Christian and Muslim leaders on Monday clashed over the planned inauguration of shari’a arbitration panel across the South-Western states of Ogun, Osun, Ondo, Ekiti, Oyo and Lagos by the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs.

This comes as the proponents of the Islamic code said there was no going back on their decision to set up the panel to adjudicate and resolve issues among the South-West Muslim Ummah.

The President, Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Ekiti State, Dr Hammed Bakare and the Chairman of the Shari’a Committee of Oyoland, Dr Rafiu Bello, told The PUNCH in separate interviews on Monday that the shari’a panel would be inaugurated despite the opposition to it.

The shari’a council had moved to establish an arbitration panel in Oyo town to adjudicate and sit on matters relating to Muslims. 

However, the development was opposed by the government and other leaders.

Following this, the planned panel inauguration billed to hold at the Muslim Community Islamic Centre in Mobolaje Area, Oyo, on January 11 was suspended indefinitely.

Last week, the panel held its maiden sitting at the Ekiti Central Mosque, Ado Ekiti with three Khadis forming the panel.

The Khadis include Imam Abdullahi Abdul-Mutolib, Imam Abdulraheem Junaid-Bamigbola and Dr Ibrahim Aminullahi-Ogunrinde.

Apparently uncomfortable with the idea, the state Commissioner for Justice and Attorney General, Dayo Apata, (SAN) said the existing legal structure in the state did not recognise the shari’a court or arbitration panel.

 “There is an existing legal structure in Ekiti State (the Customary Court, Customary Court of Appeal and High Court) that has been handling issues relating to Islamic, Christian and traditional marriages and inheritance without any rancour or agitation,” he argued.

Aligning with the state government’s stance, the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe,  ordered the dissolution of the Sharia panel “in the interest of peaceful coexistence and law and order in the community.’’

Adejugbe spoke in Ado Ekiti on Saturday during a meeting he held with the chiefs and indigenes of the community and the Chief Imam and President of the League of Imams and Alfas in the Southwest, Edo and Delta states, Sheik Jamiu Kewulere; and other Muslim leaders in Ado Ekiti over the shari’a panel issue.

Speaking with The PUNCH, the SCN President in Ekiti State, Bakare said the panel inaugurated by Muslims in Ekiti State ‘’will not be disbanded nor dissolved as being canvassed in some quarters.’’

Bakare, who said that the arbitration was not a court, but part of the dictates of the Islamic religion for the promotion of peace, added that the constitution guaranteed the right of worship.

The Islamic cleric queried, “Why should the panel be disbanded? For what? Can you ask somebody to dissolve his marriage or not to worship God the way he likes? It is not lawful for anybody to give such a command.’’

He added, “The panel is an arbitration that we established for ourselves, Muslims, and not even compulsory for all Muslims, only Muslims that are willing to abide by the dictates of Allah as written in the Quran.

“It is just part of our way of worship, to do things according to the dictates of the Almighty God. That panel is for us, not a court or anything like that. It is an arbitration panel that every organization can establish within themselves.”

Bakare, who said that the panel existed in some Southwest states, including Lagos and Oyo States, affirmed, “It is not a new thing. We have examples even in churches where they arbitrate among themselves without resorting to established courts.

“It is just to settle matters within us and the constitution of Nigeria gives us a guarantee of worship. It is part of worship in Islam to make sure that there is peace in your domain, organisation, society.

“There is nothing anybody can fear from the arbitration panel, we are not forcing anybody. It is for only Muslims who are willing to go to that panel, if you are not willing to go as a Muslim, nobody is going to coerce you to go.

‘’That is what we are doing. The constitution of Nigeria guarantees freedom of worship and practice. That is all we are doing.’’

He berated the opponents of the panel, saying, “All those tags against the panel are not genuine, they are just an attempt to discredit it. When they hear anything about Muslims, about shari’a, they don’t want to hear whether there is anything good in it or not, whether it concerns them or not.

“We believe that nobody can stop us from being Muslims. That is how we see it. We have nothing against anybody, we are not fighting anybody, we are just peace-loving Muslims, we want to contribute to peace because if there is peace somewhere, it will translate to peace in the society.”

The Islamic leader argued that the arbitration panel did not violate any law.

Speaking in the same vein, the Chairman of the Shari’a Committee of Oyoland, Bello insisted that the inauguration of the panel in Oyo State would proceed as planned.

Bello explained that a new date for the panel inauguration would be announced in due course.

He said similar panels already existed in other parts of Oyo State, including Saki, Kishi, and Ogbomoso, and that the controversy surrounding the Oyo town panel stemmed from ‘’the initial mislabelling of the panel as a shari’a court.”

“A new date for the inauguration has not been announced yet. The inauguration of the shari’a panel in Oyo town cannot be stopped.

‘’It was only postponed, and we will announce the specific date for it in due time, Insha Allah. It is our right, and there is no going back on setting up the panel. It poses no threat or harm to this society,” he declared.

