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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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metro
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
A member of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW), identified as Kamoru Omokoye, popularly known as Zobo, has been shot dead at Abijo Bus Stop in the Ibeju-Lekki area of Lagos State.
Omokoye was reportedly attacked around 9am on Sunday by two men who arrived at the bus stop in an unregistered Lexus RX 350 before opening fire on him.
A police source who confirmed the incident said the victim was shot in the head during the attack. The assailants reportedly sped away immediately after the shooting.
Omokoye was rushed to the Federal Medical Centre, Epe, for treatment but was pronounced dead by a doctor on duty.
Following the incident, detectives visited the scene and combed the area as part of efforts to identify and arrest those responsible for the Lagos bus stop shooting.
The Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer, Abimbola Adebisi, also confirmed the incident, saying the command had commenced an investigation.
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While the police source described the attackers as suspected cultists, the exact motive for the killing has not been officially established.
An anti-cultism advocacy platform, Naija Confra, reported that Omokoye was sitting at a drinking spot near the bus stop when the attackers arrived and opened fire. The report said other people at the location fled as the gunmen shot at the gathering.
At least three other people were reportedly wounded in the shooting.
Omokoye was said to have previously worked around Awoyaya Bus Stop before moving to GRA Bus Stop. He was also reportedly the father of an eight-month-old child.
The latest incident has heightened concerns about violent attacks around transport corridors and public gathering points in parts of Lagos State, particularly where criminal or cult-related activities have previously been reported.
Police authorities have yet to announce any arrest in connection with the killing.
The investigation is expected to focus on identifying the attackers, establishing their motive and determining whether the killing was linked to a cult-related dispute, a transport-union conflict or another criminal motive.
Residents have also been urged to provide useful information to the police that could assist in identifying those responsible for the killing of the NURTW member.
Gunmen Open Fire At Lagos Bus Stop, Kill NURTW Member, Injure Three
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metro
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
A Nigerian Air Force (NAF) aircraft has crashed in Igbokoda, Ondo State, killing all 32 people on board, including military personnel, family members and seven crew members.
The aircraft, an ATR-42, was carrying 25 passengers and seven crew members when it crashed into a swampy area opposite the Naval Base in Igbokoda, Ilaje Local Government Area, on Monday morning.
The aircraft was reportedly travelling from Benin, Edo State, to Lagos on a routine military mission when communication with air traffic controllers was lost at about 9:13 a.m.
Efforts to re-establish contact with the aircraft reportedly failed before the aircraft disappeared from radar. Its wreckage was later located in the difficult-to-access swamp near the naval facility.
The victims included Nigerian military personnel and members of their families, with reports indicating that some of the family members were children returning to school. The presence of family members on the flight has added to the grief surrounding the Ondo plane crash.
The crash site, located in a swampy and waterlogged area, posed significant challenges to rescuers and recovery teams. Military personnel, emergency responders and local residents were involved in efforts to reach the wreckage and recover the victims.
Ondo State Governor Lucky Aiyedatiwa confirmed that no survivor had been found at the crash site. Responders reportedly recovered parts of the aircraft, military uniforms and identity cards from the area while efforts continued to retrieve the wreckage.
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The exact cause of the NAF aircraft crash remains unknown.
Early reports raised the possibility of adverse weather conditions, while another account suggested that the aircraft could have suffered a technical or mechanical problem. Neither explanation has been established as the cause of the crash, and officials have urged the public to await the outcome of the investigation.
The loss of communication between the aircraft and air traffic controllers is expected to form a major part of the investigation, alongside the aircraft’s maintenance history, technical condition, weather conditions, flight-control communications and data from the aircraft’s flight recorder.
President Bola Ahmed Tinubu has ordered a thorough investigation into the NAF plane crash, directing the Nigerian Air Force to establish what led to the tragedy.
Tinubu expressed condolences to the families of the victims and the Nigerian Armed Forces, describing the incident as a painful loss to the country.
The President also declared three days of national mourning for the Air Force personnel killed in the crash and directed that national flags be flown at half-mast across the country.
