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Tinubu, Sultan, Bayero, Oloyede, 11 other Nigerians listed among 500 world influential Muslims

Published

2 years ago

October 14, 2023

Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu;

Tinubu, Sultan, Bayero, Oloyede, 11 other Nigerians listed among 500 world influential Muslims

President Bola Tinubu; Sultan of Sokoto, Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar; Emir of Kano, Aminu Ado Bayero and 12 other Nigerian Muslims have been listed among the 500 most influential Muslims in the world.

This is the first time Tinubu, who became Nigeria’s President this year, would be listed in the annual publication of the Royal Islamic Strategic Studies Centre, Amman, Jordan.

However, his predecessor, Muhammadu Buhari, who has consistently featured in the list, is out of it even as the Sultan of Sokoto made the list of the top 50 in the publication.

The National Missioner and Chief Imam of Ansar Ud-Deen Society of Nigeria, Sheikh Abdur-Rahman Ahmad, who has prominently featured in the list since 2016 when he joined the league, was also listed.

The publication in its 15th edition listed Shaykh Habib ‘Umar bin Muhammad bin Salim bin Hafiz, Director of Dar al-Mustafa in Yemen as the world’s most influential Muslim leader followed by the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, as the second most influential Muslim while the Supreme Leader of Islamic Republic of Iran, Grand Ayatollah Hajj Sayyid Ali Khamenei, is number three.

This is just as it puts the World’s Muslim population at 2,074, 718,394.

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The publication highlights people who are influential as Muslims and how they have been able to, through their influence, benefit the community both within the Islamic world and in terms of representing Islam to non-Muslims.

Apart from Sultan and HE Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini, the head of the Supreme Council for Fatwa and Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, who were listed in the first 50 emerging numbers 18 and 45 respectively, other 450 were categorised into Scholarly; Administration of Religious Affairs; Preachers and Religious Guides; Social Issues; Business and Philanthropy, Charity and Development, among others.

In Nigeria, Tinubu who is a new entrant was listed under the political leaders’ category while President of Dangote Group of Companies, Aliko Dangote, the only Nigerian listed in the Business Category, emerged number 162 most influential Muslim leader.

Other Nigerians listed in the publication are 14th Emir of Kano and the Grand Khalifat of the Tijaniyah, Alhaji Sanusi Lamido Sanusi; Secretary General of NSCIA and Registrar of the Joint Administration and Matriculation Board, Prof. Ishaq OOloyede; Ado Bayero and Sheikh Ahmad, who were listed in the category of administration of religious affairs.

The leader of the Islamic Movement in Nigeria, Sheikh Ibraheem Zakzaky, was listed in the scholarly category.

Others listed are Sheikh Tahir Usman Bauchi; Imam Muhammad Ashafa; HE Ibrahim Saleh Al-Hussaini; Sheikh Yakubu Musa Katsina and Sheikh Professor Ibrahim Ahmad Maqari.

Late Prince Ajibola Bola, a former Judge of the International Court of Justice, Hague, who died on April 9, 2023 was recognised in the obituary category.

Tinubu, Sultan, Bayero, Oloyede, 11 other Nigerians listed among 500 world influential Muslims

(DAILY TRUST)

Related Topics:Featured influential Muslims world

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MURIC Calls for Arrest of Maazi Kanayo Over Alleged Threats to Igbo Muslims

Published

1 hour ago

December 31, 2025

Trends Admin

Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola

MURIC Calls for Arrest of Maazi Kanayo Over Alleged Threats to Igbo Muslims

The Muslim Rights Concern (MURIC) has called on Nigerian security agencies to arrest and prosecute Maazi Kanayo for allegedly inciting the Igbo people of South Eastern Nigeria to kidnap and kill Igbo Muslims.

The call was made in a statement released on Wednesday, 31st December, 2025, by the Executive Director of MURIC, Professor Ishaq Akintola. According to the organization, a viral audio clip showed Kanayo allegedly instructing potential kidnappers and attackers to target Muslims of Igbo extraction living in Enugu, Ebonyi, and Imo States.

