Oloyede: Muslim Women Can Attain Highest Academic Rank — History Proves It

Former JAMB Registrar Prof. Is-haq Oloyede and university don Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun have charged newly elevated Professor Habibat Oladosu-Uthman to view her new rank as a responsibility to humanity rather than a status symbol.

Prof. Is-haq Oloyede, former Registrar of the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), and university don Prof. Kamaldeen Balogun have charged the newly elevated Professor Habibat Oladosu-Uthman to regard her professorship as a responsibility to humanity rather than a privilege or status symbol. Oladosu-Uthman was recently elevated to the rank of Professor at the Department of Arabic and Islamic Studies, University of Ibadan. The event was marked with a reception and thanksgiving ceremony held at the University of Ibadan Central Mosque in Ibadan, Oyo State, bringing together members of the academic community, Muslim scholars, family members, friends and associates to honour her contributions to scholarship.

Oloyede, who chaired the ceremony celebrating her elevation, described professorship as the formal recognition of years of intellectual labour, disciplined scholarship, teaching, mentorship and service, stressing that the rank also comes with greater responsibility. “An occasion such as this is much more than a celebration of a new title. It is the formal recognition of sustained intellectual labour, disciplined scholarship, teaching, mentorship, service and contribution to knowledge. It is, at the same time, the beginning of a heavier responsibility,” he said. The former JAMB boss lauded Oladosu-Uthman’s academic journey and scholarly contributions, noting her specialisation in Islamic thought and civilisation, gender studies, comparative religion, Christian-Muslim relations, cultural criticism, Islam in West Africa, and interreligious and intercultural dialogue. He urged her to continue to mentor younger academics, stressing that the true measure of a professor should include the ability to produce other scholars. According to him, “A Professor must produce other scholars. A Professor who publishes extensively but produces no intellectual successors has achieved only part of the assignment.”

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Oloyede also commended the achievement of Oladosu-Uthman as a Muslim woman attaining the highest academic rank, noting that Islamic history provides ample evidence of women making significant contributions to scholarship. He said the question should not be whether women are capable of attaining the highest level of scholarship, adding that history had already provided the answer. The former JAMB registrar also urged the new professor to use her scholarship to promote interreligious and intercultural understanding, stressing that religious scholarship should contribute to truth, justice, compassion and human dignity.

On his part, Prof. Balogun, who delivered the thanksgiving lecture at the reception, cautioned her against allowing her new status to create a distance between her and others. He urged her to remain humble, receptive to corrections and conscious of the limitations of human knowledge. Balogun said: “Remember always that the Professor does not know everything. A student may ask a question that the Professor cannot answer.” He added: “Remember also that humility is the glory of mortals. Humility affects how we respond to corrections, supervise our students, relate with our colleagues and lead our research teams.” Balogun also reminded Oladosu-Uthman that academic titles and appointments were not permanent, urging her to focus on the impact she would make through her new position. “No condition is permanent. Appointments end. Titles change. People will always remember how you treated them and what they were able to achieve through you now that you are a Professor,” he said.

The don also urged her to see humanity as her constituency, regardless of her academic achievements. “No matter how high you rise in academia, remain human. Consider the entire humanity as your constituency,” Balogun said. He described knowledge as an amanah (trust), saying scholars had a responsibility to ensure that knowledge was deployed for the good of society.

Prof. Habibat Oladosu-Uthman obtained her PhD in Islamic Thought and Civilization from the International Islamic University of Malaysia in 2011. Her research interests span comparative religion, Christian-Muslim relations, cultural criticism, Islam in West Africa, and gender studies. She is currently one of the focal persons at the University of Ibadan Gender Mainstreaming Office. She is also an International Fellow of the King Abdullah bin AbdulAziz International Centre for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue (KAICIID) in Lisbon, Portugal (2019 cohort). In July 2026, Oladosu-Uthman delivered a lecture calling for the adoption of Qur’anic and Prophetic models as effective strategies for preventing gender-based violence against women and girls. She argued that adherence to Islamic principles would promote peace, justice and respect for human dignity, stating that “the Qur’anic and Prophetic models celebrate human dignity whether male or female.” She also condemned harmful cultural practices that violate the rights and dignity of women, including widowhood rites and festivals that restrict women’s movement. Balogun also paid tribute to pioneers of Arabic and Islamic scholarship, including Musa Oladipupo Ajilogba Abdul and Ismail Ayinla Babatunde Balogun, as well as other scholars whose contributions helped shape the development of Islamic studies in Nigerian universities.

