Mob attack Nsukka Muslim community, burn mosques, loot shops – Newstrends
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Mob attack Nsukka Muslim community, burn mosques, loot shops

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At least two mosques have been set ablaze, many other properties destroyed and several shops looted and vandalised during a mob attack on a Muslim community in Nsukka, Enugu State, on Saturday.

The trouble was said to have started when a Muslim woman selling tomato took Keke Napep from a village market to her shop in the town and argument ensued between her and the driver over her transport fare.

The disagreement is reported to have degenerated into destruction and burning of properties belonging to Muslims in the area by the host communities and the burning of two mosques in the town.

Speaking to BBC Hausa on Monday, one of the leaders of northerners in the area, Muhammad Adam Yusuf said, “Most of us northerners are now in hiding in police custody, while many have already travelled to their states.

“Most shops belonging to our people including mine have been burgled and our wares carted away. Many have been wounded though none is reported dead so far.

“In fact, more than 90% of Hausas have emigrated, the few of us are now hiding in police custody,” Yusuf said.

The leader of Nsukka Muslim community, Alhaji Sani Ugwuanyi, also told BBC Hausa that “The two mosques, one for daily congregational prayers and the other one which is the central mosque here have both been destroyed.

“The entire structure of the first mosque has been completely destructed while the central mosque has been burnt down.

“There is also another Islamiyyah and Primary School that was also destructed,” he lamented.

When contacted, the state’s Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Daniel Ndukwe, said the force was not aware of the attack but promised to investigate it.

Meanwhile, the Nigerian Islamic human rights group, Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC), has condemned the attack on Muslims in Igboland.

MURIC in a statement issued on Monday by its Director, Professor Ishaq Akintola, called for a halt to the burning of mosques in the South East and South South.

The organisation also appealed to the Inspector General of Police to protect Muslims as well as their corporate and individual properties in the region.

The statement said, “Two mosques were set ablaze by the Igbo in Enugu on Saturday, 31st October, 2020.

“The Islamic School, Afikpo, Ebonyi State has also received threats of impending invasion. It will be recalled that 11 (eleven) Muslims were killed during the #EndSARS protests in Port Harcourt and Orlu while the Orlu Central Mosque was completely destroyed barely two weeks ago.

“Markets belonging to Muslims in the region were also attacked and properties worth millions of naira were destroyed, including whole trailers with the goods.

MURIC also alleged that the only Islamic school in the whole Eastern Nigeria located in Afikpo, Ebonyi State, is under palpable and severe threat of attack.

“The school management has received about three threat messages in the past one week alone. Attack on the school is imminent and the state government has not uttered a word.”

The Muslim rights group also remind the governors of Eastern and South-South states as the chief security officers in their respective states of their responsibility to protect all citizens under them.

Daily Trust reports that the Muslim community in the region who are mostly northerners alleged that more than 40 of them have been killed and property worth billions of naira lost including 30 trucks and 12 other vehicles in the aftermath of #EndSARS protests in various parts of South-South and South-Eastern Nigeria.

Source: Trust

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Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size

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President Bola Ahmed Tinubu

Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size

President Bola Tinubu on Monday unequivocally responded to critics who described his cabinet as “bloated” by saying he is unprepared to reduce the size of his 48-man cabinet.

“I am not ready to shrink” the size of my cabinet, Tinubu said during a media chat at his Bourdillon residence in the highbrow Ikoyi area of Lagos State.

“I am not prepared to bring down the size of my cabinet,” the former Lagos governor said, arguing that “efficiency” has been at the core of his selection of ministers.

The president also said he has no regret removing the petrol subsidy in May 2023, saying Nigeria cannot continue to be Father Christmas to neighbouring countries.

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“I don’t have any regrets whatsoever in removing petrol subsidy. We are spending our future, we were just deceiving ourselves, that reform was necessary,” he told reporters.

Tinubu appointed 48 ministers in August 2023, three months after his inauguration. The Senate immediately screened and confirmed the ministers. One of the ministers, Betta Edu, was suspended in January while another, Simon Lalong, moved to the Senate.

There were calls for the President to reshuffle his cabinet as many Nigerians have not been impressed by the performance of some of the ministers, especially in the face of unprecedented inflation, excruciating economic situation and rising insecurity.

In October 2024, Tinubu re-assigned 10 ministers to new ministerial portfolios and appointed seven new ministers for Senate confirmation. He also sacked five of his ministers but critics insist that the President’s cabinet remains large, especially with the creation of a Livestock Ministry with a minister.

 

Tinubu to critics: I won’t reduce my cabinet size

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Tinubu: Food stampede incidents, grave error 

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Tinubu: Food stampede incidents, grave error 

..Don’t publicise gifts distribution if you don’t have enough

 

President Bola Tinubu has described the recent three stampede incidents during distribution of relief materials to children and others as a grave error.

He told people to be more organised and stay away from giving palliative or publicity of the giving if they had insufficient materials.

He stated this during his first presidential media chat on Monday.

The President said he had been sharing palliatives in his Lagos residence for 25 years without any incident and blamed the recent food stampedes in the country on poor organisation.

A total of 35 children died on December 18 during a stampede that happened at a funfair event in Ibadan, Oyo State.

10 people, including children, also died on December 21 in another stampede at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church in the Maitama district of Abuja during the distribution of palliatives.

Another 22 people were reported dead during a rice distribution event at Amaranta Stadium in Ojika, Ihiala LGA, on the same day.

“It’s unfortunate and very sad, but we will continue to learn from our mistakes. I see this as a grave error on the part of the organisers,” he said.

But the President insisted that the incidents should not dampen the “happiness of the season”.

“It is very sad that people are not well organised. We just have to be more disciplined in our society. Condolences to those who lost members, but it is good to give,” Tinubu said.

“I’ve been giving out foodstuff and commodities, including envelopes in Bourdillon, for the last 25 years, and I’ve never experienced this kind of incident because we are organised and disciplined.

“If you know you won’t have enough to give, don’t attempt to give or publicise it.”

The President compared the situation to food banks in countries such as the United States of America (USA) and Britain, noting their structured approach.

“Every society, even in America, has food banks. They have hungry people. In Britain, they have food banks and warehouses, and they are organised. They take turns m lining up and collect,” he added.

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Tax reforms pro-poor, here to stay, says Tinubu

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Tax reforms pro-poor, here to stay, says Tinubu

 

President Bola Tinubu has said the tax reforms initiated by his administration are here to stay.

He stated this during the presidential media chat on Monday, adding that the new tax deal is pro-poor people.

Tinubu also said the tax reforms were initiated to “eliminate colonial-based assumptions” in the country’s tax environment.

Nigeria, he said, would not continue to use old methods in today’s economy.

The President said those calling for more consultations on the tax reform bills would still do so even if he delayed the presentation.

“Tax reform is here to stay. In today’s economy, we cannot continue to do what we were doing in the past. We can’t retool with old and broken folks,” he said.

“The essence of tax reform is to eliminate colonial-based assumptions in our tax environment

“Every tax situation without outcry is not a tax. You can’t satisfy uniformly the largest community of tax evaders. Look at this tax reform; it is pro-poor. The vulnerable are not to pay taxes.

“The hallmark of a good leader is the ability to do what you have to do at the time it ought to be done. That is my philosophy.”

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