“Maazi Kanayo specifically directed his potential kidnappers and killers to target Muslims of Igbo extraction. This is the last thing Nigeria needs at a time when the country faces serious insecurity,” the statement said.

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MURIC described the threats as extremely dangerous, warning that the audio could put thousands of Igbo Muslims’ lives at risk, including some who hold positions as traditional rulers, potentially triggering communal tensions in the South East.

“Every minute counts as the lives of thousands of people hang in the balance,” Professor Akintola said, urging the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police to take immediate action against Kanayo.

MURIC emphasized that the threats were directed at individuals simply for embracing Islam, framing the issue as a grave human rights and security concern. The organization called on the public to remain vigilant and support security agencies in protecting at-risk communities.

#DSS, #NigeriaPolice, #PlotToKillIgboMuslims, #NoToMuslimGenocide.

MURIC Calls for Arrest of Maazi Kanayo Over Alleged Threats to Igbo Muslims

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Three Killed, Nine Injured in Gunmen Attack on Akunza Ashige, Nasarawa

Published

1 hour ago

December 31, 2025

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Spokesman, Nasarawa State Police Command, Ramhan Nansel

Three Killed, Nine Injured in Gunmen Attack on Akunza Ashige, Nasarawa

The Nasarawa State Police Command has confirmed that three people were killed and nine others injured during a gunmen attack on the Akunza Ashige community in Lafia Local Government Area on Tuesday.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Ramhan Nansel, told journalists on Wednesday that two victims were found dead at the scene, while a third succumbed to injuries at a nearby hospital.

Following a distress call, Commissioner of Police, CP Shetima Jauro Mohammed, deployed Mobile Police personnel and other tactical teams to the area to contain the situation.

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“During the response operation, two corpses were recovered, while nine injured persons were rescued and rushed to nearby hospitals, where they are currently receiving medical attention. One later died in the early hours of today,” Nansel stated.

The commissioner has directed senior officers, including the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) and the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of operations, to conduct a comprehensive investigation to identify and apprehend the perpetrators.

“CP Mohammed has assured residents of Akunza Ashige and environs that the Command remains resolute and will not relent in its efforts until all those responsible for this heinous crime are brought to justice,” Nansel said.

The Police also urged community members to remain calm and provide timely and useful information to assist in the investigation.

Three Killed, Nine Injured in Gunmen Attack on Akunza Ashige, Nasarawa

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IPOB Lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor Raises Alarm Over Death Threats to Self, Family

Published

2 hours ago

December 31, 2025

Trends Admin

Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor

IPOB Lawyer Ifeanyi Ejiofor Raises Alarm Over Death Threats to Self, Family

Legal counsel to the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), Barrister Ifeanyi Ejiofor, has raised alarm over alleged threats to his life and that of his family, describing the situation as a coordinated campaign of intimidation.

Ejiofor disclosed the development in a petition addressed to the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), dated December 29, 2025, in which he said he was compelled to make the threats public to alert Nigerians and the international community.

According to the human rights lawyer, he has been receiving threatening phone calls and text messages, adding that the decision to go public became necessary due to the persistent and escalating nature of the threats, which now endanger the safety of his family.

Ejiofor noted that previous public alarms over similar threats had drawn widespread concern from individuals across different segments of society, but the situation has since worsened.

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“Recall that I raised a public alarm concerning manifest and credible threats to my life and the safety of my family. That alarm elicited calls, messages, and expressions of deep concern from well-meaning individuals across all strata of society,” he stated in the petition.

He added that despite those interventions, the threats have not abated.

“Regrettably, rather than abate, these threats have persisted and intensified, compelling me to place this factual and historical account before the world,” Ejiofor said.

The IPOB legal counsel also disclosed that he is currently at his ancestral home in Oraifite, Anambra State, with his family for the Christmas and New Year festivities, a situation he said further heightens concerns over their safety.

Ejiofor called on the Nigeria Police Force to urgently investigate the threats and take necessary measures to protect his life and that of his family.