Grand Chief Imam warns Bennylee against religious provocation, urges respect for judicial process

The Grand Chief Imam of Oyo Land, Fadilat Sheikh (Barrister) Bilal Husayn Akinola Akeugberu, has cautioned social media influencer and blogger, Ifagbemiro Olamigoke Adewola, popularly known as Bennylee, against actions and public statements that could provoke religious tension, promote hatred or threaten peaceful coexistence among people of different faiths.

The warning followed ongoing criminal proceedings involving the social media personality before a Magistrate Court sitting in Ilorin, Kwara State.

In a press statement issued on Wednesday by the Director of Media and Publicity to the Grand Chief Imam, Mallam Ibrahim Agunbiade, the Islamic leader said the matter had been adjourned until August 6, 2026.

The case reportedly arose from a direct criminal complaint involving allegations of incitement, insulting or inciting contempt of a religious creed, defiling a place of worship or an object of religious significance, and injurious falsehood.

The complaint was also said to be connected to an alleged incident involving the placement of traditional sacrificial items, including a calabash containing boiled eggs and palm oil, on the Holy Qur’an.

The Grand Chief Imam, however, said no pronouncement would be made on the merits of the allegations because the matter was already before a court of competent jurisdiction.

He urged all parties and members of the public to respect the judicial process and allow the court to determine the case without interference, pressure or prejudice.

The Islamic leader expressed concern over what he described as the growing use of social media platforms to ridicule religious beliefs, provoke faith-based sentiments and create tension among citizens.

He said freedom of expression was a constitutional right but should be exercised responsibly and within the limits provided by law.

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According to him, freedom of speech should not be used to promote religious hatred, deliberately offend sacred beliefs or encourage actions capable of disrupting public peace.

The Grand Chief Imam also expressed concern over a video in which Bennylee allegedly criticised the practice and discussion of Shari’ah in Yorubaland.

He said some Muslims considered the statements made in the video to be inflammatory, misleading and hostile towards Islam.

The Islamic leader maintained that Shari’ah was an integral aspect of the Islamic faith and that Muslims had the constitutional right to practise their religion and observe its principles within the framework of Nigerian law.

He added that Shari’ah should not be portrayed as an instrument of forced conversion or religious domination.

The Grand Chief Imam warned against the use of misinformation, fear-mongering and inflammatory language to portray Islam or Shari’ah negatively, saying such actions could deepen suspicion, fuel religious intolerance and undermine the peaceful coexistence for which Yorubaland is widely known.

“As a legal practitioner, I wish to remind all Nigerians that the right to freedom of expression carries corresponding responsibilities,” he said.

He noted that publications or conduct capable of inciting religious hatred, provoking public disorder or violating the rights of others could attract legal consequences where offences were established under applicable laws.

The Grand Chief Imam advised Bennylee to reflect on his public engagements and seek accurate knowledge about Islam through dialogue with recognised Islamic scholars.

He said disagreements over religion should be addressed through respectful engagement, mutual understanding and peaceful dialogue rather than hostility or contempt.

The Islamic leader also commended Barrister U.S. Imam and his legal team for pursuing the matter through lawful and constitutional channels.

He said their decision to seek redress through the court demonstrated that grievances arising from alleged religious provocation or desecration should be addressed through legitimate institutions rather than self-help or confrontation.

The Grand Chief Imam urged Muslims across Yorubaland and Nigeria to remain calm, peaceful and law-abiding, regardless of the level of provocation.

He warned against taking the law into their own hands and encouraged members of the Muslim community to pursue justice through lawful means.

He also called on religious leaders, traditional rulers, public officials, content creators and social media influencers to exercise restraint and responsibility in their public statements.

According to him, Nigeria’s unity, peace and stability depend on mutual respect among people of different religious beliefs.

The Grand Chief Imam urged Nigerians to embrace dialogue, tolerance and understanding, stressing that people of different faiths should be able to disagree without hatred and engage one another without contempt.

He prayed for continued peace, harmony, justice and religious tolerance across Yorubaland and Nigeria.

Grand Chief Imam warns Bennylee against religious provocation, urges respect for judicial process

DSS arraigns five suspected Ansaru members over Oyo school abduction, alleged killings

The Department of State Services (DSS) has arraigned five suspected members of the Jama’atu Ansarul Muslimina fi-Biladis Sudan (Ansaru) before the Federal High Court in Abuja over the May 15 abduction of pupils and teachers in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State and the alleged killing of two victims.

