Oshiomhole Wants Nigeria to Take Over MTN Over Xenophobia

Federal lawmaker and former Edo State governor, Adams Oshiomhole, has called for the nationalisation of MTN Nigeria, arguing that Nigeria should take control of the telecommunications giant and end South African influence over the company amid recurring xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in South Africa.

Oshiomhole, who represents Edo North Senatorial District in the Senate, said Nigerian shareholders could retain their investments in MTN, but insisted that South African control of the company should be removed completely.

According to him, the company should be restructured and re-privatised in a way that allows Nigerians to take over ownership and management, while preventing the repatriation of profits to South Africa.

“I’m aware that MTN is quoted on the stock exchange. Nigerian shareholders can hold on to their shares, but we should take away South African control. We should re-privatise it so Nigerians can take it over, and there would be no repatriation of funds to South Africa,” Oshiomhole stated.

The former president of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) made the remarks while reacting to ongoing tensions surrounding xenophobic attacks in South Africa, where Nigerians and other African migrants have repeatedly been targeted over the years.

Oshiomhole accused South African authorities of failing to adequately address unemployment and anti-immigrant sentiments, arguing that economic frustrations in South Africa have increasingly been directed toward foreign Africans.

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He referenced remarks previously made by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa during political campaigns about foreigners allegedly taking jobs from South Africans, suggesting such rhetoric contributed to hostility against African migrants.

“Now South Africa has high unemployment, and some have transferred aggression against other Africans. Life is more important. Nigeria should not look for investors who choose wealth over human life,” he added.

The senator’s comments come amid renewed discussions about the economic relationship between Nigeria and South Africa, especially the role of South African companies operating in key sectors of the Nigerian economy.

MTN Group, headquartered in Johannesburg, remains one of the largest foreign investors in Nigeria and operates the country’s biggest telecommunications network by subscriber base. MTN Nigeria is listed on the Nigerian Exchange and has millions of Nigerian shareholders, including institutional investors and pension funds.

Analysts say any attempt to nationalise or forcefully restructure MTN Nigeria could raise concerns among foreign investors and potentially affect investor confidence in Africa’s largest economy. Others, however, argue that Oshiomhole’s remarks reflect growing frustration over repeated xenophobic incidents involving Nigerians living and doing business in South Africa.

Over the years, xenophobic violence in South Africa has triggered diplomatic tensions across the continent, with Nigeria previously recalling ambassadors, issuing travel advisories, and witnessing protests against South African businesses operating locally.

Several Nigerian-owned businesses and properties have reportedly been attacked during previous outbreaks of anti-foreigner violence in cities such as Johannesburg and Durban.

Despite the tensions, trade and business ties between both countries have continued to expand, with South African firms maintaining major investments across Nigeria’s banking, telecommunications, retail, and entertainment sectors.

Oshiomhole’s latest remarks have already generated mixed reactions online, with some Nigerians supporting calls for stronger economic retaliation, while others warned that targeting foreign-owned companies could negatively affect jobs, market stability, and investor confidence.

Oshiomhole Wants Nigeria to Take Over MTN Over Xenophobia

Repentant Terrorists Swear Quran Oath Before Reintegration — Borno Govt

The Borno State Government has defended its controversial rehabilitation and reintegration programme for former insurgents, insisting that repentant terrorists undergo a strict deradicalisation process that includes swearing an oath with the Quran before being returned to society.

The state Commissioner for Women Affairs and Social Development, Zuwaira Gambo, said the oath-taking process is a central part of the “Borno model” designed to discourage former fighters from returning to terrorism and violent extremism.

Speaking amid growing public criticism of Nigeria’s reintegration policy for ex-insurgents, Gambo explained that individuals who complete the rehabilitation process are required to publicly commit themselves to peaceful living through a Quranic oath.

“When they come to us through all the processes of the Borno model, the last thing they do is they take an oath with the Quran. Once you swear by the Quran, you know the implication,” she said.

