Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

A foremost Senegalese Islamic scholar, Shaykh Muhammad Allaodeen Cisse, has declared that Nigeria’s seemingly intractable security challenges cannot be solved by government action alone, stressing that families and schools also have a central role in raising children on the path of peace and moral responsibility.

Shaykh Cisse, who is on a visit to Nigeria, while fielding questions from journalists in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, opined that lasting security could only be achieved when parents deliberately guide their children at home, and also when schools prioritise the teaching of peaceful coexistence and good character.

He said: “This is not a problem that can be solved by just the government. Charity begins from home. Everyone should start the change and sensitisation from their respective homes.

“We should guide our children towards the right path, the path of peace. Again, we should focus on our schools and ensure that our places of learning are teaching peaceful coexistence.”

The scholar, who is the grandson of the global Islamic icon, Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass, said Islam stands firmly against extremism and violence, warning against judging the religion by the actions of a few misguided individuals.

“Islam preaches against extremism and violence. People should not judge Islam by the actions of a few misguided people because they do not represent Islam,” he said.

He added that peace occupies a central place in Islamic teachings, noting that the Qur’an repeatedly emphasises tranquility and harmony. According to him, Almighty Allah enjoins peace and peaceful coexistence, underscoring Islam’s identity as a religion of peace.

Speaking on interfaith relations and humanity, Shaykh Cisse said religion should be understood as a personal relationship between an individual and Almighty God, stressing that there is no compulsion in faith.

“This life is for all of us regardless of our religion, but our religion is personal,” he said.

He recalled an encounter involving his grandfather, Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass, who once extended a hand of friendship and business partnership to a Christian, despite differences in belief.

“My grandfather told him that we should see this world as a garden where you can relate with whoever you meet there, and thereafter you can go back to your home, which is your mosque or your church,” he said.

On the challenges faced by those propagating Islam, Shaykh Cisse noted that opposition and hardship are inevitable, adding that even revered scholars of the past endured severe trials.

“There is no way you will want to propagate Islam without coming across challenges. If you did not encounter any challenge, then it means what you are propagating is not in conformity with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad,” he said.

He said Sheikh Ibrahim Niyass faced numerous challenges at a time when modern communication tools were unavailable, noting that today’s global connectivity has reduced some of the difficulties confronting contemporary scholars.

Shaykh Cisse also paid tribute to Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi, describing him as a deeply knowledgeable scholar whose influence transcended national boundaries.

“Sheikh Dahiru Bauchi is a knowledgeable man, a Muslim to the core, who spent his life on the path of Prophet Muhammad and is well grounded in Islamic knowledge,” he said. “He propagated Islam not with force but with knowledge, morals, virtue and good human relations, and his influence cut across the globe.”

On youth empowerment, the scholar said Islamic learning should go hand in hand with productive livelihood, particularly agriculture. He disclosed that he runs a centre where young people are taught farming, adding that his grandfather was both a farmer and a religious teacher.

“Learning the Qur’an does not stop one from earning a living, most especially through agriculture,” he said.

He stressed that a peaceful society depends largely on how children are raised, noting that values taught at home eventually shape the wider society.

“When everyone cares for their children and teaches them how to relate peacefully with others, it will extend to the larger society and violence will reduce,” he said.

Shaykh Cisse also spoke on the long-standing cordial relationship between Nigeria and Senegal, noting that ties between the two countries have remained strong politically, economically, religiously and educationally.

“There are Nigerians in Senegal and Senegalese in Nigeria, and they coexist in peace,” he said.

• Says group’s claim puerile, false baseless

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

A socio-political group in the Kwara North Senatorial District, under the aegis of ‘Kwara North Development Commission’ (KNDC) and the African Democratic Congress (ADC) have engaged in a war of words over the group’s claim that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) was secretly funding and strengthening the ADC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The group, in a statement issued on Tuesday in Ilorin, the Kwara State capital, and signed by its President, Hon. Abdullahi Mansuma, and its Publicity Secretary, Hajia Zainabu Seko, alleged that the Governor was engaging in anti-party activities by covertly supporting and funding the ADC, while he was publicly leading his party, the All Progressives Congress.

The KNDC has, therefore, called on the national leadership of the APC to sanction AbdulRazaq, describing the alleged act as “dangerous political double-dealing”.

According to the group, credible intelligence and political developments indicated that the Governor was using the ADC as a decoy opposition and a platform to retain the political control of Kwara State by proxy, saying “that explained why prominent figures within the ADC in the State have consistently avoided criticising the APC-led government or highlighting what it described as governance lapses under AbdulRazaq’s administration”.