Bello also dismissed concerns raised by some traditional rulers, emphasising that the constitution provides for such panels.

Across the South-West, Bello said the panels had before now existed in Lagos, parts of Oyo and Ekiti while the zonal headquarters for the Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria was in Osogbo, the Osun State capital.

“We are not concerned about the pronouncements of certain traditional rulers. The Constitution allows for this, and we have the Supreme Council for Shari’a in Nigeria supporting us,” he added.

Furthermore, Bello explained that the panel was designed for willing Muslims to resolve issues such as inheritance disputes, marital conflicts, and disagreements among friends.

According to him, Muslim scholars will act as arbitrators, providing guidance based on the Quran without imposing penalties, unlike formal courts.

“This panel is meant solely for willing Muslims. Those alleging that it is part of a Fulani or Hausa agenda are ignorant. It will handle disputes between couples, friends, and others in line with Islamic principles.

‘’Panels like this already exist in Osogbo, Kishi, Saki, Ogbomoso, and Ibadan, so why is there an issue with Oyo town,?” he explained.

When asked under what legal framework the panel operates, Bello reiterated that it functions as an independent arbitration body, which does not require approval from the State House of Assembly.

“The Nigerian Constitution has provisions for it. The only mistake was in calling it a shari’a court instead of a sharia arbitration panel. This is purely for settling disputes among willing Muslims. Those behind the uproar are religious bigots,” Bello alleged.

Osun State Coordinator, SCN, Mallam AbulGaniy Ezra, said Governor Ademola Adeleke would be persuaded to allow the shari’a panel in the state transmute to a full-fledged court.

Ezra disclosed that the panel was inaugurated in the state in 2005.

According to him, the panel had resolved several civil matters, noting that the 1999 Constitution provided for the establishment of shari’a courts in the country.

He also said those opposed to the court’s establishment in South- West were not Christians, but those ignorant about the operation of the shari’a system of arbitration.

“Let me clarify that what people are referring to as the shari’a court is actually the shari’a arbitration panel and it has been held for about 20 years now in Osun.

‘’It holds regular sittings. They hold their arbitration every last Wednesday or Thursday of the month. The panel has been sitting at the Muslim Community Secretariat in Osogbo for close to 20 years now.

‘’The inauguration was done at Oja-Oba Central Mosque, Osogbo in 2005 and since then, sharia arbitration has been going on.

“We don’t want to stop at that, what we intend to do is persuade the Osun State governor, even though is our right but we don’t take it like that, we see it as something that can be agreed on mutually.

‘’We have common law courts here which are adjudicating on every issue that concerns citizens and non-citizens living in this country. Also, we have the customary court which is a provision of the Constitution, same as the shari’a court.

‘’So, I don’t know why people are making noise about the creation of the shari’a court in the South-West. Section 278 of the constitution said ‘there should be a shari’a court’ but anytime our people heard anything about shari’a court, they thought maybe some people wanted to start war. No, it is not like that. It is about giving the right of Muslims to Muslims,’’ he pointed out.

The Amir of the Muslim Students Society of Nigeria and one of the proponents of the panel,  Amir Sirajudeen Abdulazeez said there was nothing wrong with establishing a shari’a court in Ondo State, explaining that it was part of Muslim rights.

He also expressed optimism that the planned creation of the panel would take place in the state sooner or later.

‘’For you to say that Muslims do not have the right to adjudicate their lives based on their beliefs is nothing but an affront to their constitutionally given rights. It is nothing but subjugation, exploitation, and oppression.

“If Muslims are a minority in Ondo State, can’t we talk? If it is in our constitution, can’t we demand it? If civil law has its roots in the Bible, customary law has its roots in idolatry – why can’t Muslims speak?

“Whether shari’a court will happen in those states, it’s a matter of time. Muslims are agitating for it, demanding it. When the time comes, the government will listen to us. And when the time comes, the government feels like establishing it, they will establish it,” he declared.

However, the state Chairman of the Ondo State chapter of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Pastor Joshua Opayinka said shari’a court was not feasible in the state.

He noted that it could only be replicated in the north where Muslims are in the majority.

The cleric said, “That (creation of shari’a court) is an aberration. Why shari’a court in Ondo State? No, that is not possible. Can the same thing be replicated in the north?

“They say that is their right. Nobody can stop them. Can we have full Christian worship activities in the north? Can they allow it? If they are canvassing that, we need to sit down at the round table and strike a balance.

“In the north, we have been marginalized. Christians in the north have not been permitted to have full operations of their Christian activities. So, why are they coming here? So to come and do that, that is not possible.”

The Organizing Secretary of the pan-Yoruba socio-political organisation Afenifere, Abagun Kole Omololu, said importing religious law into the Yoruba culture would not be tolerated, stating that the focus of the South-west region was development.

He said, “What Yoruba wants is not religious bigotry, we are too closely knit as a race. Religion is the last on the pedestal of our priorities.  Ecclesiastical or shari’a law will not make us Dubai or Singapore.

