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Grand Chief Imam calls for professional communication structure for Rabitoh 1964
Grand Chief Imam calls for professional communication structure for Rabitoh 1964
OYO, September 14, 2026 — The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Sheikh Al-Imam Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has called on the leadership of Rabitoh 1964 to strengthen its public communication structure to ensure that its positions are clearly and accurately conveyed to the Muslim Ummah and the wider public.
Akeugberu said the organisation should consider appointing a seasoned media professional with experience across print, electronic and digital platforms to coordinate its public communication.
The recommendation was contained in a statement issued on Monday by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Grand Chief Imam, Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade.
According to the statement, clearer communication would help reduce the burden on the leadership of Rabitoh 1964, particularly the Mudeer Markaz, while ensuring that official positions are properly articulated, contextualised and presented to the public.
The Grand Chief Imam said this would also minimise the risk of statements being misunderstood, distorted or interpreted outside their intended context.
He urged Rabitoh 1964 to preserve its character as a broad and unifying Islamic platform rather than allowing it to be identified with any particular ideological sect, jurisprudential school or group within the Muslim Ummah.
Akeugberu said the organisation’s positions should be guided by the Qur’an and authentic Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad, while recognising legitimate differences of opinion in matters of Islamic jurisprudence.
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He specifically cited issues surrounding the commencement and termination of Ramadan, sighting of the crescent moon and whether Sha‘ban should be completed with 30 days as matters requiring knowledge, wisdom, consultation and responsible communication.
According to him, disagreements over such issues should not be allowed to create the impression that Rabitoh 1964 belongs exclusively to a particular sect, creed or ideological tendency.
The Grand Chief Imam also stressed the need for openness and consultation in the affairs of the organisation, rejecting any perception of Rabitoh 1964 as a closed association.
“Islam is an open religion,” the statement said, emphasising the importance of transparency, consultation and collective responsibility in institutions established to serve the Muslim community.
Akeugberu said decisions on matters affecting the Ummah should follow adequate consultation and, once reached, should be presented clearly as the agreed position of the organisation.
He further said Rabitoh 1964 should maintain an effective presence across newspapers, radio, television, online platforms and social media, while responding promptly to misinformation or inaccurate attribution of positions to the organisation.
He said improved communication would strengthen the relationship between the organisation and the wider Muslim Ummah in Yorubaland, promote understanding of its objectives and contribute to the unity and dignity of the Muslim community.
The Grand Chief Imam therefore urged the leadership to constitute a competent and professionally led communication structure capable of translating the decisions and positions of the organisation into clear, responsible and authoritative public messages.
The objective, he said, should be for Rabitoh 1964 to speak with a clear and responsible voice without compromising the legitimate diversity of jurisprudential opinions within the Muslim Ummah.
The statement was issued to journalists by Agunbiade on behalf of the Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land.
Grand Chief Imam calls for professional communication structure for Rabitoh 1964
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Contempt: Court Orders Arrest, Remands Lagos NURTW Chairman Sego, Secretary in Kirikiri
Contempt: Court Orders Arrest, Remands Lagos NURTW Chairman Sego, Secretary in Kirikiri
The Lagos State Chairman of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), Alhaji Mustapha Adio Adekunle, popularly known as Sego, and the union’s Secretary, Comrade Usman O. Teslim, have reportedly been arrested and remanded at the Kirikiri Correctional Centre in Lagos over alleged contempt of court.
The development followed a protracted legal dispute involving the NURTW and the Tricycle Owners Association of Nigeria (TOAN) over the control and regulation of commercial tricycle operations in Lagos State.
The reported arrest and remand came after the National Industrial Court, sitting in Lagos, initiated committal proceedings against the two union officials for allegedly disobeying its judgment recognising TOAN as an independent trade union.
The case, which has generated considerable interest within the state’s transport sector, centres on the enforcement of the court’s December 11, 2025 judgment directing the Lagos State Government and other defendants, including the NURTW, to recognise TOAN as an independent registered trade union under the Trade Unions Act.
In its judgment, the court ordered that TOAN and its members should be allowed to carry out their lawful activities without interference from the defendants.
However, TOAN subsequently accused officials of the NURTW of continuing to exercise control over commercial tricycle operators and collecting various levies, tickets and security charges despite the court’s ruling.
