MURIC Congratulates Hamzat, Other Successful Candidates Across Party Primaries

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has congratulated the Deputy Governor of Lagos State, Kadri Obafemi Hamzat, over his emergence as the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC) ahead of the 2027 general elections.

In a statement issued on Friday by the Executive Director of MURIC, Ishaq Akintola, the Islamic human rights organisation also congratulated candidates who emerged victorious in various primary elections across political parties and levels of contest.

MURIC described Hamzat’s emergence as a reflection of competence and credibility, noting that he successfully scaled through the party’s screening process and primary election.

According to the group, the Lagos deputy governor polled 657,917 votes in the APC governorship primary to defeat his rival, Olanrewaju Jim-Kamal, who secured one vote, while other aspirants, Abdul-Azeez Adediran, popularly known as Jandor, and Samuel Ajose, had earlier withdrawn from the race.

The organisation said it looked forward to Hamzat replicating the feat during the 2027 governorship election in Lagos State.

“MURIC heartily congratulates Dr. Kadri Obafemi Hamzat for this great feat. We look forward to its replication at the 2027 general elections,” the statement said.

The group also commended the endorsement of Hamzat by APC leaders and the support reportedly given to his candidature by President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.

While extending congratulations to other successful aspirants in governorship, senatorial and other primary elections, MURIC urged political stakeholders not to sideline Muslims in the search for competent leaders.

The organisation argued that highly skilled Muslims exist in all sectors and should be given equal opportunities in political appointments and elective positions.

“MURIC reaffirms its earlier position that there is no desertification of expertise in Islamdom. Highly skilled Muslims exist in all fields of human endeavour,” the statement added.

The group warned against what it described as the monopoly of public offices by Christians under the guise of searching for competence, stressing that Muslims also possess the capacity to excel in leadership positions.

To support its position, MURIC cited the achievements of Ishaq Oloyede at the Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB), as well as the contributions of former Minister of Communications and Digital Economy, Isa Ali Pantami.

According to the organisation, both individuals demonstrated excellence in public office while also being respected Islamic scholars.

MURIC Congratulates Hamzat, Other Successful Candidates Across Party Primaries

Businessman Sues Ex-Wife Over Refusal to Leave His House Five Years After Divorce

A businessman, Abibu Yakubu, has filed a petition against his ex-wife at the Upper Area Court 1, Karu, over alleged refusal to leave his house after divorce.

Yakubu is also seeking custody of his four children.

He filed the case against his estranged wife, Shuwadatu Mohammed, on October 13, 2025.

According to the particulars of claim, Yakubu, who resides at Orange Market, Mararaba, Karu LGA, said the respondent is his ex-wife and also resides at the same address.

He averred that the respondent does not respect him and his parents and often insults them.

He said that the marriage is blessed with four children aged 22, 19, and a set of six-year-old twins.

Yakubu alleged that he divorced his wife about five years ago but she refused to vacate his house.

He claimed she said she would not leave until she killed him.

He further alleged that the respondent occupied his house and threatened his life, adding that he no longer sleeps with his eyes closed.

The petitioner told the court that the ongoing dispute has created fear and tension in his daily life.

He prayed the court to hold the respondent responsible if anything happens to him.

READ ALSO:

• INEC Timetable Nullification: ADC Predicts Mass Defections From APC
• Tinubu Has No Plan to Change Nigeria’s Name or Abolish Sharia Law – Presidency
• IGP Disu: Inside the rotting walls of Zone II

The petitioner also asked the court for a re-dissolution of the marriage and custody of the four children.

The Judge, Mohammed Yakubu, after hearing the matter, adjourned the case until June 3, 2026, for continued hearing.

Under Nigerian law, disputes over property after divorce are governed by several key principles.

For a property to be considered in asset distribution, it must generally have been acquired during the subsistence of the marriage.

Properties acquired before the marriage or after its dissolution are typically excluded.