‘’My grandfather, who died in 1957, was a Babalawo (herbalist), and yet Baba Egbe (elder) in the church.  The concoction he prepared against smallpox is still at the back of my father’s house. Yet, my dad was a chairman of a church too.

“Because we are uniquely homogeneous as a race, what binds us together is our tradition and not religion. Hardly can you find any family in Yorubaland that does not co-habit as traditional believers, Muslims and Christians. Introducing religious law into our family will encroach into our traditional family setting.”

The Yoruba Cultural Renaissance Advocates expressed its support for the Ewi of Ado Ekiti regarding the ban on the shari’a panel in Ekiti State.

The group stated that the Ewi’s pronouncement aligns with the principles of secularism and cultural sensitivity, and is essential for fostering unity in a diverse society.

In a statement issued by its President, Ifabunmi Esuremilekun, the YCRA commended the decision, describing it as a move that promotes religious harmony, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among the various groups in Ekiti.

“Do they realize that the land hosting Ado-Ekiti belongs historically to the stool of the Ewi of Ado-Ekiti? Considering that many Yoruba Muslims are married to Yoruba Christians under a combination of customary, Islamic, and statutory laws, what legal framework would this panel use to resolve disputes?” the group queried.

It lauded the monarch and the state government for taking a bold step to uphold the nation’s secularity.

“This decision demonstrates a commitment to preserving secularism while fostering unity in Ekiti State. It is a vital step toward ensuring religious harmony, tolerance, and peaceful coexistence among its diverse population,” the statement concluded.

The Osun State Chairman, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Prof. Isaiah Adelowokan, said Christians in the South-West would oppose the establishment of a shari’a court in the region.

Adelowokan said, “I know no Christian who will ever say shari’a court should come to South-West. We are not in support of it.”

Osun State Commissioner for Information and Public Enlightenment, Mr. Kolapo Alimi, disclosed that the government has not received any request for the inauguration of a shari’a court in the state.

Alimi explained that a decision on such a request would not affect the peace of the state.

“We have not received any request for shari’a court in Osun. When we get to the bridge, we will know how to cross it. If we get the request, the government will consider the pros and cons and take appropriate action that will not jeopardise the peace of the state.

‘’This is a democracy. If they table it, the government will look at it and take appropriate action,” Alimi said.

Emeritus Professor of Islamic Studies and Chief Imam of Egba Gbagura, Abeokuta, Prof Kamaldeen Balogun, affirmed that there is no constituted shari’a court in Ogun State and any part of the South-West.

Balogun said that what is only common across the southwest are committees set up by the Muslims to adjudicate personal affairs that may arise among the Muslims like issues of marriage and divorce, among others.

The Muslim scholar said, “We don’t have constituted shari’a court in any part of the South-West as we have say in Kwara and others.

“What we have are committees or panels set up among the Muslims to address personal issues according to the dictate of our religion but I don’t know why people are now talking about having shari’a court, there is nothing like that.”

The President of Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria, Apostle Bello Otaru, said he was not aware of a shari’a court operating in the state.

Otaru, who is also the General Overseer of Signs and Wonder Church also known as Antioch Assembly, explained, “PFN is not aware of operating of shari’a court or plans to start one in Ogun State.

“In any case, we have cordial relationships with Muslim leaders in the state and we have a platform, Nigeria Inter-Religious Council, NIREC which provides a forum for us to always iron out any contentious issue, so there is peace and religious harmony in the state and that we shall continue to uphold and sustain for the good of all.”

However, a top Muslim leader who craved anonymity, disclosed that the Muslim leaders in the state would be meeting on the matter in the next few days.

The National Missioner and Chief Imam of the Ansar-Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheik Abdulrahman Ahmad, acknowledged that a shari’a panel had been operating in Lagos for 20 years.

“We have had shari’a panel in Lagos for almost 20 years now. There is no controversy about it. It’s not anything new in Lagos and it has been operating without any itch or controversy whatsoever. That’s why I said people should not bring any sentiment into it,” he offered.

He added, “What we must know is that there is a provision in the Nigerian Constitution for Muslims to have shari’a court if they want.

“It is a constitutional matter and the shari’a court as presently constituted applies to what they call Muslim Personal Law, marriage, divorce, inheritance, custody of children and so on. This is what the shari’a court is about.”

A yet-to-be-identified officer of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission attached to the Lagos Division of the anti-graft agency has slumped and died.

PUNCH Metro learnt on Monday from a video being circulated online that the officer who was not in uniform slumped and died in an undisclosed part of Lagos State on Sunday.

The video shows the lifeless body of the officer being surrounded by sympathisers including some police officers who coordinated a search on the deceased officer’s bag.

Following the search, it was discovered through his identity card that the man was an officer of the EFCC. 

A voice in the video said, “He works with EFCC. His ID card is with him.”

Confirming the death to our correspondent in a telephone conversation on Monday, the spokesperson for the EFCC, Dele Oyewale, disclosed that the officer’s death was under investigation.

