethren to observe this day, the essence of the season which underscores our submission to the will of the Almighty God and the importance of sacrifice in our daily life should not be lost on us,” he said.
“I salute the resilience and patriotism of Nigerians in the face of the current challenges facing our nation. We should all see it as part of the process of nation building. In just a few weeks since his inauguration, President Tinubu has taken some bold steps which have been globally acclaimed as being in the right direction”.
“Even though the measures bring with them some inconveniences, I earnestly appeal to fellow Nigerians to look at the larger picture of the expected outcomes, be patient with the new government and give it their full support to take Nigeria out of the woods,” he stated.
Providing an insight into expectations from the 10th National Assembly, the Senate President said “we will do its utmost to provide President Tinubu-led government complementary support through necessary legislative interventions for the benefit of Nigerians”.
We will, in the process, ensure inclusivity, fairness and justice for Nigerians through legislations.
Our Correspondent recalls that the 10th Senate will resume on July 4, after about three weeks of recess following their inauguration.
Reps Speaker, Deputy, Urge Muslims to Pray for Peace, Prosperity
House of Representatives Speaker, Rt. Hon. Tajudeen Abbas and his Deputy, Rt. Hon Benjamin Kalu, have congratulated Muslims on the occasion of this year’s Eid-el-Kabir, urging Nigerians to pray for the unity, peace and prosperity of the country.
In a statement yesterday through his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Musa Abdullahi Krishi, Abbas, in his Sallah message, urged the citizens to particularly use the occasion to pray for the success of the administration of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, while calling for their spiritual and moral support for all elected and appointed leaders nationwide.
The Speaker enjoined citizens to emulate Prophet Ibrahim’s obedience to the Almighty Allah, by making sacrifices towards the development and growth of Nigeria.
He noted that the prosperity of the country is a joint task, calling on all citizens to remain united in the face of challenges.
“I congratulate Muslims and Nigerians by extension, as we witness yet another Sallah celebration, especially after the successful conduct of the 2023 general elections and the inauguration of a new President, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, as well as the 10th National Assembly.
“It is a time to thank Almighty Allah for His grace and mercy upon our nation. It is a time to reflect on the prospects and the brighter future ahead of the nation.
“It is also a time to pray for the success of our leaders, as they move to tackle the challenges facing the country, counting on the prayers and support of the people.
“Let us work together as a nation towards realizing the ‘Renewed Hope’ that Nigerians have massively voted for.
“May Almighty Allah bless Nigeria and Nigerians,” he said.
On his part, the Deputy Speaker, Rt. Hon. Benjamin Kalu, in a statement through his media office, stressed the need for citizens of the country to show more love, patriotism, respect for each other, as well as engage in fervent prayers.
Kalu appealed to Nigerians to engage in good deeds and humanitarian services, by supporting the less privileged in the society.
While urging the people to be more tolerant with each other irrespective of religious, political or ethnic affinities, the Deputy Speaker expressed optimism that there would be a restoration of peace and prosperity for Nigeria despite its current challenges.
“In the spirit of this special occasion, I urge Muslims, and indeed all Nigerians, to uphold lessons of love, loyalty and sacrifice which are the foundation of the festival, during and after the festivities. This is a time for all of us to go out to reiterate our belief in Nigeria, as well as engage in acts that can solidify the peace, unity and prosperity of the nation.
“I appeal to Nigerians to continue to positively supplement the efforts of the three tiers of government, security agencies and other critical stakeholders, to ensure peace, unity and security of the nation. I am hopeful that the prayers that come with this great celebration will bring about peace, unity and progress in Nigeria. I wish our Muslims brothers and sisters a peaceful Sallah celebration,” Kalu said.
By Laide Akinboade, Abuja
As part of efforts to reposition the newspaper for optimum corporate performance, the management of Asset Newspapers Limited, Publishers of DAILY ASSET, has announced the appointment of David Torough as the Editor of the Abuja-based national daily.
A statement by the management said the appointments were part of the company’s new strategy to further penetrate the various states in the country and raise its readership and patronage.
“DAILY ASSET is widely acceptable across the country and to maintain our leadership position, we need to increase management presence, hence the need to create new Bureau offices in some locations outside Abuja and Lagos,” the statement quoted the Publisher/ Editor-in-Chief, Dr Cletus Akwaya to have said.
