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STILL ON THE SOWORE, SAHARA REPORTERS’ DIATRIBE.
By: Inuwa Bwala
Even with the ethical degeneration in journalism, a good journalist would seek to reflect the what, where, when, who and how, as the basic ingredients of a good story.
I also expect stories to be attributed to reliable and verifiable outlets, or risk credibility crisis.
I have read Sahara Reporters’ highly opiniated and faulty portrayals of situations in Borno and I have also read so many responses to the allusions made against the Government of Borno State, and by implications, the Governor, Professor Babagana Umara Zulum.
It is not in my place to speak for the Government nor the Governor, but I find it necessary to scratch the surface of the ethical breaches in the said report, and perhaps caution on the need for professionalism by people who parade themselves as journalists.
Of course, Nigerians are not strangers to the place of Omoyele Sowore and Sahara Reporters: which he publishes, in the annals of journalism, but to brazenly stand facts on the head, without subjecting same to test, may have crossed the ethical red line and there is the need for caution.
There would not have been the need for rebuttals, but as witnesses to the facts of the true situation of things, one can understand the general anger of citizens and the attendant responses.
The report in question, besides failing to satisfy the basic nuances of journalism, smacks of prejudice against the Government under the leadership of Proffessor Babagana Umara Zulum.
I have not read in it, a statement from security agencies or the government reflecting the other side.
It is needless to state that, given the volatile security situation in Borno and the noticeable innitiatives of the Government to end the menace, the report is not only misleading but entirely negate the facts on ground, nay the spirit of citizens.
Journalism goes beyond sitting down somewhere, and relying on assumptions ostenssibly from pure political mischief makers, in the name of exclusives.
It us doing journalism more harm, to rely on assumptions rather than facts, in reporting a volatile area like Borno.
Quite contrary to the assertions contained in the report, one can confidently say that the said order from Governor Zulum for the arrest of minors protesting under the guise of #EndBadGovernance, were never given, rather, it was a spontaneous response by security agencies, to the apparent hijack of the protest for mischief.
It is a known fact that, those arrested in recent times, were youths, who have self styled themselves as Malians: copying terrorists styles, akin to the situation in Mali.
They were deeply involved in various social vices, including drugs, robbery, rape, abductions and even killings.
The group was an emergent gang that had been causing mischief in Maiduguri by harassing innocent residents.
The chlampdown on them was a big relief to residents of Maiduguri generally. Infact the media had been awash with reports of the atrocities of the group, and I am aware of several appeals made to the Governor, to take decisive steps to put an end to their activities.
On the issu of heavy spending on counter insurgency efforts, it does not seem the report derive facts from records.
I had expected the report to capture figures of the expenditure by the state, on the dis-armament, dis-orientation and re-intergration of repentant Boko Haram members.
But even without that, one may be tempted to ask, which option is more important? Using the Borno model of DDR, which has been acknowledged internationally, as one of the most effective approaches to ending the insurgency, or allowing the insurgents to continue their atrocities?
Having been in Borno since the start of the ibsurgency places people like me in a better position to admit that, with the pragmatic approach of the Borno state Government, in recent times, there is relative peace and stability.
Any journalist in Maiduguri, who have seen all the sides to the conflict, should be responsible enough to say, that, it is not an anathema if the state government spends fortunes to achieve peace.
I am aware of a law banning vandalism and political thuggery in Borno. Complaining about those caught vandalising Government property, amounts to supporting the action. Except if otherwise, Sower has a stake in the trade, I do not see anything wrong in sanctioning those who engage in the act.
I do not want to suspect that, Sowore and Sahara Reporters have an axe to grind with the Government or the Governor. It presupppses therefore, that development journalism should define the approach and not lend our pages to mischief.
By Emmanuel Kuza
A chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Nasarawa State, Abuga Ovie, has described the name Ombugadu as a political brand, saying the popularity and wide acceptance of the name have made David Emmanuel Ombugadu a major force in the state’s political landscape.
Ovie, who stated this in an interview on Tuesday, said what started as opposition from some of Ombugadu’s biological brothers and people he described as fathers and uncles who betrayed him for personal political interests had now assumed a wider dimension, with political parties allegedly joining the battle against him.
According to him, the latest development was an attempt to undermine the political value of the Ombugadu name by presenting another person with the same surname, describing it as an indication of how far some political actors were prepared to go to weaken the PDP governorship candidate.
“Ombugadu is a brand, not a title. The people are not fools. They know their own. You cannot simply bring another person bearing the same name and expect the people to forget the political identity that Ombugadu has built over the years,” he said.
He further alleged that a former governor was working to introduce a political associate who had served as Accountant-General of Nasarawa State into the political equation, with the alleged objective of destabilising the PDP and weakening its chances by ensuring that the party fields a less competitive candidate in 2027.