According to the commissioner, insurgents who surrender to government authorities are usually branded as traitors by terrorist groups, making it difficult for them to safely return to the bush.

“People assume that they will go back to the bush; well, they may, but they are dead on arrival.

“The moment you step out and surrender to constituted authority, you become an infidel,” she added.

The comments come at a time when the Federal Government’s Operation Safe Corridor programme has again sparked national debate over the rehabilitation and reintegration of former Boko Haram fighters and other insurgents.

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Recently, no fewer than 744 former terrorists and victims of violent extremism graduated from the Federal Government’s De-radicalisation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration Camp in Gombe State under the programme.

Official records showed that the majority of the beneficiaries came from Borno State, while others were drawn from Adamawa, Yobe, Kano and several other states. Reports also indicated that a few foreign nationals from neighbouring countries including Chad, Cameroon, Niger Republic and Burkina Faso participated in the programme.

Military authorities described the initiative as a non-kinetic counterterrorism strategy aimed at weakening extremist networks, reducing violence and encouraging defections from terrorist groups operating in the North-East.

The programme reportedly combines psychosocial support, vocational training, religious counselling, civic education and behavioural reorientation to prepare former insurgents for reintegration into their communities.

However, the initiative has continued to attract criticism from many Nigerians, legal experts, victims’ groups and civil society organisations who question the transparency of the process and the absence of adequate justice for victims of terrorism.

The President of the Nigerian Bar Association, Afam Osigwe, recently warned that reintegrating former terrorists without addressing the concerns of victims could create a dangerous perception of injustice and undermine public confidence in the country’s counterterrorism efforts.

Similarly, Amnesty International Nigeria Country Director, Isa Sanusi, called on the Federal Government to provide more transparency regarding the identities and specific roles played by those being rehabilitated.

According to him, affected communities deserve to know the extent of each participant’s involvement in terrorist activities before such individuals are reintegrated into society.

Despite the criticisms, the Borno State Government insists that the deradicalisation process is carefully monitored and remains necessary for achieving long-term peace in the region after more than a decade of insurgency that has claimed thousands of lives and displaced millions across Nigeria’s North-East.

Gambo also admitted that funding remains one of the biggest challenges confronting the programme, noting that government authorities must provide food, shelter, education and rehabilitation support for large numbers of former fighters and affected persons.

“The challenge, of course, has to do with funding, because you bring a lot of people on board, but how are you going to feed them, clothe them and provide them with access to education?” she asked.

The debate surrounding repentant terrorists, Operation Safe Corridor, and the reintegration of former insurgents continues to divide public opinion, with supporters describing the initiative as a pathway to peace while critics argue that justice for victims should take priority.

Repentant Terrorists Swear Quran Oath Before Reintegration — Borno Govt

Residents flee Kano community as gunmen kill three in night raid 

Suspected gunmen on Monday night invaded Yankamaye community in the Tsanyawa Local Government Area of Kano State, killing three residents and forcing scores of villagers to flee for safety.

Residents said the attackers stormed the community late at night, firing sporadically and throwing the area into panic as terrified residents ran for cover.

The member representing Ghari and Tsanyawa Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Sani Bala, confirmed the attack in a statement shared online, revealing that three bodies had been recovered after the assault.

“As at the time of this update, three people have been confirmed dead,” the lawmaker stated, while lamenting the worsening security situation in the area.

A resident, Saifullahi Sulaiman Sorodaya, described the attack as sudden and terrifying.

“The attackers entered the town shooting without stopping, and people had no option but to run for their lives,” he said.

Another resident, Madahuru Isah Ibrahim, disclosed that several persons sustained injuries during the attack and were rushed to hospital for treatment.

Following the incident, residents of Yankamaye and neighbouring communities appealed to security agencies to intensify surveillance and deploy more personnel to prevent further attacks and restore confidence in the area.