“Yes, the man is our officer. His death is being investigated. The incident happened on Sunday,” Oyewale said.

PUNCH Metro reported on January 15 that a suspected Yahoo boy, Joshua Ikechukwu, shot an Assistant Superintendent of the EFCC, Aminu Salisu, during a raid in the Onitsha area of Anambra State.

The operatives, who had travelled from the EFCC’s zonal headquarters in Enugu, were said to be on a mission to apprehend a group of suspected cyber criminals when they were ambushed.

Oyewale, who condemned negative narratives about the officer’s killing, stressed that the commission would ensure justice is served.

The pan-Yoruba socio-cultural and socio-political organisation, Afenifere and ex-Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, on Monday, commended legal luminary, Aare Afe Babalola (SAN), for agreeing to withdraw the defamation cases instituted against human rights activist and lawyer, Dele Farotimi.

Afenifere and Obi gave the commendation in separate interviews with The PUNCH on Monday.

Babalola and Farotimi had been locked in a legal battle since last year, following Babalola’s complaint that Farotimi defamed him in a book titled ‘Nigeria and its Criminal Justice System’.

Following Babalola’s petition, the police had arrested Farotimi and arraigned him before two courts in Ekiti.

Consequently, Farotimi was charged with criminal defamation before the Ekiti State Magistrates’ Court in Ado Ekiti; and was also arraigned for alleged cyber-bullying before the Federal High Court in Ado Ekiti.

The activist was remanded for 20 days before perfecting his bail and regaining freedom on December 24, 2024.

However, Babalola, on Monday morning, announced that he would be withdrawing the court cases against Farotimi, following the intervention of Yoruba monarchs, led by the Ooni of Ife, Oba Adeyeye Ogunwusi.

 “I will tell my lawyers to withdraw the case,” Babalola said after a midnight meeting with the traditional rulers at ABUAD.

Reacting to the development in a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Jare Ajayi, Afenifere, who had earlier called for Farotimi’s release, commended Babalola for his peace move.

Afenifere said that by heeding the calls of the traditional rulers “Aare Afe Babalola has demonstrated, as a true Yoruba son, certain core ethos of being an Omoluabi.

“He  came to defend his reputation and when he was appealed to by our foremost traditional institutions, he dropped the gauntlet. This is highly commendable.

“We also applaud Ooni and other monarchs ‘for the  bold step they took’. They acted as true elders in line with the saying ‘Agba kii wa loja, ki ori omo titun wo’ – Elders would not sit-by in a marketplace to watch the dangling head of a child!’

“This act has further demonstrated the valuable roles that our Obas – who are the custodians of our culture and tradition  – can play in the society, if given the chance.”

In a similar vein, Obi, Obi, who had also last year visited Babalola over the matter, described Monday’s outcome as positive.

Speaking through his media aide, Ibrahim Umar, the former Anambra governor said, “We are pleased that this matter has been resolved amicably, and we believe that this outcome is a testament to the power of dialogue, and constructive engagement. Let me set the record straight: Obi’s visit to Afe Babalola was not about begging for pardon for Dele Farotimi, but rather a genuine effort at intervention and conflict resolution.

“As a leader, Obi recognises the importance of peaceful resolution of disputes, and his actions were guided by this principle. Now, with the news that Afe Babalola has agreed to withdraw the suit against Dele Farotimi, we welcome this development as a positive outcome of Obi’s intervention.

“This decision demonstrates that Chief Babalola is also committed to finding peaceful solutions to conflicts, and we commend him for this gesture. It’s worth noting that Mr. Obi’s actions were driven by his desire to facilitate a peaceful resolution that would allow all parties to move forward positively and constructively.”

At the reconciliatory meeting led by the Ooni were the Chairman, Ekiti State Council of Traditional Rulers and the Olojudo of Ido Ekiti, Oba Ayorinde Ilori-Faboro; the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adeyemo Adejugbe; the Ajero of Ijero Ekiti, Oba Joseph Adewole: the Ogoga of Ikere Ekiti, Oba Adejimi Adu; the Oloye of Oye Ekiti, Oba Michael Ademolaju; and the Alaaye of Efon Ekiti, Oba Emmanuel Aladejare.

Babalola, who restated the importance of the Yoruba traditional institution and the influence it wielded, said, “The monarchs are here, they have appealed to me over a criminal charge involving somebody who said I was corrupt.”

The Senior Advocate of  Nigeria said he felt so bad that Farotimi accused him of winning all his cases through corruption; hence, he rejected all earlier appeals to him to take the cases out of court.

He also listed those who earlier appealed to him to take the matter out of court, including former President Olusegun Obasanjo; the Catholic Bishop of Sokoto Diocese, Mathew Kukah; and the Ewi of Ado Ekiti, Oba Adejugbe.