In a statement yesterday, Publisher and Editor-in-Chief of the fast-growing daily, Dr. Cletus Akwaya said the appointment was part of the new strategy to properly situate the paper for better productivity.
“DAILY ASSET has a commitment with the Nigerian people. We are determined to weather the storm and give Nigerian readers a Newspaper that satisfies their yearnings and reading pleasure and we can only do that with the right set of professionals,” the statement said.
Akwaya, a former Commissioner of Information from Benue State said the difficult times being faced by Nigerians posed a great challenge to the media as the people deserved credible information with which to make choices.
“We have a bond with the people, to offer credible information at all times in the best tradition of the Nigerian Press and on this scale of objectivity, truth and fairness, we pledge to remain steadfast no matter the challenges,” Akwaya was quoted to have said.
He said the newspaper will maiantin its daily print run and circulation to all states of the federation and urged advertisers to take advantage of the deep penetration of the Daily Asset brand to send their messages.
Torough, the new Editor has had a steady rise in the Newspaper in the last five years.
A graduate of Mass communication of the Benue State University, Makurdi, Torough joined the company in 2022 as Benue State Correspondent. He was spotted for his brilliance and redeployed to Abuja the following year and promoted to Deputy News Editor. He was subswuently named Deputy Editor of the paper, a position he held until the recent appointment.
Torough has attended several journalistic workshops and trainings to properly equip himself for the task ahead.
The statement also said the Management named Eze Okechukwu as Deputy Editor.
Before his elevation as Deputy Editor, Eze has been Deputy Politics Editor and DAILY ASSET Newspaper correspondent covering the Senate, having joined the organization in 2021.
Born on March 10, 1975, Eze holds a Masters Degree in Mass Communication from the Enugu State University of Science and Technology.
Eze began his journalism career with Daily Star, Enugu and later worked with Daily Trust Newspaper, Abuja as sports reporter.
Aside from his journalistic excellence, he has a great deal of passion for sports.
From Ngutor Dekera, Kaduna and Aliyu Askira, Kano
Northern governors and traditional rulers yesterday called for the suspension of mining activities across the region for six months, blaming illegal mining for worsening insecurity in many states.The resolution was contained in a communiqué issued after a joint meeting of the Northern States Governors’ Forum and the Northern Traditional Rulers’ Council held at the Sir Kashim Ibrahim House, Kaduna.
The meeting, chaired by the Gombe State Governor and NSGF Chairman, Muhammadu Yahaya, had in attendance the 19 northern governors and chairmen of the 19 states’ traditional councils. The Forum expressed concern over the escalating violence in parts of the North, including the killings and abductions recently recorded in Kebbi, Kwara, Kogi, Niger, Sokoto, Jigawa and Kano states, as well as renewed Boko Haram attacks in Borno and Yobe.“The Forum extends its deepest condolences and solidarity to the governments and good people of the affected states,” the communiqué said, noting that the attacks on schoolchildren and other citizens had become “unacceptable tragedies” that required urgent collective action.It commended President Bola Tinubu for what it described as the Federal Government’s “firm response” to recent abductions and insurgency threats, especially the rescue of some abducted pupils.The governors also saluted security agencies for their sacrifices on the frontlines.“We resolved to renew our support for every step taken by the President and Commander-in-Chief to take the fight to insurgents’ enclaves in order to end the criminality,” the Forum stated.A major highlight of the meeting was the North’s renewed push for the establishment of state police, with governors and traditional rulers insisting that decentralised policing had become inevitable.“The Forum reaffirms its wholehearted support and commitment to the establishment of state police,” the communiqué added, urging federal and state lawmakers from the region to “expedite action for its actualisation.”On illegal mining, the governors said criminal mining networks were fuelling violence and providing resources for armed groups.As a corrective measure, they asked Tinubu to direct the Minister of Solid Minerals to impose a six-month suspension of mining activities in order to allow for a full audit and revalidation of licences.“The Forum observed that illegal mining has become a major contributory factor to the security crises in Northern Nigeria. “We strongly recommend a suspension of mining exploration for six months to allow proper audit and to arrest the menace of artisanal illegal mining,” it said.To strengthen the fight against insecurity, the governors also announced the creation of a regional Security Trust Fund.Under the proposed arrangement, each state and its local governments will contribute ₦1bn monthly, to be deducted at source under an agreed framework.They said the fund would help provide sustainable financing for joint operations, intelligence-driven interventions and coordinated security responses across the region.At the end of the meeting, the Forum reaffirmed its commitment to unity and collective responsibility.