Oloyede: Muslim Women Can Attain Highest Academic Rank — History Proves It

Kano Hisbah arrests 22 suspected crossdressers over alleged hook-up, drug abuse

The Kano State Hisbah Board has arrested 22 suspected crossdressers in different parts of the state following complaints from residents over alleged immoral activities.

The suspects, comprising 10 women and 12 men, were reportedly arrested around Zoo Road, Court Road and other neighbouring areas in Kano metropolis.

Deputy Commander General of the Kano Hisbah Board, Dr Mujahid Aminuddeen, confirmed the arrests, saying the operation followed complaints received from members of the public.

Aminuddeen said preliminary investigations showed that most of the suspects had entered Kano State from other parts of the country.

He further alleged that the suspects admitted during questioning to engaging in hook-up activities and drug abuse.

The Hisbah official said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the alleged activities and determine the appropriate action against each suspect.

He added that individuals found culpable would face the law, stressing that the arrests did not amount to a final determination of guilt.

The latest operation is part of the Hisbah Board’s intensified enforcement activities in Kano, particularly against conduct the agency considers contrary to the state’s religious and social values.

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Aminuddeen reiterated that the board would not tolerate what it described as acts of immorality in the state, warning that its personnel would intensify surveillance and enforcement operations in areas identified as hotspots.

The development comes amid increased attention on morality enforcement in Kano, with Hisbah officials carrying out operations in hotels, entertainment venues and other locations following complaints or intelligence reports.

In a separate operation earlier in 2026, the board arrested individuals during a raid on a hotel over alleged immoral activities. Hisbah officials have also previously announced arrests involving suspected crossdressers in Kano, particularly around entertainment and social venues.

The board has maintained that its enforcement activities are aimed at protecting public morality and addressing social vices, while critics of such operations have raised questions about due process and the treatment of individuals accused of offences.

The latest arrests have also brought renewed attention to the intersection of cross-dressing, drug abuse and alleged hook-up activities in Kano, particularly as authorities continue efforts to curb what they regard as social vices.

For now, the allegations against the 22 suspects remain subject to investigation. Any prosecution or further action will depend on the outcome of the investigation and the applicable laws.

Aminuddeen said the Kano Hisbah Board would continue working with residents and other relevant authorities to identify and address activities considered harmful to the community.

The board also urged members of the public to continue providing information about suspected violations, saying such cooperation would assist its efforts to maintain public order and morality across the state.

Kano Hisbah arrests 22 suspected crossdressers over alleged hook-up, drug abuse

Two Weeks of Silence: Families of 600 Abducted Muslim Worshippers in Niger Demand Govt Action

Desperate families of over 600 Muslim worshippers abducted during Friday prayers in Niger State say they have received no communication from captors since the August 22 raid that left dozens dead and hundreds missing. President Tinubu has ordered a manhunt, but rescue efforts are hampered by collapsed bridges and difficult terrain.

Two weeks after gunmen raided the northwestern Nigerian village of Dekera, killing dozens and kidnapping hundreds of Muslim worshippers during Friday prayers, residents and family members say they have heard nothing from the kidnappers and seen little action from the government. The attack, which targeted worshippers gathered at mosques across four communities, has left families in agonizing uncertainty as they await any word on the fate of their loved ones.

Mass kidnappings for ransom are relatively common across much of northern Nigeria, but the coordinated August 22 attack on communities in north-central Niger State was one of the biggest in recent years, underscoring the extent of insecurity as the country heads towards an election next year. The assailants, dressed in military-style clothing, simultaneously targeted mosques during Friday prayers across four villages—Dekara, Gidan-Zana, Sabon Gida, and Masaka—marching worshippers into nearby forests toward the Kainji Lake area.

“We haven’t heard anything from the kidnappers since the abduction,” Isa Zaki, a Dekara resident with 10 members of his extended family among those seized, told Reuters by telephone. Zaki said years of insecurity had already resulted in local schools and markets closing, but residents were increasingly desperate after the August attack, which he said had killed dozens and resulted in much of Dekara being burned. “People have fled, soldiers have taken over the town, houses have been burnt, there is nowhere to live, and it is raining. It’s been sadness over sadness since the abduction,” he said.