He said, “If you go through the pamphlet (Farotimi’s book), you will find that he attacked many judges by names, he attacked Supreme Court judges, and none is bothered, but I am bothered. I am bothered because of where and how I started life, from the farm to where I am.

“There is nothing I am going to gain from his imprisonment, there is nothing I am going to gain from so-called damages. I am not on the quest for more wealth, but rather, how to spend what I have for the benefit of others. The only time I am happy is when I give.

“The request is simple, take away this criminal case in court. When Obasanjo wrote, he came here, I said no. When Kukah phoned and came, I said no, but on this occasion, I say yes. Thank you, Kabiyesis. I will speak to my lawyers to withdraw it.”

The Ooni, Oba Ogunwusi, who spoke on behalf of Yoruba monarchs, had requested Babalola to withdraw the case in court, assuring him that “Nobody can tarnish your name. Your name is more than silver and gold and you have stood for your name with the message that nobody can joke with your name.”

Oba Ogunwusi, who acknowledged Babalola’s contributions to the development of Yoruba, Nigeria and the world, said, “We (monarchs) came here to discuss the matter with him and he gave full respect to the obas and agreed.

“We, the obas, can attest to the hard work of Aare Afe Babalola and how he has invested so hard to build his name. The name cannot be tarnished or rubbished by anyone. Aare Afe Babalola has proven to the world that he cherishes his name and the world has heard him clearly.

“Baba, we want to appeal and also use our race to instruct you. Dele Farotimi is your son, you may not know him, we give birth to different children in this world, some are tough, some are soft, some are hard. Why we are here is our ethos as a race.

“We are using our race because some of our elders in Yorubaland and even beyond Yorubaland have spoken, but combining forces with the traditional institution, we have heard you, enough, enough and enough. Your name is intact. We have resolved the matter in our own way, we have done the needful,” the Ooni said.

On Saturday, January 25, tears flowed freely as families mourned the death of 18 persons in a petrol tanker accident along the Ugwuonyema section of the Enugu-Onitsha expressway. The driver of the petrol tanker reportedly had a brake failure, then lost control and crashed into the vehicles in front of him. Petrol poured out and caught fire. The surrounding vehicles and their passengers were incinerated instantly. Eighteen persons were burnt to ashes, many more were severely burnt. Those who could be rescued were taken to the Enugu State University Teaching Hospital (Park Lane) and the National Orthopaedic Hospital for treatment. Both hospitals were overwhelmed. One of the victims was on holiday from his overseas base. 

A week earlier, January 18, a fuel tanker carrying about 60, 000 litres of fuel crashed at the Dikko junction near Suleja in Niger State. Residents within the vicinity, including children, immediately rushed to the scene with all kinds of containers: buckets, kegs, bottles, some even carried their generators with them to scoop free fuel. In the hustle and bustle that ensued, there was an explosion! Over 80 lives were lost, 69 persons were critically injured, about 20 nearby shops were burnt down and destroyed. On January 22, 2025, in Jalingo, Taraba state, less than a week after the tragedy in Suleja another petrol tanker overturned, spilling its contents onto the road, and despite the obvious risks, the people again rushed out to collect fuel. They had to be chased away by Civil Defence Officers. In October 2024, a similar incident in Majiya, Jigawa resulted in the death of about 200 people and injured over 120 others. Again, it was reported in that incident that the tanker which was travelling between Kano and Yobe State overturned while trying to avoid a collision with another truck. Its contents spilled and people quickly looked for containers to scoop free fuel. And an explosion occurred. In September 2024, there was yet another case of tanker explosion in Niger State when a petrol tanker ran into a herd of cattle and collided with a truck.  Over 50 persons died. Thus, petrol tanker explosions have become so frequent in Nigeria, North to South, East to West, so much that Nigerians are beginning to accept this as a fact of life. The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) to convey the tragic nature of the problem stated that in the year 2020 alone, there were about 1, 531 such accidents, claiming 535 lives. In the last three months, more than 250 persons have died. 

Oil was discovered in Nigeria in 1956 by the Royal Shell Company, with exploration beginning in earnest in 1958, and over the years Nigeria became the sixth largest producer of crude oil in the world, with petrodollar accounting for 80% of the country’s total export revenue and foreign exchange earnings. The country also has the finest, in-demand grade of crude: the low sulfur, sweet, Brent crude. Ordinarily, this should be a blessing to the country, but the biggest problem that Nigeria faces is the curse of oil, that is “resource curse”. Either in a crude form or processed form, oil has been the cause of Nigeria’s woes. The mismanagement of this resource, poor leadership, and corruption within the oil and gas industry have since combined to lead to rebellion in the Niger Delta, and a scramble for oil wealth. Nigeria has over 5,000 kilometres of pipelines, but these pipelines are routinely vandalized, resulting in spills and environmental degradation, and tragedy, oil thieves continue to compromise the weak pipelines trying to get their share of the national cake, the oil companies have not done enough to maintain infrastructure in the face of the menace of restiveness in the Niger Delta. Only about 1% of the population benefits from oil revenue. Fuel is transported on the roads, and most of the roads in Nigeria are bad. When fuel tankers overturn, members of the Petrol Tanker Drivers Association of Nigeria are quick to blame the bad state of the roads, but that does tell the full story. The true story is so bad that each time there is an omission in the oil and gas sector, hundreds or thousands die as they did in Jesse, in Delta State on October 18, 1998 pipeline explosion; Atlas Creek Island, Lagos in 2006; Ijegun, 2008; Ejigbo, Lagos in 2018; and gas explosion in Abule Ado area of Amuwo Odofin in Lagos in 2020. 

