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DSS invites MURIC Founder for questioning, body kicks

Published

3 years ago

December 17, 2022

Professor Ishaq Akintola

The Ogun State Chapter of the Muslim Rights Concern has said that its attention has been drawn to recent invitations by the Department of State Service to its Founder, Prof. Ishaq Akintola.

According to the Islamic human rights organisation, Akintola was told to report at the DSS office in Ibadan, Oyo State.

A statement issued by the Ogun State Chairman of MURIC, Alhaji Tajudeen Jimoh Alao, and State Secretary, Olaleye Rasheed Damilare, on Friday confirmed the development.

The statement said: “We are particularly disturbed by the insistence of the officers of Oyo State D.S.S Office that Professor Ishaq Akintola, the director of MURIC, must report to their office in Ibadan, Oyo State, for questioning despite Professor Akintola’s poor health which he explained to the DSS.

“Although the caller agreed that our director could report in their office within one week, we still find this disturbing because they refused to tell him his offence.

“Our guess is that he is being invited in connection with a press release of Monday, 6th of December, 2022 in which MURIC cautioned Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State against the repression of Muslim students and teachers who were forced to sing Christmas carol in St. Annes School 1 senior, St Annes School 2, and St Annes Junior school, Molete, Ibadan.

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“In the statement, MURIC asked Muslims in the state to vote out Makinde in the coming election in the State.

“MURIC repeated in the statement that it is not averse to having a Christian Governor as long as the governor is just to all and as long as he respects the rights of all.

“If for this the D.S.S. in Oyo State is now being used as a tool to intimidate, harass, distract and silence MURIC, we alert Nigerians to the emerging tyranny in Oyo State.

“Professor Ishaq Akintola is a law abiding citizen of this country. We are not aware of any crime that he has ever committed.

“MURIC refuses to be distracted and intimidated for speaking in the interest of Nigerian Muslims.

“After all, we have videos of pastors who have uttered incriminating and provocative statements on the 2023 elections and nothing has happened to them.

“Ordinarily, the D.S.S has the right to invite people to their offices for questioning, but the question begging for answer is ‘How sure are we that the person who called our director is a member of D.S.S.? What if it is a ploy to get him out of his comfort zone in order to assassinate or kidnap him?’

“This is a man people have been threatening to kill. Professor Ishaq Akintola has been threatened on many occasions and the telephone call may have been made by any of his prospective assailants.

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“This is a man, who has been publicly molested for speaking up for the Muslims by people who are against social justice, security and peace.

“This is a man that has escaped series of assassination attempts by miscreants and hoodlums. Assassins have been sent to Akintola’s home. They shot his wife in the stomach and she spent weeks in the hospital. How can the DSS invite a man who has suffered such fate just by ordinary telephone call.

“Going by the above, we advice Oyo State DSS to invite our director professionally in writing for the sake of security. Another alternative is for the DSS to come and pick him in Lagos on condition that Muslim lawyers must be present during the questioning. Any attempt at illegal detention will be resisted with every legal means available. At least that will give Nigerians the guarantee that he is in the hands of the DSS. But we warn that nothing must happen to Akintola.

“Although he is based in Lagos, the DSS Oyo State wants him to report in Ibadan, Oyo State. It is therefore a cross-state invitation and we see it as very dangerous in present-day Nigeria where there is insecurity everywhere. We are particularly concerned when the caller rejected Akintola’s suggestion that he was ready to report at the DSS Lagos office and they insisted that he must come all the way to Ibadan.

“We remind Governor Seyi Makinde that the current president of Nigeria has been criticized and abused by many yet he never ordered the security agents to invite, arrest or detain any of his critics. Many state governors have also experienced criticism and they tolerated it. But Seyi Makinde has set the state security personnel against a Muslim non-governmental organization for daring to interrogate the intolerance of school authorities who forced Muslim students and teachers to sing Christmas carol. It is executive recklessness. We reaffirm that we will not succumb to intimidation.

“Governor Seyi Makinde never cautioned Christian school authorities who persecuted Muslim students but he wants to use the DSS to harass the leader of an Islamic human rights organization that has been exposing the excesses of christian principals and teachers in the state.

“We insist that peace, justice and tolerance can only be achieved, if only we respect the rights of ordinary citizens.”

Eagle

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NGE, SERAP, NUJ Petition Tinubu to Investigate Wike’s Threat Against TV Journalist

Published

6 minutes ago

April 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Minister, Nyesom Wike

NGE, SERAP, NUJ Petition Tinubu to Investigate Wike’s Threat Against TV Journalist

The Nigeria Guild of Editors (NGE), the Socio‑Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP), and the Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ) have petitioned President Bola Tinubu to investigate a controversial remark by Nyesom Wike, the Minister of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which was interpreted as a threat against Channels Television presenter Seun Okinbaloye.

The groups, in a joint statement, condemned Wike’s comment and urged the federal government to conduct a thorough, transparent, and effective investigation. They emphasized the need to ensure the safety and protection of journalists against intimidation and harassment while carrying out their duties.