The five defendants — Mahmud Muhammad, also known as Abu Bara’a and Abbas Mukhtar; Abubakar Abbas, also known as Isah Adam and Mallam Mahmuda Al-Nigeri; Abdulrazak Umar, also known as Abu Khalifa or Abu Khalid; Yunusa Musa, also known as Abu Yunusa Bin Musa; and Shamsu Adamu Sani, also known as Abu Itisar — pleaded not guilty to the charges brought against them.

They are facing a six-count charge bordering on alleged terrorism, conspiracy, aiding terrorist activities and concealing information connected to the attack.

According to the charge marked FHC/ABJ/CR/438/2026, the Federal Government alleged that Muhammad and Abbas directed members of the Ansaru group to carry out kidnappings and killings in different parts of the country if they were arrested.

The prosecution alleged that the planned attacks were intended to pressure the government into meeting demands linked to the defendants’ alleged detention.

The Federal Government further accused the defendants of involvement in the Oriire school abduction, which occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed attackers invaded schools in the affected Oyo community and abducted pupils, teachers and other residents.

The affected schools included Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School.

The attack raised renewed concerns about school security and the safety of pupils, teachers and communities, particularly in rural areas facing growing security challenges.

The prosecution also alleged that the abduction resulted in the deaths of Michael Oyedokun and Deacon John Olaleye, who were among the victims taken during the attack.

According to the charge, the two victims were allegedly killed while in captivity.

The DSS further accused the defendants of concealing information about the planned attack and failing to disclose intelligence that could have assisted security agencies in preventing or responding to the alleged terrorist operation.

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Umar, Musa and Sani were separately accused of conspiracy and aiding the alleged kidnapping and killings.

Following the defendants’ not-guilty pleas, counsel for the prosecution, Dr Caliatus Eze, asked the court to remand them in the protective custody of the DSS pending trial.

Justice Salim Ibrahim granted the application and ordered that the five defendants remain in DSS custody.

The judge also directed that the defendants be granted unhindered access to their lawyers and two members of their immediate families, while receiving adequate medical care.

Justice Ibrahim subsequently adjourned the case until September 25, 2026, for the commencement of trial.

The Oriire school attack occurred on May 15, 2026, when armed attackers invaded schools in the community and abducted about 46 pupils, teachers and other victims.

The victims spent nearly two months in captivity before security agencies carried out an intelligence-led operation that led to the rescue of most of those abducted.

The rescue operation reportedly involved coordinated efforts by security and intelligence agencies, supported by local security groups and community stakeholders.

The Federal Government has linked the attack to Ansaru, a proscribed terrorist group believed to have ties to Al-Qaeda.

The arraignment followed earlier convictions involving other suspects connected to terrorism-related offences. Earlier in July, a Federal High Court in Abuja sentenced senior Ansaru commanders to life imprisonment after they pleaded guilty to multiple offences, including terrorism financing, kidnapping and related crimes.

Meanwhile, retired and serving staff members of the University of Ibadan (UI) have donated about ₦6 million to rescued pupils and teachers, as well as families who lost relatives during the Oriire school attack.

The donation was presented at the Office of the Inspector-General of Education, Ogbomoso Zone, as part of efforts to support survivors and bereaved families.

Chairman of the University of Ibadan ad hoc committee on support for the rescued victims, Prof Ezekiel Ayoola, said the intervention reflected the academic community’s solidarity with those affected by the attack.

He explained that the funds were raised through voluntary contributions from members of the academic community, including former University of Ibadan Vice-Chancellor Prof Kayode Adebowale, Bowen University Vice-Chancellor Prof Jonathan Babalola, professors and early-career academics.

Ayoola said the donation was intended to complement ongoing rehabilitation efforts and assure the survivors and bereaved families that they had not been forgotten.

He noted that although the victims had regained their freedom, some were still dealing with the psychological and emotional effects of their experiences.

According to him, sustained mental health support, educational assistance and financial intervention would be important in helping the survivors recover and rebuild their lives.

The academic community also commended the Federal Government, Oyo State Government and security agencies for the coordinated operation that led to the rescue of the victims.