Whether it is pipeline, or gas or fuel explosion, the story line has remained similar and repetitive, and the people who lose their lives and properties are the victims. The responses from the relevant authorities are predictable: prominent Nigerians including Governors and the Presidency would immediately issue statements describing the incident as “worrisome, heartbreaking, unfortunate, regrettable and tragic,” with the usual condolences duly expressed. The Emergency Management Agency in the affected states, the Fire Service and the FRSC would rush to the press to demonstrate that their officials and the “ogas at the top” are on top of the matter. Nobody is actually on top of anything. The Federal Government would announce that it has set up a committee to investigate the matter, and advise the government on pipeline safety and petroleum transport safety protocols.  Religious leaders will offer prayers for the souls of the dead, and the community would bury the remains in mass graves. Opposition political leaders would visit the elders of the community and make some very open donations, the pre-planned publicity of which would almost gain greater prominence in the media. As it was in 1998, so it is today. After the rituals of statements and investigations, the results of which may never be released, the country moves on. The road lies in wait. When the next “worrisome, heartbreaking, unfortunate, regrettable and tragic accident” occurs in another part of the country, we go through the same ritual again. It looks like a repetitive cycle of failure. It is right to commiserate with the bereaved families in Niger and Enugu states, but it will, sad to say, happen again. It is certainly tragic that in many of the cases, entire families are wiped out, for no reason other than that they are in a country that suffers from the curse of oil. How about a Nigerian in diaspora who comes home on holiday only to end up dying on the road because a fuel tanker crashes and explodes?   

But why do people rush to scoop fuel each time a tanker discharges its contents on the road? Why do people choose to willingly commit suicide knowing that fuel is combustible and death is the only certainty when an explosion occurs? Since May 2023, the pump price of fuel has increased by about 400%, the cost of living as a result of inflation has also increased. Those who own cars can hardly fill their tanks anymore. Generator owners need fuel but the cost is also high, and there is no regular electricity supply in a country of over 200 million people. When there is news of free petrol gouging out of a fallen tanker, or a burst pipeline, the people rush for gold, and they often die in the process. The people live in a blessed country but they are so adrift, so lost, they would rather embrace death with faith and hope. The National Orientation Agency (NOA) has been directed by the President to sensitize the people, and educate them. In other words, Nigerians must be advised not to commit suicide. The current leadership of NOA says it is ready to take on the task. But will the people listen? It is the yawning disconnect between the people and their government that will in part cause the next fuel tanker explosion. 

Fuel tanker drivers are quick to blame the state of the roads. Frequent accidents on the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway have been traced to the poor state of the roads, and indeed, this is a major problem nationwide. If the roads are full of potholes and bumps, the drivers knowing that they are transporting dangerous content ought to drive more carefully. No, they don’t. They are forever struggling for space with other motorists. They drive at high speed, and nobody enforces speed limits on highways. The Petrol Tankers Owners Association of Nigeria, National Association of Transport Operators, Container Truck Owners Association of Nigeria and the Nigeria Union of Petroleum and Natural Gas Workers (NUPENG) claim that they would enforce safety protocols. But they do not. And they will not. The drivers leave their loading depots, for the most part, fully stoned, or energized by psychotropic drugs. They are also made to travel long distances. Many of them doze off on the steering wheels. Petrol tanker owners want their cargo delivered at the destination. They don’t care much about the accidents that occur on the roads. Many of the tankers are not properly maintained. The brakes often fail. Both the tanker drivers and the tanker owners must be held liable for the havoc that they cause. Until a tanker driver and the tanker owner are tried and convicted, made to pay damages to the government and the families of victims, or banned outrightly from ever running a tanker business, we may never see any improvement. Going forward any truck bearing unlatched containers, which fall over, endangering lives and properties, must be seized, along with the container and its entire contents. The driver and the owner of same must be made to face the full wrath of the law. Setting up committees and issuing statements will never help. 

Where are the government agencies on the roads, the security personnel: the police, road safety, fire service who are supposed to ensure safety on the roads? Even when they are on the roads, they are also busy trying to survive. There are not enough fire safety units in the country to start with, certainly not on the highways, making a mockery of every attempt at emergency response. The policemen collect bribes. Road safety officials are overstretched. There are too many bad vehicles on Nigeria’s bad roads, and most of the vehicles violating rules and regulations are owned by Nigeria’s big men: an untouchable class of non-citizens with an elephantine sense of entitlement. We should be tired of the law enforcement agencies playing to the gallery. They need to become professional. 

