Christian Genocide: Information Minister Asks CSOs to Correct Misinformation About Nigeria

By: Michael Mike

The Minister of Information and National Orientation, Mohammed Idris, has appealed to Civil Society Organisations to help correct the misrepresentations of Nigeria as a violator of religious freedom.

The Minister made the appeal at the 25th Anniversary of ActionAid in Abuja.

He said there is an urgent need for CSOs in the country to counter the narratives by applying evidence-based insights into the Nigerian situation.

Idris while addressing the misconceptions about Nigeria abroad, insisted that the country is not a violator of religious freedom and reaffirmed that such freedoms are clearly guaranteed in the constitution.

The minister who acknowledged security challenges even as he emphasized that government efforts are yielding progress, cautioned against narratives that mischaracterise Nigeria and strain its relations with its partners, particularly the United States.

He admitted lthe government’s responsibility to protect citizens, especially children, stating that “our children must be safe in their schools, safe in their communities, and safe in their homes” and highlighted President Tinubu’s recent declaration of a national emergency on security.

He revealed that the emergency measures include new recruitment into security agencies, support for state-level security outfits, and a push for legislative action towards establishing state police.

He described the declaration as a turning point in the fight against terrorism and banditry.

He called on CSOs to deepen their support for open governance, media freedom, digital literacy, and community development, and affirmed that ActionAid’s contributions in these areas remain “complementary and invaluable” to national progress.

The Minister who was the Chairman of ActionAid Nigeria 25 years anniversary celebration commended AAN for its action, service, and transformative work across the country.

He said, “For a quarter of a century, ActionAid has taken development to the frontlines, empowering women and girls, strengthening education, improving healthcare, advocating for governance reforms, supporting communities during crises, and amplifying the voices of the most vulnerable.”

He noted that ActionAid must be praised for its innumerable responses to challenging humanitarian situations and grassroots empowerment work that have shaped policy and community development in profound and measurable ways in Nigeria. “Today, we gather to honour this legacy and to look toward the next chapter.”

The Minister said: “I am equally pleased to unveil the ActionAid building prototype, a strong signal of organisational growth and long-term presence in Nigeria. This forward-looking investment reflects ActionAid’s commitment to deepening its contribution to our nation over the next 25 years and beyond. These milestones deserve our collective applause.”

In his remarks, Country Director, ActionAid Nigeria, Andrew Mamedu, said the struggle of AAN in the last 25 years is to help contain poverty, a struggle he said has not been of convenience but of conviction.

He said: “25 years ago, ActionAid Nigeria began with a simple but radical proposition that poverty is not natural.

And that exclusion is not a condition to be managed by the system. But we have to dismantle it. The true development does not happen when charity is displaced.

“Charity may be rights, give things, that’s charity. But when power is shifted from privilege to the marginalised, from silence to participation, from oppression to agency, our journey has never been one of convenience, it has been one of conviction.

“We have chosen to take sides with women denied their rights, with youth denied their voices, and with communities denied access to opportunities they deserve.

“Because we know that to end poverty, we must confront the structural injustice that creates it. “So for the past 25 years, we have stood shoulder to shoulder with people living in poverty and exclusion. Not as saviours, we don’t see ourselves as saviours, but as allies who are working together.”

Christian Genocide: Information Minister Asks CSOs to Correct Misinformation About Nigeria

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi: VP Shettima Charges Young Scholars To Preserve His Message Of Tolerance

By: Michael Mike

Says nation has lost one of the last great titans of Islamic scholarship

Vice President Kashim Shettima has charged emerging Islamic scholars across Nigeria and Africa to preserve and propagate the enduring message of tolerance, dialogue, and inclusivity exemplified by the late renowned Islamic cleric, Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi.

He specifically said that the late Tijjaniyya leader’s commitment to dialogue and inclusivity represents the true heritage of Islam that must guide future generations.

The Vice President gave the charge on Friday after attending the burial ceremony of the late Sheikh Dahiru Usman Bauchi in Bauchi, Bauchi State, where he described the passage of the cleric as a monumental loss not only to Nigeria but to the global Muslim Ummah.

“This nation has lost a colossus—an institution and one of the last great titans of Islamic scholarship. We call on our emerging scholars to embrace the path of dialogue, moderation, accommodation, and inclusivity, because this is the true heritage of Islam—not fanaticism, not extremism,” VP Shetimma said.

Praying for the repose of the late cleric’s soul, the Vice President said, “May Allah grant his soul eternal rest and reward him with Aljannatul Firdaus. May Allah grant his family and millions of followers the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss.”

Also speaking at the burial, the Governor of Bauchi State, Senator Bala Mohammed, described Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi as a towering figure whose legacy transformed Islamic education and uplifted countless families.

“He made remarkable contributions to development and established a strong tradition of Qur’anic research and scholarship. He mentored so many people. We have lost a father, a guardian, a teacher, and a colossus,” the governor said.

Similarly, the Governor of Kano State, Abba Yusuf, described the day as deeply sorrowful, not only for the family of the cleric but for all Nigerians and the entire Muslim Ummah across the world.

Yusuf said Sheikh Bauchi was widely known as an exceptional Islamic scholar who taught Qur’an and Hadith to hundreds of millions of people, especially his family and members of the Tijjaniyya order.

“May God grant his soul eternal rest and give the nation the fortitude to bear this irreparable loss,” he added.

Also speaking, the Governor of Niger State, Mohammed Umar, expressed gratitude to God for the cleric’s life, describing it as well spent. He said the late scholar would be remembered as a distinguished scholar and leader.

Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi: VP Shettima Charges Young Scholars To Preserve His Message Of Tolerance

DSS Invites Datti Baba-Ahmed Over Alleged Inciteful Remarks Against the Nigerian State

By: Zagazola Makama

The Department of State Services (DSS) on Friday invited the founder of Baze University, Senator Yusuf Datti Baba-Ahmed for sustaining views perceived as inciting against the Nigerian State, a security source has disclosed.

Sources told Zagazola Makama that there has been growing concerns over the Baba-Ahmed’s recent public remarks on various media platforms, especially those bordering on his claims of a “constitutional crisis.”

He continued, “A few days ago, Baba-Ahmed was on national television blaming the judiciary and the military for allowing the swearing-in of President Bola Tinubu and Vice President Kashmir Shettima. He even went to the length of inciting the military that it was President Tinubu’s swearing -in that made it possible for them to look you in the face and call you ‘bloody fools.'”

His inflammatory comments carry undertones capable of heightening national tension particularly given the sensitivity of Nigeria’s current political climate. It is also disturbing considering how similar narratives have contributed to instability in countries like Guinea-Bissau and other states, noted the source.

“I believe the secret police is treating his comments with caution. It has nothing to do with politics, but the corporate existence of our nation could be threatened if such rhetoric is allowed to fester,” he hinted.

“The complacency by the judiciary and military in not stopping the inauguration of President Tinubu’s administration as he was quoted leaves much to be desired.”

Such an invitation aligns with established protocols especially as his description of efforts to improve the security of the nation as a “joke” could agitate public sentiment, weaken trust in state institutions.

“These sessions are not punitive; they are preventive, focused on clarifying intent, contextualizing the remarks, and preventing the emergence of narratives that could unintentionally fuel unrest,” the source declared.

DSS Invites Datti Baba-Ahmed Over Alleged Inciteful Remarks Against the Nigerian State