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Northern scholars declare support for Tinubu’s renewed war against banditry
***warn saboteurs and collaborators against plans to distract Matawalle, armed forces
The Concerned Scholars for Peace and Development (CSPD) has thrown its weight behind President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s efforts to tackle banditry in the country.
In a statement signed by its President, Dr. Zaharadeen Mohammed Kabir, the group warned saboteurs and collaborators not to distract the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and the Armed Forces.
The group specifically disowned a Sokoto State-based Islamic cleric, Mallam Bello Asada, for accusing the Federal Government of sponsoring bandit leaders, describing the claim as false and politically motivated.
Kabir alleged that Asada is a member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and has ignored revelations of Zamfara State Governor Dauda Lawal’s payment of N1.378 billion to terrorists and bandits.
The Islamic scholars also called for Asada to be held accountable for his defamatory video, urging Matawalle and troops to remain focused on winning the war against banditry.
“The Concerned National Islamic Scholars for Peace and National Development condemn in the strongest terms the attempts by unscrupulous persons to trivialise the security challenge in the northwest of the country by politicising the issue and urge President Bola Ahmed Tinubu not to allow his administration to be distracted in flushing out criminal elements from the country,” Kabir said.
“This condemnation became necessary in the wake of the misleading video published by a Sokoto State-based Islamic cleric, Mallam Bello Asada, who falsely accused the Federal Government of sponsoring bandit leaders. The video has, unfortunately, been promoted by counter-insurgency expert, Makama Zagazola.
“We have since reviewed the facts and found that Mallam Bello Asada is a card-carrying member of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP), who has conveniently ignored the recent revelations that his paymaster, Zamfara State’s Governor Dauda Lawal paid the sum of One Billion, Three Hundred and Seventy-Eight Million Naira (N1,378, 000,000) to terrorists’ and bandits’ leaders.
“We wonder how Asada became amnesiac to how Governor Lawal paid two hundred million naira each to Kachalla Dogo Gide, Kachalla Bello Turji, and Ado Alero while one hundred and fifty million naira was paid each to Kachalla Halilu Sububu and Gwaska Dan Karami. A responsible Islamic scholar, who has no connection to the bandits would have demanded answers from Governor Dauda Lawal. Asada has no moral right to continue to hide under the cover of being an Islamic scholar.
“It is important to note the political context of these false accusations, especially given the high stakes involved in regional and national politics. The timing and source of the allegations suggest an attempt to distract the Federal Government’s counter-terrorism efforts.
“We reliably learnt that Asada was put up to publishing the video to distract public attention from the leaked document that proved that Governor Lawal paid money to subversive elements that are responsible for the insecurity, killings and kidnappings plaguing the northwest and other parts of Nigeria.
“Asada, who once made a video praying for the death of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu for defeating his party’s, Atiku Abubakar at the 2023 General Election, was an automatic choice to produce the pro-terrorist propaganda material that has further undermined security in the region.
“This explains why this character, who had gone into oblivion, is suddenly out to distract the President and the Minister of State for Defence simply because the heat has turned on the bandits especially Turji Bello who has been reported to have been corralled by our Armed Forces and will soon be smoked out.
“We have thus concluded that while Asada’s allegations appear serious, his inability to provide concrete evidence to support his outlandish claims and accusations makes them defamatory.
“We urge the Federal Government to leverage extant legislation to hold Asada accountable for his defamatory video. For instance, several credible Northern groups have condemned similar accusations, describing them as unfounded and politically motivated.”
The group called on the Federal Government to be wary of individuals who come out to discredit, distract, and blackmail state actors when the state takes the war to the bandits.
“It’s obvious that some are Islamic clerics during the day and bandits at night,” Kabir said. He added, “The witch cried at night, and the child died in the morning. We don’t have to look for who, of course, killed the baby.”
Kabir called on the FG to investigate people like Asada, who seem to be in pain over the decisive actions of the government against the bandits.
“It’s obvious that Asada has more to tell the security agencies about the banditry because he is disturbed by the bounty placed on the bandits’ leader and fears he will soon be exposed.”