And in any case, why should we transport petrol and other dangerous cargo by road and often during daytime at busy hours, either within the city or the highways. In the past some state governments have had to restrict the movement of tanker drivers to specific times of the day or to designated routes. In 2018, the Lagos state government directed articulated vehicles to obtain road worthiness certificates within 30 days, Anambra state did so too in 2019, directing that tankers and containers could only travel within the state between 1 am to 4 am. Following the accident in Suleja, Niger State, on January 18, the state Governor Mohammed Umar Bago has since banned heavy-duty trucks from plying the Dikko Bridge where the accident occurred. State governments lack the capacity to enforce their own orders. The tankers and containers are owned by very powerful persons and organizations in Nigeria: the same people who donate money and sponsor candidates during elections. Over the years, corporate Nigeria has perfected the art of putting the professional political class in its pocket. The owners of the murderous tankers and containers are the Godfathers of the men in political offices. This combination of capital and social connections stands in the way of any effective policy making and implementation in Nigeria, with the people at the mercy of the conspiracy of the business and political elite. 

What is the best practice in other parts of the world, with regard to the transportation of fuel and other cargo? The fact that toxic and inflammable materials are still being transported so carelessly on Nigerian roads is yet another sign of the country’s underdevelopment. Nigeria is a member of OPEC like Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Angola, Gabon, Algeria, and the UAE. You may never hear that a petrol tanker on the roads crashed in those countries and people rushed to scoop fuel and got murdered by the state. It is a question of how much value we place on human lives around here. 

And when these accidents occur, why is it that the hospitals are not of any significant use? The usual excuse is that we have good doctors and specialists, but most of the hospitals are poorly equipped. It is either there is no electricity or there is no diesel to power the generator. There was a students’ protest recently at the University College Hospital, Ibadan, once a pride of the nation, because there was no electricity. The Ibadan Disco had to cut off power supply to the hospital for months due to unpaid electricity bills! How can such a hospital respond to any medical emergency? The story is the same in other parts of the country where hospitals reject accident and emergency cases due to the lack of basic facilities, including oxygen tanks. And yet many of these hospitals were supposedly built and equipped by the government at double or triple the actual cost. When people get burnt to ashes in Nigeria, in a fuel tanker accident for example, there is virtually no means of identifying them either through biometrics and dental records. The ashes are collected and buried in unmarked and unknown graves. Nigeria is a vast country of undocumented non-citizens, no reliable data, no ready-to-access medical records, and even those that may be documented can only pray that Nigeria does not happen to them. The fact that it is possible for anyone to wake up in the morning and disappear without trace and permanently is what is truly tragic about our Nigerian experience. 

A Nigerian-American woman, Victoria Ogunremi, returned the cash sum of $5,700, which she had found in the toilet at her workplace in New Jersey, United States.

Most Nigerians living abroad have described the gesture as one of the remarkable acts of honesty and kindness.

Ogunremi told the News Agency of Nigeria in a telephone interview on Monday that the gesture had earned widespread praise from her employer, colleagues and the person who lost the money.

According to her, the decision to return the money was made with concern for the person who had lost the money.

Ogunremi said, “The thought of the pain or trauma it could cause inspired me.

“I did not hesitate to return it because of my Christian faith and beliefs. Honesty brings peace of mind, and it is the key virtue I cherish.”

She said that she had found the owner of the money before informing her employer’s organisation management.

Ogunremi said that her co-workers also admired her gesture, and many were not surprised by her act of kindness.

“The management was very pleased and proud of me. The owner was incredibly grateful and showered me with praise.

“They told me that it could only have been an act of kindness by a woman with the fear of God to do something like this,” she recounted.

The Nigerian-American attributed her kind nature to her late father’s teachings on moral upbringing, adding “he taught us never to take what does not belong to us.

“Such principles have guided me throughout my life, knowing that honesty is a principle I hope to instill in my children and grandchildren.

“Whether someone is watching or not, doing the right thing matters. A good name is priceless, and peace of mind is golden.

“No matter how tough your situation is, always return what does not belong to you. Doing the right thing brings rewards far greater than anything material.”

NAN reports that Ogunremi’s gesture is a shining example of integrity and compassion, of doing what is right even when it is not the easiest path.

NAN

Al Nassr are making efforts to sign Nigerian striker, Victor Boniface from Bayer Leverkusen before the end of the winter transfer window.

The Saudi Arabian club is looking to bring in Victor Boniface to fill the void left by Anderson Talisca, who is set to transfer to Fenerbahçe in Istanbul, football transfer expert Fabrizio Romano shared this on his official X page on Monday, January 27.

Romano wrote, “Al Nassr have initiated official talks for Victor Boniface as their new striker! Negotiations are underway with Bayer Leverkusen to secure the Nigerian talent to succeed Talisca. Another potential candidate is Jhon Durán, but Aston Villa remains determined to retain him.”