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Residents say about 600 people, mostly women, children and older people, were abducted in the raid across the affected communities. At least 40 residents were also killed, they said. However, authorities have not commented on the number of hostages or deaths, creating a vacuum of information that has left families in agonizing uncertainty. Niger State Commissioner for Information Obed Nana acknowledged that the government was still verifying the number of those abducted and urged the public to refrain from circulating unverified figures that could heighten anxiety or compromise ongoing security efforts. The Borgu Local Government Area chairman dismissed media reports of 600 abductees, claiming that at least 60 people were kidnapped, while some residents put the figure at about 80. The conflicting estimates have made it difficult to establish an accurate toll. State officials said around 200 people were inside one of the mosques when the attack occurred, with the village head and the chief imam reportedly among those abducted.

President Bola Tinubu has ordered security agencies to rescue the hostages, vowing that “those who carried out this cowardly attack on defenceless Nigerians are enemies of peace and enemies of humanity, who will not go scot-free.” “We have no update yet. When we have, we will share accordingly,” Wasiu Abiodun, Niger State police spokesperson, told Reuters.

Habibu Salihu, a civil servant, said his sister gave birth a week before she, her husband and three children, including the newborn, were kidnapped. Salihu said seven other family members were killed and he saw his sister breastfeeding her child in a video of hostages released by the kidnappers soon after the attack, but has had no news since then. “We have no information on what is going on. No one is telling us anything and we have no idea what action the government is taking to rescue the hostages,” he said. Two days after the coordinated raids, a video surfaced on Facebook and WhatsApp showing hundreds of seated captives guarded by armed men in a dense forest. Crying children can be heard in the background of the footage. A gunman speaking in Hausa directly addressed families, stating, “These are all your people. We are showing you this video so that you can identify your family members, your fathers, mothers, children and relatives.” Local residents reviewed the footage and confirmed the identities of several neighbors and family members. Ibrahim Abubakar stated, “The people in the video are from Dekara. I’ve identified 13 people that I know.” A local youth leader who recognized an elderly community member noted that families felt a mixture of relief and anxiety upon spotting their loved ones.

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Security forces have launched rescue operations, but their efforts have been significantly hindered by challenging terrain and infrastructure damage. Police sources confirmed that a bridge connecting the town centre to the affected communities had collapsed, and the area’s rugged landscape and poor road conditions are complicating the search for the hostages. The attackers reportedly destroyed a solar-powered telecommunications network in the area, complicating communications and emergency coordination. Police said the gunmen who carried out the attack surrounded the central mosque in Dekara and led the worshippers away through a bush path. Officials noted that attackers planted improvised explosive devices as they moved abductees toward the forest, resulting in the death of a teenage boy who tried to escape. Niger State authorities have launched a joint security operation to locate the attackers and rescue the hostages, but they declined to disclose further operational details, saying doing so could compromise ongoing rescue efforts.

No group has claimed responsibility yet, but analysts suspect a breakaway sect of Boko Haram in the area was involved. The attack is the latest sign of worsening insecurity in the Borgu-Kainji corridor, an area where authorities and security analysts have raised concerns about armed groups operating around Kainji Lake National Park, which borders Kebbi and Kwara states and neighbouring Benin. Local authorities in north-eastern Benin Republic have confirmed a number of people fled into the country after the incident, but they gave no details on numbers. More than 200 residents have reportedly fled across the border into Benin, while others have sought refuge in Kwara State. The attack occurred barely a week after another assault on worshippers in the Ungushi community in Sokoto State, where gunmen killed at least 32 people during Friday prayers, including the mosque’s imam.

Residents say the deployment of soldiers has brought some relief, but families are still homeless and growing increasingly hungry. “Our town has been burnt,” said Aminu Inuwa, who lost two brothers in the raid. “I have only one shirt, no food to eat, nothing else and our houses are nothing but ashes.” Zaki said years of insecurity had already resulted in local schools and markets closing, but residents were increasingly desperate after the attack, which he said had killed dozens and resulted in much of Dekera being burned. Amnesty International has called on Nigerian authorities to ensure the safe rescue of those abducted, warning that victims of previous mass kidnappings have reported severe abuses, including torture, starvation, sexual violence and amputation. According to the organization, at least 1,100 people were abducted across Nigeria between January and April 2026, although the actual figure could be higher. The Dekera attack is the latest in a wave of violence that has plagued Niger State and other parts of northern Nigeria. Only a day before the Dekera raid, on August 21, armed assailants struck a Catholic school in the state’s Agwara area, abducting over 300 students and teachers. The back-to-back abductions highlight the growing audacity of criminal gangs and extremist groups operating in the region.

Two Weeks of Silence: Families of 600 Abducted Muslim Worshippers in Niger Demand Govt Action