The association consequently initiated contempt proceedings against the officials, seeking their committal to prison for allegedly refusing to comply with the judgment.
In a ruling delivered in August 2026, Justice Isaac Essien of the National Industrial Court dismissed a preliminary objection filed by Sego and the union’s secretary challenging the competence of the contempt proceedings.
The judge held that the officials had been properly served with the relevant court processes through substituted service and could not claim ignorance of the proceedings after participating in the case through their legal representatives.
The court consequently ordered the two officials to jointly pay N2 million in costs to the judgment creditors.
In a separate decision on the substantive committal application, the court issued a summons directing Sego and Teslim to appear before it on October 15, 2026, to explain why they should not be committed to prison for allegedly disobeying its orders.
The court also awarded an additional N3 million in costs against them in the contempt proceedings.
The legal battle followed the December 11, 2025 judgment in Suit No. NICN/308/2021, which recognised TOAN as an independent trade union and directed the relevant government authorities and transport unions to respect its legal status and operations.
The court also dismissed applications by several judgment debtors seeking to stay the execution of the judgment, ruling that they had failed to satisfy the necessary legal requirements for such an order.
The latest reported development involving the remand of the NURTW chairman and secretary represents a further escalation of the dispute, which has raised questions about compliance with court judgments and the enforcement of judicial orders in Lagos State.
Further details of the circumstances surrounding their reported arrest, the specific remand order and the next court proceedings were not independently available at the time of filing this report.
Contempt: Court Orders Arrest, Remands Lagos NURTW Chairman Sego, Secretary in Kirikiri
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Gunmen Abduct 100-Level Female Student, Shoot Another Person in Plateau
Gunmen Abduct 100-Level Female Student, Shoot Another Person in Plateau
Gunmen suspected to be kidnappers have abducted a 100-level female student of Plateau State University (PLASU), Bokkos, and shot another person during an attack on an off-campus student residential area in Bokkos Local Government Area of Plateau State.
The incident, which occurred at about 8:40 p.m. on Saturday, October 31, 2026, has heightened concerns over the safety of students living outside the university campus.
The abducted student was reportedly in the company of another female student when the attackers seized her. Her whereabouts remained unknown as of Sunday, November 1, while residents and members of the university community appealed to security agencies to secure her release.
A student of the institution, who spoke to journalists in Jos on condition of anonymity, confirmed the abduction and expressed concern over the growing insecurity in the university community.
“Yes, the student was taken away by the attackers last night, and we have not seen her since then. She lives off-campus, but I don’t know her personally,” the student said.
He appealed to security agencies to intensify efforts to locate the abducted undergraduate and ensure her safe return.
A staff member of the university also confirmed that the management was aware of a reported shooting incident in one of the off-campus student residential areas.
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According to the staff member, who requested anonymity because he was not authorised to speak publicly, the latest incident was the second reported shooting in the area within four weeks.
“While the incident did not occur within the university campus, which remains our direct responsibility to secure, we are deeply concerned that any of our students living off-campus should face such threats to their safety,” the staff member said.
The university management expressed concern over the exposure of students residing outside the institution to security threats, noting that it had been making efforts to provide safer accommodation within the campus.
The administration of Vice-Chancellor, Professor Shadrack Best, has reportedly prioritised the provision of secure on-campus accommodation for students. However, financial constraints have limited the institution’s capacity to accommodate a relatively small proportion of its student population.
The university currently has accommodation for only about 1,000 students in its halls of residence, despite having nearly 20,000 students.
The staff member said the institution would continue to engage relevant authorities to expand accommodation facilities and strengthen security arrangements for students.
He also acknowledged the support of Plateau State Governor Caleb Manasseh Mutfwang, who is the university’s Visitor, and the Tertiary Education Trust Fund (TETFund) in providing critical infrastructure for the institution.
The latest attack has renewed concerns about the security of students living in private hostels and residential communities around Plateau State University, particularly those who cannot secure accommodation within the campus.
Efforts to obtain comments from the Plateau State Police Command were unsuccessful as of the time the initial reports were filed. The command’s spokesperson, SP Alfred Alabo, could not be reached for an official reaction.
The circumstances surrounding the abduction, the identity of the attackers and the condition of the person who was shot were not immediately clear.
