Author: Daily Post Nigeria

An Islamic cleric and the first Muqaddamul Wai’zeen of Oyo State, Sheikh Abdul-Mu’min Shehu Usman, has called all Imams, Islamic organizations, traditional rulers, community leaders, youth groups, and all well-meaning citizens of the state to unite in confronting the challenges of insecurity.

Usman made the call in a statement made available to DAILY POST on Thursday.

The Islamic cleric who doubles as the Chief Imam of Kere in Ogbomoso, explained that security is not the responsibility of government alone, noting that it is a collective trust (amanah) that requires the cooperation and vigilance of every member of society.

Usman while speaking in the recent happenings in the state, condemned the recent abduction of students and teachers in Oriire local government area.

He appealed to the security agencies to intensify efforts towards the release of the victims.

In view of the happenings in the state, Usman appealed to Muslims to dedicate at least two minutes after every obligatory prayer to supplicate for the safety and swift release of all teachers, pupils and other innocent persons in captivity.

He added that parents and community leaders should strengthen cooperation with schools and relevant authorities on matters relating to safety and security.

He also urged young people to channel their energy into education, skill acquisition, community development, and peace-building initiatives.

Usman said, “Accordingly, we call upon all Imams, Islamic organizations, traditional rulers, community leaders, youth groups, and all well-meaning citizens of Oyo State to unite in confronting the challenges of insecurity. Security is not the responsibility of government alone; it is a collective trust (amanah) that requires the cooperation and vigilance of every member of society.

“Islam is a religion of peace, justice, mercy, and human dignity. Corruption, banditry, kidnapping, and all forms of criminality constitute manifestations of fasād fi al-arḍ (mischief and corruption on earth), which Islam strongly condemns. Genuine peace can only flourish where justice prevails, truth is upheld, and the sanctity of human life is respected.

“We therefore urge all Muslims to become ambassadors of peace in their homes, schools, marketplaces, places of worship, roads, and online platforms. Let our words promote harmony, our actions reflect compassion, and our conduct embody the noble teachings of Islam.

“Therefore, we strongly demand the immediate and unconditional release of all teachers and pupils currently held in captivity. We call upon security agencies at all levels to intensify their efforts toward securing their freedom and restoring confidence in our educational institutions. We also call upon the captors to fear Allah and desist from actions that violate the sanctity of innocent lives.

“In view of the foregoing, we make the following appeals: All Muslims should dedicate at least two minutes after every obligatory prayer to supplicate for the safety and swift release of all teachers, pupils, and other innocent persons in captivity. Parents and community leaders should strengthen cooperation with schools and relevant authorities on matters relating to safety and security.

“Young people should channel their energy into education, skill acquisition, community development, and peace-building initiatives. Members of the public should verify information before sharing it, especially on social media, as misinformation can endanger lives and undermine security efforts.

“Religious and traditional leaders should continue to promote unity, mutual understanding, and peaceful coexistence among all members of society. We pray to Allah Almighty to protect our communities, preserve our schools, safeguard our scholars, teachers, and students, and grant lasting peace and security throughout Oyo State and Nigeria as a whole.

“O Allah, improve the condition of the Muslims, grant them security and peace, protect our scholars, teachers, and students, free those in captivity, and establish justice and tranquility in our land. Āmīn.”

Security not responsibility of govt alone – Islamic cleric tells Oyo residents

The Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Senator George Akume, on Thursday expressed concern that allegations of corruption within Nigeria’s electoral system continue to erode public confidence in the country’s democratic process.

Akume stated this while delivering a lecture at the State House Conference Centre, Abuja, as part of activities marking the 2026 Democracy Day celebration.

Speaking on the theme, “27 Years of Democratic Governance: Achievements, Challenges and the Road Ahead,” the SGF said Nigeria had recorded significant democratic gains since returning to civilian rule in 1999 but warned that persistent concerns about electoral integrity remained a threat to democratic consolidation.

According to him, allegations of corruption in the electoral process have continued to undermine citizens’ trust in elections and democratic institutions.

“Electoral integrity remains a work in progress. While our electoral management body and the judiciary have demonstrated growing independence, persistent allegations of corruption in the electoral system and processes remain critical to its integrity.

“Democracy is not merely the act of voting; it is the guarantee that every vote counts equally,” Akume said.

He stressed the need for Nigerians to actively participate in strengthening democratic institutions and protecting the country’s democratic achievements.

Reflecting on Nigeria’s democratic journey over the past 27 years, Akume described the period as one marked by resilience, determination and notable progress.
He stated that the country had successfully conducted eight consecutive general elections and witnessed peaceful transfers of power across political parties and regions, including what he described as a historic transition from a ruling party to the opposition.