The Inspector-General of Education, Ogbomoso Zone, Mr Olubunmi Adisa, described the donation as a significant demonstration of compassion and social responsibility.

The symbolic presentation was made to rescued teachers, pupils and bereaved families by members of the University of Ibadan delegation.

The case remains before the court, and the five defendants are presumed innocent unless proven guilty by a court of competent jurisdiction.

DSS arraigns five suspected Ansaru members over Oyo school abduction, alleged killings

PFIPC probe: HoS admits failure to verify recruitment documents

The Head of the Civil Service of the Federation (HoS), Didi Esther Walson-Jack, has admitted that her office did not carry out adequate due diligence before approving an authorised establishment and recruitment waiver linked to the Presidential Foreign Intervention Promotion Council (PFIPC).

Walson-Jack made the admission while appearing before a House of Representatives committee investigating the activities of the PFIPC and the Presidential Economic Advisory Council (PEAC).

The committee is examining allegations surrounding the PFIPC’s operations, legal status and the circumstances under which the organisation obtained official government recognition, staffing approvals and access to the federal budget process.

During the hearing, the Head of Service said her office relied on documents submitted by representatives of the PEAC/PFIPC, including a purported Letter of Appointment and Establishment Act, without independently confirming their authenticity.

According to her, the documents presented and the engagements held with representatives of the organisation formed the basis for the issuance of an Authorised Establishment and a subsequent Recruitment Waiver.

“My office received the Letter of Appointment and the Establishment Act and, based on those documents and also based on the interaction with the representatives of the PEAC and PFICP, we went on to issue the Authorised Establishment and later the Recruitment Waiver,” Walson-Jack said.

The HoS, however, acknowledged that her office should have conducted more comprehensive checks before granting the approvals.

“We now, having seen all the facts and observed all the documents, concede that we ought to have carried out more due diligence in the discharge of the duties of the office in issuing an Authorised Establishment and a Recruitment Waiver to the PEAC/PFICP,” she said.

Walson-Jack explained that the previous existence of the Presidential Economic Advisory Council as an ad hoc body may have contributed to the confusion surrounding the documents submitted to her office.

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She said the documents presented carried the combined designation PEAC/PFIPC, but admitted that stronger verification procedures could have helped establish whether the documents were genuine before the approvals were issued.

“We do know that the PEAC used to exist as an ad hoc organisation on its own, and the documents that were presented had PEAC/PFICP. However, as I said, due diligence may have detected whether those documents were actually authentic,” she added.

The House committee, chaired by Yusuf Gagdi, is investigating how the PFIPC obtained an authorised staffing structure, a recruitment waiver, an administrative budget code and budgetary provisions despite questions surrounding its legal foundation.

The investigation is also expected to establish whether the approvals resulted from administrative lapses, misrepresentation, document forgery or other irregularities.

The PFIPC controversy gained national attention after the organisation reportedly appeared in the 2026 federal budget with an allocation of about ₦1.3 billion.

The Budget Office of the Federation has maintained that it relied on official documents and approvals issued by relevant government institutions while processing the council’s budget request.

The Budget Office reportedly said the PFIPC initially requested about ₦3.85 billion for personnel costs. However, the office said it independently calculated a lower personnel requirement of approximately ₦802.98 million based on the approved staffing structure, recruitment waiver and applicable public-service salary framework.

The office also maintained that it did not approve the recruitment of personnel for the council and did not issue the administrative budget code.

The Head of Service had earlier stated that her office did not deploy civil servants to the PFIPC or allocate office space to the organisation.

According to her, a request for the deployment of personnel was received but was not approved, while the office space reportedly used by the council was not allocated by the Office of the Head of the Civil Service of the Federation.

The HoS said the controversy had exposed gaps in the document verification process and highlighted the need for stronger internal controls across public institutions.

She indicated that the Office of the Head of the Civil Service would review its approval procedures and introduce additional safeguards to ensure that documents submitted by government bodies are properly authenticated.

The proposed reforms are expected to strengthen due diligence, improve legal and administrative review processes and reduce the risk of unauthorised organisations obtaining official government approvals.

The House committee is expected to continue hearing from relevant government institutions before reaching its final conclusions and making recommendations.

As of the time of filing this report, the committee had not announced any final finding of wrongdoing against any individual or government institution.

PFIPC probe: HoS admits failure to verify recruitment documents