Despite recently extending his contract with Bayer Leverkusen until 2026, making him one of the top earners at the club, Boniface is not deemed unsellable. It’s anticipated that Leverkusen will seek at least €50 million for the 24-year-old striker from prospective clubs.

Meanwhile, Rangers forward Cyriel Dessers has said he is not rushing to leave the Light Blues this month.

After losing his starting position to Hamza Igamane, Dessers has been the subject of transfer speculation. However, he remains focused on his performances, having scored six goals in his last four matches for Philippe Clement’s team.

In an interview with Daily Record, Dessers indicated he has not yet engaged with senior figures at Rangers about a potential departure. “I have not had any talks. I’m focusing on my football and the events on the pitch,” he said.

“What I can control is my performance. I’m enjoying being on the field with my teammates, fighting for points, and contributing. I have unfinished business at Rangers, which is why I’ve been pushing hard in training and maximizing my minutes.”

The administration of President Bola Tinubu has announced the commencement of the process for recruitment of Nigerians into the Federal Civil Service.

This was made known in a statement on Monday by the Head, Press and Public Relations of the Federal Civil Service Commission (FCSC), Taiwo Hassan.

The vacancy announcement was published on the Commission’s website and also announced in several national dailies.

Applicants who are physically challenged should state the nature of their disability.

Applicants are to upload the following documents as applicable:
i. Curriculum Vitae
ii. Ph.D/Master’s Degree Certificate
iii. Degree/HND/NCE Certificate
iv. WAEC/NECO/NABTEB Certificate
v. Primary School Certificate
vi. NYSC discharge/exemption/exclusion certificate
vii. Birth Certificate/Declaration of Age
viii. Local Government Identification
ix. Recent Passport photograph

Naija News reports the deadline for the submission of applications is Monday, 10th March, 2025.

Eligible applicants are to apply for only one position via the application link: https://recruitment.fedcivilservice.gov.ng.

Meanwhile, President Bola Tinubu has assured Nigerian universities that his administration was committed to addressing challenges confronting the university system.

Naija News reports the Minister of State for Education, Suwaiba Said Ahmad, stated this as she represented the President at the 44th Convocation Ceremony of Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, on Saturday.

Tinubu challenged universities to intensify research efforts and bring out practical solutions to challenges affecting the economy.

Former presidential candidate, Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, has accused the Kano State Command of the Nigeria Police Force of acting in an unprofessional manner.

Kwankwaso, accused the Kano Police Command of issuing a false security alert in an attempt to prevent the Tijjaniyya Sufi Order’s annual Maulud celebration from taking place.

According to him, the action not only jeopardized the success of the gathering, but put the lives of the people of the state at risk. 

Naija News recalls Kano Police had, on Friday, issued a terror alert on the eve of the planned gathering of the celebration scheduled for the Sani Abacha Stadium, saying terrorists planned to attack public gatherings in the state.

However, Kwankwaso, in a reaction on Monday via his account on the X platform, said the Police took a partisan decision by allowing itself to be used by the federal government in dabbling into the affairs of Kano State.

He said the alert issued by the Police turned out to be false and left a bad impression about the conduct, integrity, and activities of the Police.

While congratulating the Tijjaniyya Sufi Order, their Spiritual Leader, Shiekh Ibrahim Inyass, the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, and the Governor of the state, Abba Kabir Yusuf, for successfully hosting the event, Kwankwaso went ahead to caution the federal government against interfering in the local activities of Kano State.

He said: “I wish to congratulate the Tijjaniyya Sufi Order on the successful completion of the annual maulud of Shiekh Ibrahim Inyass, their Spiritual Leader, at the Sani Abacha Stadium, Kano.

“I particularly felicitate with His Royal Highness, Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, the Emir of Kano and His Excellency, Alhaji Abba Kabir Yusuf, the Governor of Kano State for successfully organising the monumental event.

“However, I am concerned by a ‘terror alert’ from the Kano State Police Command on the eve of the event. This alert, not only jeopardised the success of the gathering, but put the lives of the people of the state at risk by creating palpable fear among the people of Kano, those that came from other countries and parts of Nigeria.

“Such conduct by the police, which has already been marked as a willing partner for the Federal Government in its habitual dabbling into the affairs of Kano State further puts its integrity in doubt.

“Issuing a threat alert of this magnitude, which later turns out to be false sets a dangerous precedent. I am afraid that it will lead to people to be complacent in the event of a genuine threat in the future.

“Due to the international nature of the event, the conduct of the police leadership in Kano also leaves a bad impression of the Nigeria Police Force globally.

“I urge the Police Force in Kano to be professional and avoid being identified as deeply partisan in the affairs of Kano State and in other parts of the country.

“For the umpteenth time, I also urge the Federal Government to avoid dragging itself into unpleasant situations by further putting its hands in affairs that are strictly under the jurisdiction of the good people of Kano State and its Government