“The democratic journey since 1999 has nevertheless had its challenges. The significant lesson however is that it has been a journey of resilience and determination. Nigeria has conducted eight successive general elections each one testing, and ultimately affirming, the democratic will of our people.

“We have achieved back-to-back peaceful transfer of power from one civilian administration to another, across party lines, and across the diverse regions of our great nation. We have also experienced a transfer from a sitting government to the opposition, ” he said.

Despite these achievements, he urged stakeholders to address challenges undermines the confidence in democracy.

“While acknowledging the gains of democratic governance, Nigeria must confront lingering challenges threatening the credibility of its democratic process,” he said.

The SGF also cautioned against allowing ethnic, religious and regional divisions to weaken the country’s democratic foundations.

“Finally let me leave us all with a charge. Nigeria is worth all our sacrifices and our democracy is worth defending.

“The present and upcoming generations are standing on the shoulders of those who struggled for civil rule and they have both the responsibility and the opportunity to build the nation our founding fathers envisioned and which our children deserve to inherit,” he added.

Akume highlighted achievements recorded under democratic governance, including economic expansion, improved financial inclusion and investments in critical infrastructure projects such as the Lagos-Calabar Coastal Highway and the Sokoto-Badagry Superhighway.

He also cited reforms in the power sector and expanded access to education and healthcare through initiatives including the National Health Insurance Scheme, the Universal Basic Education programme and the Nigerian Education Loan Fund.

Describing the Democracy Day lecture as an opportunity for national reflection, Akume challenged Nigerians to envision the type of democracy they hoped to build over the next 27 years.

Concerns over electoral malpractice, vote-buying, result manipulation and other forms of corruption have continued to generate debates about the credibility of elections and public trust in democratic institutions.

Electoral reforms have remained a recurring issue, with stakeholders repeatedly calling for measures to strengthen transparency, accountability and confidence in the electoral process.

Electoral Corruption Erodes Public Trust, Says Akume is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Reigning Miss University of Jos, Promise Dikko, is mourning her fiance who was k!lled by bandits.

The beauty queen confirmed the devastating news in a Facebook post on Thursday, June 11, 2026.

According to Dikko, they had made preparation and bookings for their wedding scheduled to hold on December 27, 2026. 

“Rip my hero. I kept this photo to post it when it close to wedding date,” she wrote.

“27th December was supposed to be the date. We have made prep and bookings. 

“But you left me. Bandit k!lled you for me. Nigeria happened to me. Rest easy my hero.”

Nollywood actress, Doris Ogala, has disclosed that the Lagos State High Court has dismissed the case brought by Pastor Chris Okafor against her.

DAILY POST reports that Okafor, the founder of the Grace Nation Bible Ministry, had sued the actress for cyber bullying and harassment, publication of personal materials, attempted extortion and dissemination of false information against him.

Sharing an update on her Instagram page on Thursday, Doris announced that the court has dismissed the case.

Mocking the clergyman, Doris accompanied the post with laughing emojis.

She wrote, “Yes ooo who says God no day. The court dismissed Chris Okafor’s case against me. Hahaha. Now it’s war. Hahaha. JESUS is the ultimate ooo. Tori dey ooo.”

Recall that Doris who is Okafor’s ex lover, called the clergyman out in December 2025 for allegedly dumping her for a younger lady despite promising her marriage.

Doris Ogala jubilates, says court has dismissed Chris Okafor’s case against her

First City Monument Bank (FCMB) Limited has appointed Mr. Bismarck Rewane as a Non-Executive Director and Chairman of its Board of Directors, following approval from the Central Bank of Nigeria.

Mr. Rewane is a respected economist and experienced leader in Nigeria’s financial sector, with more than 40 years of experience in macroeconomic research, investment banking, and strategic management.

He is the Managing Director at Financial Derivatives Company Limited, a top financial advisory and economic research firm.

He is a Fellow of the Nigerian Economic Society and has held leadership roles at International Merchant Bank Nigeria Limited and First National Bank of Chicago.

He graduated from the University of Ibadan with a degree in Economics and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Bankers of Nigeria and an Associate of the Institute of Chartered Bankers of England and Wales.

Mr. Rewane has served on the boards of blue-chip companies and multinationals, including Guinness Nigeria Plc., British American Tobacco, Henkel Nigeria Limited, Top Feeds Nigeria Limited, and Africa Infrastructure Plus Partners.

He was a member of the Presidential Steering Committee for the Resolution of the Global Economic Crisis.

He has completed executive management programmes at top business schools, including the Oxford International Capital Markets programme, the Euromoney Institute of Finance, and IMD Lausanne, Switzerland.

The Board of Directors of First City Monument Bank welcomes Mr. Rewane.
The Bank is confident that his expertise in macroeconomics, corporate governance, and strategic management, together with the Bank’s stronger capital base, will strengthen its leadership and help drive the next phase of growth while continuing to deliver value to stakeholders.