The CSPD urged the President not to succumb to distraction but to go all out for the bandits until they all surrender and give up their evil ways.
“More of these characters will come out in the next few weeks as the fight gets hotter to smoke out the bandits from the northwest. Mr. President must remain resolute and committed to the charge given to the Armed Forces.”
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The 2026 Constitution Amendment Bill has moved to the state level following its consideration by the National Assembly, paving the way for state legislatures to consider the proposed amendments.
The development comes amid renewed attention on constitutional reform and ongoing discussions over proposed changes to Nigeria’s governing framework.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives has defended FCT Minister Nyesom Wike over allegations surrounding borrowing by the Federal Capital Territory Administration.
House spokesperson Akin Rotimi Agbese, speaking in an interview with Channels Television, rejected claims that Wike had undertaken borrowing without the knowledge or approval of the National Assembly.
Agbese said the FCT minister could not independently create a sovereign borrowing obligation, stressing that public borrowing is subject to constitutional, statutory and administrative procedures.
“Wike has committed no infraction in borrowings. There is no basis for the allegation that he has been borrowing money behind the back of the National Assembly,” Agbese said.
He explained that borrowing to finance infrastructure was not unlawful where the required approvals and procedures had been followed.
“Borrowing for infrastructure development is not unlawful in itself, provided the prescribed approvals and procedures are followed,” he added.
The House spokesperson further argued that an increase in the FCT’s debt profile should not automatically be interpreted as evidence of illegal borrowing, citing the scale of infrastructure projects being undertaken in Abuja under Wike.
According to Agbese, the key issue is whether the appropriate approvals were obtained for specific borrowing transactions, rather than simply whether the FCT’s overall debt profile has increased.
The comments come as scrutiny continues over public borrowing, infrastructure financing and the legal procedures governing government debt at both the federal and sub-national levels.
By Fabian Apechihin
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has reaffirmed its intention to contest the 2027 presidential election despite the decision of Federal Capital Territory Minister, Nyesom Wike, to support President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s re-election bid.
The party said Wike’s decision was personal and did not alter its position to participate in the presidential election with its candidate, Senator Sandy Onor. PDP National Publicity Secretary, Jungudo Haruna Mohammed, made the clarification on Wednesday.
According to the party, a recent conversation between Wike and Onor should not be interpreted as a political negotiation between the minister and the PDP.
“He told Nigerians that Sandy is his friend. And they only had a friendly discussion within the umbrella of friendship. So, that is just a personal discussion between him and his friend,” Mohammed said.
He added that Wike’s support for Tinubu did not prevent the PDP from fielding candidates for the presidential, governorship and legislative elections.
Wike had earlier clarified that his support in 2027 was specifically for Tinubu’s presidential re-election and did not amount to an agreement that the PDP would withdraw from other electoral contests. He also said he never promised that the PDP would abandon its candidates for governorship, National Assembly and State House of Assembly elections.
“I said I will support the President from day one. I never told Mr President I will join APC,” Wike said.
The minister also maintained that his proposed Rainbow Coalition was not an arrangement with the All Progressives Congress (APC), but rather a platform through which politicians from different parties could mobilise support for Tinubu’s re-election.
The issue has generated disagreement with some APC governors, who have expressed concern about a political arrangement that could affect the party’s candidates at other levels.
APC Progressive Governors’ Forum Chairman, Hope Uzodinma, said the governors would not support any alliance or arrangement that could weaken the APC or adversely affect its candidates.
Meanwhile, APC presidential campaign council spokesperson Ima Niboro has urged Wike and APC governors to end their public exchanges and concentrate on political mobilisation.
“When I said tone down the rhetoric, I do not mean stop working. Stop talking, go and work,” Niboro said.
He urged political leaders to strengthen their grassroots structures and engage directly with voters rather than continue exchanging statements in the media.
“All this shouting is not taking anybody anywhere. Go and work. Go and establish your authority on your political base,” he said.
HONOURABLE JAFAARU YAKUBU COMMISERATES WITH QATAR OVER THE DEATH OF RULER
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