The court also considers factors such as each spouse’s contribution to acquiring the property, including non-financial contributions like homemaking and child-rearing.

In this case, Yakubu claims the house belongs to him and seeks its vacant possession.

His ex-wife’s refusal to leave, despite the divorce being finalized five years ago, forms the crux of the dispute.

On the issue of child custody, Nigerian courts prioritize the welfare and best interests of the child.

Factors considered include the child’s age, health, education, emotional well-being, and the ability of each parent to provide proper care and stability.

For younger children, courts often prefer that they stay with the mother unless there is a compelling reason to decide otherwise.

Joint custody is often encouraged to ensure that both parents remain involved in the child’s life.

In a similar case, a man named Quadri dragged his ex-wife, Gbemisola, before a Grade A Customary Court in Mapo, Ibadan, over illegal possession of his properties.

Quadri stated that Gbemisola had been in possession of his three-bedroom apartment and shop for more than one year after the court had pronounced their marriage dissolved.

He regarded his ex-wife as either a tenant or a trespasser since they were no longer husband and wife.

Gbemisola, however, refused to be addressed as a tenant, explaining that she contributed N650,000 to the construction of the two properties.

She insisted that the properties be sold and the proceeds shared among her, her ex-husband, and their children.

The court president, Mrs. S.M. Akintayo, ruled that the defendant had no right to still be in possession of both properties since the court had dissolved their union.

Akintayo ordered the defendant to vacate the three-bedroom apartment and shop on or before September 12, 2025.

The Karu court is scheduled to resume hearing on June 3, 2026.

The judge will consider Yakubu’s claims of threats and his ex-wife’s alleged refusal to vacate.

The court may also address the custody request for the couple’s four children.

If the court rules in Yakubu’s favour, his ex-wife could be ordered to leave the property.

The case highlights the challenges some individuals face in enforcing property rights after divorce in Nigeria.

Businessman Sues Ex-Wife Over Refusal to Leave His House Five Years After Divorce

Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community

For the first time in recent history, bandits have polluted the security atmosphere of Iluke, a major settlement in the Bunu district of Kabba-Bunu Local Government Area, Kogi State, abducting an unspecified number of persons. The gunmen were said to have invaded the Oke Bukun area in the community in the dead of night at about 1 a.m., on Thursday, May 21, 2026. They whisked away a community health worker popularly called ‘Dr. Ebi’ (omo Kemuna) and his wife. The hoodlums allegedly carried the abductees on motorcycles. Once the victim, who owned a clinic in Oferre, was in their custody, the hoodlums sporadically released bullets as they escaped from town. Iluke has been thrown into fresh fear because of the attack. People in nearby communities in MopAmuro and Ijumu LGAs woke up to the news, triggering panic among them.

The Bunu district has suffered several untold security breaches in recent times. On Monday, May 4, non-state actors operated on the Iluke to Oferre road, shooting randomly and scaring many people away. Jacob, an unsuspecting commercial driver, could not manoeuvre to safety when he suddenly bumped into them. He was forced to a halt and led into the bush at gunpoint. His tormentors eventually made contact with his family, making a demand of N50 million ransom for his release. A source familiar with the story said the gunmen have thus far stuck to their ground. Before then, gunmen abducted two wives, two children, and an aide of ‘Prof. Wonder,’ the paramount ruler of Odai, a tiny agrarian community close to Iluke, on Wednesday, April 16. The gunmen demanded N150 million for their freedom. When the ransom delayed in coming, the gunmen were said to have killed two of the monarch’s children over time, with the display of the gory acts on social media. More than a month after the attack, the hapless monarch was said to have taken ill and been hospitalised while his family remained in the jungle with their tormentors. A source familiar with the case disclosed that the bandits recently demanded that the monarch must bring the ransom in person or risk losing the other abductees.