Meanwhile, students and members of the university community are calling for stronger security measures in Bokkos to prevent further attacks and protect residents, particularly students living outside the university premises.
Gunmen Abduct 100-Level Female Student, Shoot Another Person in Plateau
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Two Europe-Bound Nigerians Excrete 200 Cocaine Wraps at Abuja Airport
Two Nigerians living in Europe have been arrested by operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) after allegedly swallowing 200 wraps of cocaine weighing 3.46 kilogrammes in an attempt to smuggle the illicit drug from Nigeria to France.
The suspects, identified as Aliocus Godian Odife and Sam Blackborn, were intercepted on Wednesday, October 28, 2026, during the outward clearance of an Air France flight, AF 832, from Abuja to Paris at the Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport.
The NDLEA said the arrests followed body scans conducted by its operatives, which revealed foreign objects in the suspects’ stomachs.
According to the agency, the two men subsequently admitted ingesting cocaine and were placed under observation. They later excreted all 200 wraps of the illicit substance.
The NDLEA spokesperson, Femi Babafemi, disclosed the arrests in a statement on Sunday, November 1, explaining that the suspects had travelled to Nigeria for holidays before attempting to return to Europe with the drugs.
Babafemi said Odife, who lives in France and reportedly works in a factory, arrived in Nigeria on October 21 for a short holiday.
He was intercepted while preparing to board his return flight after a body scan indicated that he had swallowed suspected drug pellets.
During interrogation, Odife reportedly admitted ingesting 110 wraps of cocaine. He was subsequently placed under observation and excreted all 110 wraps, which tested positive for cocaine and weighed 1.901 kilogrammes.
His co-traveller, Blackborn, also underwent a body scan, which reportedly revealed foreign objects in his stomach.
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The suspect allegedly confessed to swallowing 90 wraps of cocaine, which he later excreted under observation. The recovered substance weighed 1.559 kilogrammes.
The NDLEA said laboratory tests confirmed that the recovered substances contained cocaine, bringing the total quantity seized from the two suspects to 3.460 kilogrammes.
The agency did not disclose the financial value of the seized drugs or provide further details about the suspects’ alleged involvement in a wider trafficking network.
Reacting to the arrests, the NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brigadier-General Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), commended the officers involved in the operation.
Marwa described the incident as a warning to Nigerians who believe that living abroad could shield them from the consequences of involvement in drug trafficking.
He urged NDLEA personnel stationed at airports and other entry and exit points across the country to sustain their vigilance against drug trafficking networks.
The agency also warned Nigerians against risking their lives and freedom by swallowing illicit substances in exchange for financial rewards.
Meanwhile, the NDLEA disclosed that its operatives had recorded additional drug seizures in Lagos and Oyo states as part of ongoing operations against drug trafficking.
In Lagos, officers intercepted two commercial buses conveying a combined 976 kilogrammes of skunk, a potent strain of cannabis, on October 25.
The first interception occurred along Kudirat Abiola Way, Ikeja, where officers recovered 537 kilogrammes of the substance from a white Volkswagen LT 28 bus.
On the same day, another NDLEA team stopped a brown J5 bus along the Gbagada-Oshodi Expressway and recovered an additional 439 kilogrammes.
In Oyo State, operatives arrested two suspects, identified as Oguntona Nasiru, 46, and Soji Balogun, 47, on October 29 while they were allegedly loading 554 kilogrammes of skunk into a Volvo truck along Idere Road, Igboora.
The arrests followed an earlier operation targeting a suspected drug dealer identified as Omo Oba, during which the agency reportedly recovered 309.5 kilogrammes of cannabis, popularly known as Ghanaian Loud.
The NDLEA said the operations formed part of its sustained efforts to dismantle drug trafficking networks, prevent the distribution of illicit substances and strengthen the fight against drug abuse in Nigeria.
The agency reiterated its commitment to intensifying surveillance at international airports, seaports, land borders and other strategic locations to prevent traffickers from using Nigeria as a transit point for illicit drugs.
The two Abuja airport suspects could face prosecution over the alleged cocaine trafficking offences, subject to the outcome of investigations and applicable legal procedures.
Two Europe-Bound Nigerians Excrete 200 Cocaine Wraps at Abuja Airport
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