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Religious extremism: How poisoned traditions affect sitting positions inside vehicles and Keke napep in Maiduguri
Religious extremism: How poisoned traditions affect sitting positions inside vehicles and Keke napep in Maiduguri
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Some Nigerians are so dangerously and religiously inclined that they hardly know what wrong or right mores are even within their creed. They follow religion blindly and end up sometimes worshipping the very religion instead of the Almighty God. Some fuse their vein traditions to their religions making it quite difficult for none practitioners of over 1000 other religions to understand them. That was why Jesus Christ slammed the traditionalists within the Judaism religion for refusing to recognize Him as the way, the truth and life above what they know as laws draconian or not as spelt out by their progenitor Moses.
When people bend over to add their vein traditions into their religion it becomes deadly especially when young people are involved. When the insertion of human induced traditions are coming from those who should know like Pastors, imams and Ulamas as it applies, none practitioners become more confused if they don’t know the fundamentals of their creed.
Many residents have become slaves to religion such that they hardly know the God they claim to worship and how He reasons and thinks. Some do not even know the thoughts of God towards them which are thoughts of good and not of evil. They turn themselves into guinea pigs of their religion ready to be used for wickedness instead of good like children of God or heir apparent of the kingdom of heaven. That is why many young people fall easy prey to devious politicians who use them to kill one another during electioneer period.
How then do young people process directives to murder a neighbor or just an opposition member during political periods without asking questions. How can one explain why people take the laws into their hands in the name of religion? People killing in the name of a weak God who cannot fight for himself. Killing women and children without a second thought. You try to protect the women and children but rather they feel they should be protecting you in the name of any strange religion. How then do you explain a girl young enough to be your daughter stepping out of a vehicle for his grand father to go in before she sits at the door of the car which is the danger zone for car crashes or even summersaults?
Strange traditions practiced in some climes
If you are a visitor to Maiduguri, don’t be surprised if a small girl little enough to be your daughter stepping out of a Keke napep and forcing her daddy’s mate to go into the keke before getting into the edge of the seat. In sanner climes the men are programmed to protect the women no matter what. Children are not allowed to sit close to the doors because of accident and security reasons. Likewise the men are supposed to take the fall for their female counterparts. This means that if a Keke napep gets into an accident with a vehicle which is stronger, the men who are at the doors are supposed to be the first victims. The women and children are not supposed to be wounded were the men are .But in Maiduguri, the women prefer to be the first victims to be wounded in the case of emergencies rather than allow the men to take the fall for them or even paying the supreme sacrifice for them to stay alive. What a strange and obscene culture not found in other states of northern Nigeria?
Religious extremism: How poisoned traditions affect sitting positions inside vehicles and Keke napep in Maiduguri
Zulum flags off Ramadan palliative for 300,000 households in Borno’s 27 LGAs
By: Our Reporter
Borno State Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum, has launched the distribution of Ramadan palliatives to 300,000 households across all 27 local government areas of the state.
The intervention is designed to cushion the economic burden on vulnerable residents during the holy month of Ramadan.
Each beneficiary will receive one bag of rice, one bag of millet and 10 kg of sugar.
Speaking at Ramat Square, the venue for the distribution exercise on Tuesday, Zulum urged the committee tasked with the exercise to adhere to the highest standards of transparency and fairness.
He said, “To the committee in charge of this distribution, let transparency be your watchword. Let fairness be your guide. These items are not for sale. They are not for your friends or family members who do not need them.
“They are for the widow, the orphan, the internally displaced, the farmer whose fields have not fully recovered, and the daily wage earner struggling to make ends meet. Any officer found diverting these items will face the full wrath of the law.”
The governor also noted that the distribution would be extended to Christian residents who are coincidentally observing the Lent period, which overlaps with the Muslim fasting season this year.
This gesture will also touch the non-Muslims who are also fasting the lent which falls within the month of Ramadan,” Zulum ordered.
Zulum’s administration had consistently supported Christian communities in the state, particularly during festive seasons.
Each year, the governor approves the distribution of food items to Christian faithful celebrating Christmas and free transport for non-indigenous Christians who wish to travel to other parts of the country to celebrate their holidays with family and loved ones.
In their remarks, the senator representing Borno Central, Barrister Kaka Shehu Lawan and the Secretary to the Borno State Government, Bukar Tijani, commended Governor Zulum for supporting the vulnerable in their most critical moment.
In his welcome address, the Director-General of the State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Ali Abdullahi Isa, reiterated the agency’s readiness to ensure hitch-free distribution.
The ceremony was attended by members of the House of Representatives, Engr Bukar Talba and Abdulkadir Rahis, the speaker of the Borno State House of Assembly, Abdkarim Lawan and principal officers of the House, the Acting Chief of Staff, Dr Babagana Mustapha Mallumbe, among many other senior government officials.
Zulum flags off Ramadan palliative for 300,000 households in Borno’s 27 LGAs
Bauchi Police arrests father for chaining son for 17 years
By: Zagazola Makama
The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested a 72-year-old man for allegedly chaining his 40-year-old biological son for 17 years in Shadawanka Village, on the outskirts of Bauchi Local Government Area.
Sources said the incident came to light on Feb. 16, 2026, at about 1:30 p.m., following a distress call from the community reporting the inhumane treatment.
The DPO of ‘B’ Division, together with officers from the Police Response and Special Patrol Unit (PRESPOL), led a team of detectives to the scene, where they found the victim helpless inside a room with a chain on his right leg.
The father, Malam Muhammad Lawan, was arrested and taken into custody, while the victim was rushed to ATBU Teaching Hospital for urgent medical attention.
Police sources said the case is under investigation and assured the public that perpetrators of such acts would be brought to justice.
Bauchi Police arrests father for chaining son for 17 years
Operation FANSAN YANMA troops rescue kidnapped residents, recover 30 sheep in Katsina
By: Zagazola Makama
Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA, alongside other joint security forces, successfully rescued ten residents abducted by suspected armed bandits in Madakin Hurya village, Kankara Local Government Area, and recovered 30 rustled sheep.
Sources said that at about 11:00 p.m. on Feb. 16, 2026, armed bandits attacked the village, abducting residents and stealing livestock. Troops of Operation FANSAN YANMA, in coordination with Police and Civil Watch (CWATCH) units, were immediately deployed to the area and intercepted the assailants at the outskirts of the village.
A sustained gunfight ensued, forcing the bandits to flee into Gidan Jakibush with varying degrees of gunshot injuries. The operation led to the safe rescue of all ten kidnapped victims, including Nasiru Yau, 50; Salisu Umar, 45; Habiba Ibrahim, 13; and seven others. Thirty stolen sheep were recovered and returned to the community.
Normalcy has been restored in Madakin Hurya, while cordon-and-search operations continue to track and apprehend the fleeing bandits. Further updates are expected.
Operation FANSAN YANMA troops rescue kidnapped residents, recover 30 sheep in Katsina
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Zulum flags off Ramadan palliative for 300,000 households in Borno’s 27 LGAs
Bauchi Police arrests father for chaining son for 17 years
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