Wike’s controversial statement came during a media interaction in Abuja last Friday. Responding to comments made by Okinbaloye on Politics Today regarding concerns over the 2027 elections and the potential dominance of a single party, Wike said: “If there was any way to break the screen, I would have shot him.” The remark sparked nationwide criticism, with media groups describing it as a threat to press freedom.

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Although Wike later clarified that his comment was figurative and expressed regret, NGE, SERAP, and NUJ warned that such rhetoric is dangerous and undermines the constitutional rights of journalists. They highlighted growing pressures on press freedom in Nigeria, noting that the country dropped ten places to 122nd in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index, amid increasing reports of assaults, arrests, and intimidation against journalists.

The organisations also called on the Attorney General of the Federation, Lateef Fagbemi, to work with relevant agencies to investigate threats against media practitioners and hold perpetrators accountable. They stressed that public officials must remain open to scrutiny and criticism and that journalists must be able to perform their duties without fear.

In addition, the groups cautioned against the use of lawsuits to intimidate journalists, known as strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs), and urged the government to publicly reaffirm its commitment to media freedom and the protection of press rights.

The petitions reflect a broader concern over escalating threats to journalists in Nigeria and signal a call for decisive government action to safeguard democratic accountability and freedom of expression.

NGE, SERAP, NUJ Petition Tinubu to Investigate Wike’s Threat Against TV Journalist

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BREAKING: Kebbi Assembly Speaker Muhammad Ankwai Dies in Egypt

Published

16 minutes ago

April 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Muhammad Usman Ankwai, the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly

BREAKING: Kebbi Assembly Speaker Muhammad Ankwai Dies in Egypt

Muhammad Usman Ankwai, the Speaker of the Kebbi State House of Assembly, has died in Egypt following a brief illness, sending shockwaves across political and public circles in the state. He reportedly passed away on Monday while seeking medical treatment abroad.

Ankwai, who represented the Zuru Constituency on the platform of the All Progressives Congress (APC), was elected Speaker of the 10th Assembly on June 8, 2023. In his role as Speaker, he was instrumental in legislative oversight, policy formulation, and governance initiatives in Kebbi State.

Details surrounding his illness remain undisclosed, but reports indicate he had traveled to Egypt for treatment. The sudden news of his passing has triggered an outpouring of grief from lawmakers, party officials, and residents, many of whom described him as a dedicated and committed public servant.

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Political analysts note that Ankwai’s death comes during a critical period in Kebbi State politics, as party realignments and preparations for the 2027 general elections are underway. His leadership and influence in the House of Assembly had been significant in shaping legislative agendas and state governance.

Tributes are already flowing on social media, with colleagues and political figures lauding his contributions to the state legislature. Details regarding burial arrangements and official funeral protocols are expected to be released by his family and the Kebbi State Assembly in the coming days.

Ankwai’s passing marks a significant loss for the political landscape in Kebbi State, where his work as a legislator and Speaker had earned him respect across party lines.

BREAKING: Kebbi Assembly Speaker Muhammad Ankwai Dies in Egypt

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Nigerian Man Pleads Guilty in US to $5 Million Illegal Money Transfer Scheme

Published

40 minutes ago

April 7, 2026

Trends Admin

Nigerian Man Pleads Guilty in US to $5 Million Illegal Money Transfer Scheme

A Nigerian-born US resident, Ifeanyi Emmanuel Ugwu, has pleaded guilty to running a $5 million illegal money transfer scheme linked to fraud and cybercrime, in a case that underscores growing international efforts to combat financial crimes.

The guilty plea was announced by US Attorney Eric Grant in Fresno, California. Ugwu, 49, who lives in Bakersfield, California, admitted to operating an unlicensed money transmitting business between December 2020 and August 2023.

According to court documents, Ugwu used his company, Franklin Finance Inc., to open and control about 20 bank accounts across nine financial institutions, receiving approximately $5 million from over 100 individuals in the United States.

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Authorities revealed that at least $580,000 of the funds were proceeds of fraud, sent by victims of cybercrime, including business email compromise (BEC) scams and other online fraud schemes. Ugwu then transferred the money to individuals in countries such as China and Nigeria, effectively facilitating money laundering operations.

Prosecutors said the business operated without the required licences, and Ugwu used false representations to banks and customers to conceal the illegal nature of his activities, allowing the scheme to run for nearly three years.

The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service Criminal Investigation and Homeland Security Investigations, reflecting intensified US crackdowns on international fraud networks and financial crimes.

Ugwu is scheduled to be sentenced on July 27, 2026, by Jennifer L. Thurston. He faces a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, although the final sentence will be determined based on federal guidelines.

The US fraud case involving Ifeanyi Ugwu highlights the critical role of intermediaries in enabling global cybercrime and the increasing cooperation among law enforcement agencies to dismantle such networks.