“We are bringing this to public knowledge because the people of Kwara deserve transparency. While the Governor postures as the leader of the APC in Kwara, he is allegedly using state resources to strengthen another party. This is the highest form of political betrayal,” the group added.

The group further alleged that the ADC’s state secretariat was secured with the backing of the Governor, describing it as part of a broader strategy to weaken the APC internally and block credible opposition ahead of future elections.

The KNDC also linked the alleged development to internal factional struggles within the APC at the national level, particularly between the Congress for Progressive Change bloc and the former Action Congress of Nigeria faction.

But, in a swift reaction to the allegation, a chieftain of the ADC and former Nigerian Ambassador to Japan, Prof. Isa Gana, dismissed the claim as puerile, false and baseless.

Gana, who was also a former Deputy Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, described the insinuation that Governor AbdulRahman AbdulRazaq was funding the ADC as “a blatant lie”.

“As a stakeholder in the Kwara North Senatorial District, I am not even aware of such a group – Kwara North Development Commission – that is making these allegations against our party,” he queried.

He questioned the logic behind the claim, asking how a sitting APC Governor could be funding a rival party that was positioning itself to take over power in the State.

“How will Governor AbdulRazaq be funding a party that is out to wrest power from his own party, the APC?” Gana queried.

He stressed that the ADC was independently mobilising and working round the clock to provide an alternative leadership for Kwara State ahead of the 2027 general elections.

“ADC is seriously working to offer Kwarans a credible alternative come 2027, and we are not part of any arrangement with the state governor,” he added.

Gana advised the KNDC to desist from what he described as unfounded allegations, insisting that the ADC was not being funded by Governor AbdulRazaq as claimed by the group.

Stephen Olufemi Oni, Ilorin

The Kwara Area Command of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) has recorded major anti-smuggling breakthroughs within weeks of a change in leadership, seizing contraband items valued at over N1.2bn.

Acting Area Controller of the Command, DC Najeem Akanmu Ogundeyi, disclosed this on Tuesday during a press conference in Ilorin, where he officially showcased the seizures made less than one month after assuming office.

Ogundeyi said the achievements was a reflection of the resolve of the Command to strictly enforce the Customs Act 2023 and clamp down on all forms of smuggling in the State.

He said: “From the day I assumed duty, I made it clear that this Command would operate with zero tolerance for compromise, guided by professionalism and intelligence-driven operations. I am pleased to report that these directives have already started yielding positive results.”

According to him, the seizures were made through sustained patrols and credible intelligence across various border routes and highways within the Command’s area of responsibility.

Items intercepted include 389 bales of second-hand clothing and 108 sacks of used bags, which were seized around the Ogbomosho–Eiyenkorin Expressway at about 4:34 a.m. Officers, he added, also intercepted 6,500 litres of Premium Motor Spirit (PMS) at different patrol bases along border communities in the Bukuro axis.

In the Okuta axis, Customs operatives seized 450 bags of foreign parboiled rice, each weighing 50kg, as well as a Mercedes-Benz GLE350 (2016 model). Two brand new luxury vehicles — a 2025 Toyota Land Cruiser VX and a 2025 Lexus LX600 — were also intercepted around the Bode Saadu area of Kwara State. The vehicles, Ogundeyi said, are currently under detention for further investigation.

Additionally, 170 pieces of used tyres were intercepted along the Lagos–Jebba Expressway.

The Acting Area Controller put the total Duty Paid Value of the seizures at N1,219,209,369.

“These seizures clearly show that smuggling activities will not be tolerated under my watch,” Ogundeyi warned. “Anyone involved in acts of economic sabotage will be dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.”

He commended officers and men of the Command for their dedication and resilience, noting that their commitment, often under difficult conditions, made the successes possible.

Ogundeyi also sent a strong signal to smugglers, saying Kwara State is no longer a safe route for illegal trade.

“We will continue to deploy all lawful means to protect the nation’s economy and ensure full compliance with Customs laws,” he said.

He appealed to residents and stakeholders to support the Service with timely and credible information, stressing that Customs officers are partners in national development.

“Customs is not an enemy of the people,” he added. “We are working to secure our borders, facilitate legitimate trade and strengthen the economy.”

Ogundeyi assured the people that the Command would sustain its enforcement drive while upholding professionalism, transparency and respect for human rights in all operations