READ ALSO:

• INEC Timetable Nullification: ADC Predicts Mass Defections From APC
• Tinubu Has No Plan to Change Nigeria’s Name or Abolish Sharia Law – Presidency
• IGP Disu: Inside the rotting walls of Zone II

The latest attack is not an isolated incident in Kogi State. Kogi State has increasingly emerged as an insecurity hotspot. Its location, linking Nigeria’s north and south through dense forest corridors, has made it attractive to armed groups operating across state boundaries, security officials say. In a similar development on May 20, a Fulani man identified as Bube and one of his cattle rearers were kidnapped at Odo-Eri community in Yagba West Local Government Area. That attack came less than 48 hours after an intelligence alert warned of a possible security threat in the area. Earlier in January 2026, the people of Ayetoro-Kiri community in the same Kabba-Bunu LGA decried persistent bandit attacks, alleging official negligence. According to them, scores of residents were abducted by bandits recently. After painful ransom payment raised through communal contributions, only seven victims were released. The community noted that three of them were already dead, while four others were allegedly battling for their lives in critical conditions at medical facilities. About 30 other innocent citizens remained in captivity, while their fate was uncertain.

Community leaders in Bunuland have repeatedly called for urgent intervention. The stakeholders of Bunuland in Kabba-Bunu local government say that incessant bandit attacks have killed 30 residents and sacked 21 villages, with over 50 residents still under captivity. The president of Bunu Development Association (BDA), Pastor Kokawole Johnson Folorunshon, painted a grim picture of the situation. He said the Bunuland which had been a peaceful agrarian settlement in central Nigeria is currently facing a grave and escalating security and humanitarian crisis. “Our farmers are being attacked on their farms; travellers are abducted on public roads, and women, children and elderly are fleeing their ancestral homes in fear,” he said. “Entire villages are gradually emptying; this is no longer a local problem. It’s a humanitarian emergency and a threat to community survival.” The community leaders noted that residents in settlements like Odo-Ape, Agadalepa, Oniriba, Ayetoro-Kiri, Ole, Ibori-Eni, and Idaka have deserted their villages due to the bandit attacks.

Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community

Beyond bandit attacks, Kogi State has also witnessed deadly communal clashes. Fresh violence between the Itale and Ishi communities in Ibaji Local Government Area left many feared dead and several houses destroyed in early May 2026. The Kogi State Police Command confirmed only two deaths. Police Commissioner, CP Naziru Kankarofi, said security operatives, including naval personnel, vigilantes, and local security groups, were deployed after a distress call was received on May 6. According to a statement by the police spokesperson, ASP Saliu Oyiza Afusat, security operatives recovered two corpses, rescued an injured victim, and recovered 57 expended cartridges from the scene. The police said several buildings and bags of rice had already been set ablaze before security teams restored calm. Persons of interest have been identified from both communities in connection with the incident. They include Stephen Enema, Isaac Enedubi, and Alex Attah from Itale community, as well as Stephen Amegwu and Shederach Alone from Ishi community.

In response to the growing insecurity, the Kogi State government has launched security operations. Kingsley Fanwo, the state’s commissioner for information, disclosed that about 200 suspected bandits had been killed in an ongoing multi-agency offensive. Several bandit camps were destroyed during coordinated operations. However, efforts to hunt down those who had fled were being hampered as they were using some abducted civilians as human shields. “Security forces have put them in disarray wherever they try to regroup,” Fanwo told the BBC. “The only problem is that the bandits have kidnapped several individuals which they are using as human shields, knowing that the security forces wouldn’t want to kill the hostages along with the bandits.” The offensive follows a recent directive by President Bola Tinubu to top security officials to intensify efforts against bandits, security experts say. Efforts to get the police reaction on the latest Iluke attack were unsuccessful. The Kogi State Police Command’s Public Relations Officer, Saliu Afuzat Oyiza, an Assistant Superintendent of Police (ASP), promised to get back after making enquiries. She had not responded as of press time. Residents continue to live in fear as the search for Dr. Ebi, his wife, and other abductees continues.

Gunmen Abduct Health Worker, Wife, Others in Kogi Community