First City Monument Bank Limited is a member of FCMB Group Plc, a financial services company that provides banking, consumer finance, investment management, and fintech services.

First City Monument Bank Appoints Bismarck Rewane Non-Executive Director, Chairman Board of Directors

A chieftain of the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, Wisdom Okoye, says Nigeria, like the United States, is struggling to address insecurity challenges.

Okoye spoke on Thursday during a press briefing in Abuja.

He was reacting to the surge in insecurity nationwide.

DAILY POST reports that students and teachers kidnapped in Oyo State are still in captivity, nearly a month after the incident.

There have been several other abductions and insecurity incidents in Kogi, Benue, Borno and Abuja.

Reacting, Okoye, who is the president of Tinubu Support Group, said while the Nigerian government has vowed to end insecurity, nowhere in the world is free of crime.

According to him, governors and local government chairmen across Nigeria must double their efforts to support what President Bola Tinubu and his security chiefs are doing to end insecurity nationwide.

‎”That there is no country in the world that is not having challenges, even in America.

‎”No country in this world has ever completely stopped crime. Our president is a builder; he would tackle insecurity.

“The truth is a president of a country cannot do it alone.

‎”We have governors, we have local government chairmen, we have coordinators, we have counsellors,” he said.

Insecurity: No country in the world free of crime – Okoye

The House of Representatives has passed the constitutional amendment bill seeking to establish state police.

Lawmakers voted and passed the bill on Thursday during plenary.

Details soon…

BREAKING: Reps Pass State Police Bill is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

Prize money at this year’s Wimbledon will increase by 20% to £64.2m.

The singles’ champions will each take home £3.6m with first-round losers paid £80,000.

More than £6m has been set aside for the qualifying competition, an increase of 25%.

Overall prize money has increased by £10.7m at a time when a group of players are campaigning for an even greater share of the proceeds.

Chair of the All England Club (AELTC) Deborah Jevans, told reporters: “We are thrilled that we are able to give such a big uplift to the players.

“I hope that the players will sit back and recognise that we listened, that they are sharing in our success and will recognise that this is a significant uplift and a significant amount of money that goes not just to the semi-finalists and finalists.

“And I also hope that they recognise all the improvements that have been made in the facilities.”

Players are campaigning for the Grand Slams to link prize money to tournament revenue – while also making contributions to their benefit pool and offering them a greater say in how the events are run.

The players had been hoping for a sum close to £71.7m from Wimbledon. They want all four Slams to pay 16% of their revenue in prize money this year – and calculate that figure by adding 5% to last year’s revenue.

For this year’s Wimbledon, players advocated for total prize money of £71m, Jevans said, citing her recent talks in Paris with Larry Scott, the former WTA CEO who has been advising the players.

At Roland Garros, top-10 players limited their press conferences with journalists to 15 minutes in symbolic protest of their share of the tournament revenues.

Just over a year ago, 20 leading players signed a letter to the heads of the four Grand Slams seeking more prize money and a greater voice in decision making.

Wimbledon, the oldest Grand Slam tournament, begins on June 29. Iga Swiatek is the defending women’s champion, while the men’s defending champion is Jannik Sinner.

Wimbledon Announces Record Increase In Prize Money is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

The Senate on Thursday vacated the arrest warrant earlier issued against former Group Chief Executive Officer (GCEO) of the Nigerian National Petroleum Company Limited (NNPCL), Mele Kyari, and also distanced itself from comments made by Senator Adams Oshiomhole describing the company as “a bunch of criminals and thieves.”

The development came amid the ongoing investigation by the Senate Committee on Public Accounts into the financial records and transactions of the NNPCL.

The committee, chaired by Senator Ibrahim Hassan Dankwambo, had initially resolved to invoke its constitutional powers following what lawmakers described as repeated failures by the former NNPCL boss to honour invitations.

The decision followed the adoption of a motion sponsored by Senator Victor Umeh.

“This matter has lingered for too long. Nigerians deserve answers. The committee cannot continue to wait indefinitely while critical questions concerning trillions of naira remain unanswered,” Umeh said.

The hearing witnessed a tense moment when Senator Tony Nwoye sought to explain Kyari’s absence. Nwoye informed the committee that the former NNPCL chief was receiving medical treatment in Germany.

“I spoke to Mele Kyari about a week ago. He promised that he would be here. But incidentally, I learned last night that the man is hospitalized in Germany,” Nwoye told the committee.

His intervention was met with resistance from Senator Onyekachi Nwaebonyi, who accused him of appearing to defend Kyari.

“You are not Kyari’s lawyer!” Nwaebonyi fired back.

The exchange briefly disrupted proceedings as lawmakers debated whether Kyari’s reported health condition should affect the committee’s decision on the warrant.