The Nigeria Safety Investigation Bureau (NSIB) has indicated its readiness to provide technical assistance to the military investigation if requested. Because the aircraft was operated by the military, the primary investigation is expected to be handled by the Nigerian Air Force.
Investigators are expected to examine the aircraft’s flight data, maintenance records and communication with air traffic control to determine what happened during the final stages of the flight.
The Nigerian Air Force is also expected to release the names of the deceased after completing the process of notifying their families.
The Ondo NAF crash is one of the deadliest recent military aviation accidents in Nigeria and has renewed concerns about the safety, maintenance and operational readiness of military aircraft.
For now, attention remains focused on the recovery of the victims, identification of those who died and the investigation that will determine how the aircraft carrying 32 people came down in the Ondo wetlands.
Ondo Air Tragedy: Soldiers, Families Among 32 Killed In NAF Crash
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metro
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
The Federal High Court in Abuja has ordered the Chairman of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) to produce the duty roster of personnel deployed to Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, on January 19, 2022—the day a cocaine consignment central to the Abba Kyari drug trial was intercepted. The ruling marks a significant development in a case that has drawn national attention and raised questions about airport security and inter-agency coordination in Nigeria’s fight against drug trafficking.
Justice Emeka Nwite issued the order on Monday during the continuation of the trial of suspended Deputy Commissioner of Police Abba Kyari and four other suspended officers of the Police Intelligence Response Team (IRT). The defendants are facing charges of alleged tampering with 21.35kg of cocaine and are standing trial on counts of conspiracy and obstruction in the illegal dealing and importation of the substance. They have all pleaded not guilty.
Julius Mba, counsel to Kyari and Inspector Simon Agirgba, told the court that the defence had filed a subpoena duces tecum—a legal order requiring a person or organisation to produce specific documents or evidence. The subpoena directs the NDLEA boss to present certified true copies of the duty roster for personnel deployed to the Enugu airport on the date in question. According to Mba, the document is essential to help the defence establish its case and demonstrate how the cocaine consignment allegedly passed through airport security.
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The court session also addressed the absence of the defence’s second witness, John Nwonke, who was expected to continue his testimony. Nwonke, who had been subpoenaed to appear, was not in court. His lawyers presented a letter dated October 2 stating that he was ill and unable to attend. The development prompted a sharp exchange between the defence and prosecution.
NDLEA counsel Joseph Sunday strongly opposed the adjournment request, urging the court to foreclose Nwonke’s evidence. He argued that the defence had failed to comply with an earlier order directing the witness to appear on Monday. Sunday also questioned the medical letter, noting that it did not disclose the nature of the illness or the hospital where Nwonke was receiving treatment. He told the court the prosecution was “not aware of any subpoena,” adding: “We don’t conduct trial by ambush.”
In his ruling, Justice Nwite declined to foreclose the witness’s evidence immediately. While he observed that Nwonke’s letter was not convincing enough to justify the adjournment, he adjourned the case until October 7, 2026, in the interest of justice. The judge warned that failure of the witness to appear on that date would lead to the foreclosure of his testimony. He also directed counsel to the first to fifth defendants to submit the names of witnesses they intend to call before the next hearing.
The trial had resumed after an indefinite adjournment in May due to Justice Nwite’s shortlisting for elevation to the Court of Appeal. The defence has been calling witnesses in an effort to establish that NDLEA operatives facilitated the passage of convicted drug traffickers through airport security. In a video played in court in March, convicts Chibunna Umeibe and Emeka Ezenwanne alleged that their photographs were sent ahead to NDLEA officers at the airport to ensure they were cleared without proper screening. The testimony forms part of the defence’s broader argument that the defendants were not the architects of the alleged obstruction.
Kyari and his co-defendants—Sunday Ubua, Bawa James, Simon Agirgba, and John Nuhu—remain at the centre of one of the most closely watched corruption and drug trafficking trials in Nigeria’s recent history. The case has sparked widespread debate about accountability within Nigeria’s law enforcement agencies and the effectiveness of inter-agency cooperation in combating drug crime.
The case was adjourned to October 7, 2026, for further defence proceedings.
Court Orders NDLEA to Produce Enugu Airport Duty List in Abba Kyari Cocaine Trial
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