“The plan, as we understand it, is to destabilise the PDP and make sure the party presents a weak candidate, thereby creating an advantage for the former governor’s preferred candidate. But all those efforts have proved abortive because the national leadership of the PDP stood its ground and refused to lose its best bet for the 2027 governorship election,” Ovie said.
The PDP chieftain said the resolve of the national leadership to retain Ombugadu had demonstrated the confidence the party had in his capacity to win the governorship election, despite what he described as attempts by some political actors to frustrate his ambition.
Ovie urged political parties and their leaders to resolve their internal differences instead of concentrating their efforts on Ombugadu, whom he compared to David in the Bible, saying he remained focused despite betrayal and opposition from those close to him.
“Ombugadu is like David in the Bible. Even when his brothers forsook him, he remained focused. Today, despite the people who have betrayed him, he remains focused and has a blueprint that can rescue Nasarawa State,” he said.
He said political parties should concentrate on presenting their programmes and convincing voters about how they intend to address the challenges confronting the state rather than expending their energy on attempts to stop Ombugadu.
“Political parties should fix their problems instead of wasting their strength fighting Ombugadu. Let everybody bring their blueprint before the people and explain what they intend to do for Nasarawa State,” he said.
Ovie maintained that the 2027 election should be about ideas, competence and the future of Nasarawa State, rather than attempts to manipulate political structures or undermine individuals perceived to enjoy strong grassroots support.
He urged the people of the state, particularly the Eggon community, to remain politically vigilant and resist what he described as efforts to make them settle for less, insisting that voters would ultimately determine who enjoys their confidence at the polls.
Reduce repeated references to Ombugadu
By Israel Adamu, Jos
Two hundred widows from communities across Langtang North Central State Constituency of Plateau State have benefited from an empowerment outreach organised by Gimbiya Gani Nandir Lar under the Jagoran Talakawa movement.
The outreach, held at Pilgani in Langtang North Local Government Area, was aimed at supporting vulnerable women and drawing attention to the challenges faced by widows, particularly those struggling to provide food, pay school fees and meet other basic needs for their families.
The organiser, Nandir Lar, who is the All Progressives Congress, APC, candidate for Langtang North Central State Constituency, said the gesture was motivated by compassion and concern for vulnerable members of the society.
She stressed that the outreach was not a political programme but an expression of love and support for humanity.
Nandir Lar said: “The plight of widows may not always make headlines, but their struggles are real, painful and deserving of our collective attention.
“This is simply an expression of compassion and love for humanity. It is not a political programme.
“Our constituency is home to people with diverse needs, including mothers, widows and young people who are seeking opportunities to improve their lives.”
Former Provost of the Federal College of Education, Pankshin, Amos Chirfat, commended the initiative, saying it had brought smiles to the faces of vulnerable women in the constituency.
Minority Leader of the Langtang North Legislative Council, Dirya Sheni, also commended Nandir Lar for supporting widows and other vulnerable members of the community.
At the end of the outreach, each of the 200 beneficiaries received a 10-kilogramme bag of corn flour, seasoning and N10,000 cash
By Francis Wilfred
The Special Control Unit against Money Laundering (SCUML), and the Real Estate Developers Association of Nigeria (REDAN) have expressed commitment to ensure a full compliance with the Anti Money Laundering/Counter Finance on Terrorism/Counter Proliferation Financing, (AML/CFT/CPF) laws within the Nigeria’s real estate sector.
They made the resolve during a stakeholders’ engagement held on Thursday, September 10, 2026
The engagement focused on Mutual Evaluation readiness, risk-based supervision, beneficial ownership transparency, customer due diligence, internal controls and stronger collaboration between SCUML and the real estate sector.
Assistant Commander of the EFCC, ACE 1 Ibinabo Amachree, speaking on behalf of SCUML highlighted the strategic role of real estate operators in protecting the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system, particularly given the sector’s vulnerability to money laundering and other financial crime risks.
Amachree encouraged REDAN members to move beyond registration to ensure that compliance is embedded in their day-to-day operations. He mentioned the areas to include: understanding institutional risks, knowing customers and beneficial owners, identifying politically exposed persons, conducting appropriate sanctions screening, maintaining effective internal controls and meeting applicable reporting obligations
He, therefore, reaffirmed readiness to working closely with REDAN and other stakeholders to improve compliance, build capacity and promote a stronger culture of accountability across the real estate sector
“The message is clear: effective compliance is not just about meeting regulatory requirements; it is about protecting businesses, strengthening the real estate sector and safeguarding the integrity of Nigeria’s financial system”, she said.
In his remarks, the Chairman of REDAN, Lagos state, Mr Tony Kolawole pledged readiness to partner with SCUML in ensuring compliance with AML/CFT/CPF in the real estate sector to uphold financial integrity.
The engagement also provided an opportunity for REDAN members to share practical regulatory and operational challenges affecting the sector, reinforcing the importance of continuous dialogue between regulators and industry stakeholders.
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