Responding, Nwoye denied acting on behalf of the former NNPCL chief.

“I am not holding brief for Mele Kyari. I am duty-bound to bring this information to the committee. The decision on whether to issue a warrant of arrest is entirely for this committee to make,” he said.

Reacting to the arrest warrant, Kyari denied allegations that he deliberately avoided the Senate investigation and described the committee’s action as surprising.

In a letter addressed to the committee chairman, Kyari said he had formally notified lawmakers of his inability to attend the hearing because he was undergoing medical treatment abroad.

He stated that a letter dated May 11, 2026, had been sent to the committee explaining his health condition and expressing his readiness to appear before lawmakers upon his return to Nigeria.

“I remain very willing and ready to honour the invitation of the Committee and to appear before it once I return to the country,” he stated.

“However, I wish to respectfully state that I have neither received nor sighted the said invitation. Had the invitation reached me, I would have gladly honoured it,” he said.

Meanwhile, the committee also heard from former NNPCL Chief Finance Officer, Bala Ajiya, who appeared before lawmakers to respond to issues arising from the company’s audited accounts.

Ajiya strongly defended the corporation’s financial records and rejected claims that funds were missing from the company’s books.
“There is no money missing,” he told the committee.

According to him, reports alleging that N210 trillion had disappeared from NNPCL accounts were based on a misunderstanding of accounting entries involving different entities within the company’s structure.

He further dismissed allegations that N5.8 billion was spent on registering the new NNPCL, explaining that the actual amount involved was N2.9 billion paid directly to government agencies, including the Corporate Affairs Commission (CAC) and the Federal Inland Revenue Service (FIRS).

Ajiya maintained that all transactions were properly documented and verifiable.
The Senate also clarified that remarks attributed to Senator Oshiomhole, in which he reportedly described the NNPCL as “a bunch of criminals and thieves” during Wednesday’s hearing, did not represent the position of the upper chamber.

The NNPCL had earlier responded to the comments, insisting that it was not a thief.

BREAKING: Senate Disowns Kyari Arrest Warrant, Carpets Oshiomhole Over Remarks is first published on The Whistler Newspaper

 

The House of Representatives on Thursday passed a constitutional amendment bill to establish state police nationwide.

The passage marks a significant step in Nigeria’s long-running debate over decentralising policing and tackling insecurity.

The bill, titled “A Bill for an Act to Alter the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999 to Provide for the Establishment of State Police; and for Related Matters (Sixth Alteration) Bill, 2026,” was approved during consideration at the Committee of the Whole, presided over by Speaker of the House, Tajudeen Abbas.

The voting commenced after the Deputy Speaker and Chairman of the House Committee on Constitution Review, Benjamin Kalu, presented arguments in support of the proposal and urged lawmakers to back the measure.

The exercise was conducted manually, with members raising their hands to indicate their positions.

At the end of the count, about 288 lawmakers voted in support of the bill, while four members voted against it.

The proposed amendment seeks to fundamentally restructure policing in Nigeria by creating both Federal and State Police formations.

One of the key provisions of the bill alters Section 214 of the Constitution to establish the Federal Police and State Police formally.

Under the proposal, the National Assembly would be empowered to prescribe the structure, organisation, administration and powers of the Federal Police, while also providing the framework and guidelines for the establishment of state police services.

The bill stipulates that no state police formation shall commence operations unless it is established through a law passed by the relevant State House of Assembly and certified as meeting national minimum standards prescribed by an Act of the National Assembly.

It further provides that until a state police force becomes operational, the Federal Police will continue to perform policing functions in that state.

The amendment also seeks to limit federal interference in the operations of state police.

Under the proposal, the Federal Police may only intervene in a state’s internal security affairs in cases of a complete breakdown of law and order, upon the request of a governor, or where a state police force becomes unable to function due to administrative, financial or other challenges.

The bill also proposes significant changes to the appointment and command structure of the police.

Under the amended Section 215, the Inspector-General of Police would be appointed by the President on the advice of the National Police Council from among serving members of the Federal Police, subject to confirmation by the National Assembly.

Similarly, a State Commissioner of Police would be appointed by a governor on the advice of the National Police Council from among serving members of the State Police, subject to confirmation by the State House of Assembly.

The proposal empowers governors to issue lawful directives to State Commissioners of Police on matters relating to public safety and order.

However, where a commissioner believes such directives are unlawful or inconsistent with accepted policing standards, the matter may be referred to the National Police Council, whose decision would be final.

The bill also amends Section 84 of the Constitution by replacing references to the “National Police Council and the Federal Police Service Commission” with the “Nigeria Police Council and the Police Service Commission.”

The proposal, however, will still require approval by the Senate and endorsement by at least two-thirds of the State Houses of Assembly, assented to by the President before it can become part of the Constitution.