“Only through unity, peer review and cooperation can we overcome the pressing challenges before us,” it declared.The Forum agreed to reconvene on a date to be announced.Meanwhile, Nigeria’s worsening security crisis took a grim turn on Monday as bandits launched fresh attacks in Kano State, abducting 25 villagers, even as the Federal Government raced to secure the release of more than 300 Catholic school children kidnapped in Niger State.In the early hours of Monday, armed bandits invaded Unguwar Tsamiya—popularly called Dabawa—in Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State, whisking away nine men and two women after shooting into the air and assaulting residents. The attackers also rustled two cows.A resident lamented the community’s helplessness: “We cannot do otherwise; most of us cannot leave because we have nowhere to go. This is our place, our land and everything is here.”The assault came less than 24 hours after a similar attack on Yan Kamaye in Tsanyawa LGA, a community along the volatile Katsina border.In Niger State, National Security Adviser Nuhu Ribadu has assured distraught families of St. Mary’s Co-Education School, Kontagora that the more than 300 students and staff abducted on November 21 will return home “soon.” Ribadu, who led a high-level federal delegation to the school on Monday, said the abductees are safe, though he offered no specifics on their location or the status of rescue operations.According to Daniel Atori, spokesman for the Catholic bishop overseeing the school, the NSA reassured officials: “The children are where they are and will come back safely.”The St. Mary’s attack is part of a worrying resurgence of mass kidnappings reminiscent of the 2014 Chibok schoolgirls’ abduction. Security analysts warn that banditry has evolved into a “structured, profit-seeking industry,” with hundreds of Nigerians abducted in November alone.The Kontagora school abduction occurred the same week 25 girls were kidnapped in Kebbi State—victims who authorities say have since been rescued through “non-kinetic” means. About 50 of the St. Mary’s hostages have also managed to escape.Ribadu’s delegation, which included the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), reaffirmed the government’s commitment to securing the freedom of all abducted citizens.As communities from Kano to Niger continue to bear the brunt of these violent incursions, the escalating spate of kidnappings underscores the urgent national demand for a more decisive and coordinated security response.
By David Torough, Abuja
The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) said former Attorney‑General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, will face a team of interrogators at its office daily throughout December.A credible source in the EFCC said on Monday that the daily appearance was part of an ongoing investigation into the whereabouts of an alleged 490 million dollars Abacha loot secured through a Mutual Legal Assistance (MLAT) request.
The source said that Malami, who was summoned for interrogation by the EFCC on Saturday, was barred from leaving Nigeria for the next one month.According to the source, one of the conditions for his release on Saturday was that he should report daily to the EFCC Headquarters in Abuja for further interrogation.The source said Malami would have to appear daily at the anti-graft office due to the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him.”We seized his passport, it is the normal routine during investigation, but he has to report at the EFCC headquarters in Abuja every day for the next month.”He will be reporting for further investigation throughout December.”He will be reporting every day, starting from Dec. 1st to Dec. 31st.He will appear before the team of investigators for the entire month of December.”He will be reporting to EFCC for investigation for the period because of the volume of the investigation and the seriousness of the charges against him,” the source added.According to the source, a fact sheet on the former minister revealed that Malami had several issues to clarify with the EFCC within the coming weeks.“We have asked him to explain the whereabouts of the $490 million Abacha loot secured through MLAT.“We didn’t say he stole money, but he should account for the loot. This is one of the issues he will clarify to our investigators.”The commission cited the large volume of documents he must review and the need for extensive interviews as reasons for seizing his passport.The source said EFCC would not engage in a war of words but would release its findings after a thorough investigation.Malami, in a statement by his media aide, Mohammed Doka, on Monday in Abuja, however, described the EFCC investigation as a political witch‑hunt.He confirmed he honored an EFCC invitation on Nov. 28, describing the engagement as fruitful and expressing confidence that the probe would vindicate him.Malami described the EFCC’s allegations as baseless, illogical and devoid of substance, insisting they collapse under factual scrutiny.
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