News

Hausa-Fulani Leaders Oppose Governor Mutfwang’s Call for Military Withdrawal in Plateau

Published

11 months ago

July 21, 2025

vicky

Leaders of the Muslim and Hausa-Fulani communities in Plateau State have strongly rejected Governor Caleb Mutfwang’s call for the withdrawal of soldiers from peacekeeping operations across the state, warning that such a move could endanger their lives and further escalate tensions.

In a statement issued on Sunday and signed by Elder Sani Mudi, the group voiced deep concern over the governor’s position, alleging that Muslims and Fulani people are already being unfairly targeted and marginalized in the ongoing crises.

“We, Muslims and Hausa-Fulani leaders, express fears that the call for the removal of soldiers from peacekeeping operations is mischievous and a grand plan to give room to some people to execute their evil plans of ridding Plateau of the presence of Hausa and Fulani, regarded as unwanted settlers in the state,” the statement read in part.

The group accused some actors of exploiting the situation to incite ethnic and religious hostility and urged the government to focus on addressing the root causes of conflict in the state, rather than demanding military withdrawal from volatile areas.

They referenced the 2008 post-election violence in Jos, claiming that during the unrest, hundreds of innocent Muslims were allegedly killed by individuals disguised in police uniforms. The leaders said such experiences heighten their fears and justify the need for a continued military presence to prevent further bloodshed.

“We have seen how our rights and very existence have been violated in the past. The solution is not the withdrawal of troops, but a commitment to genuine peace building and fairness to all ethnic and religious groups in Plateau State,” the statement added.

The group reiterated their willingness to work with the government and other stakeholders for lasting peace but insisted that security forces must not be withdrawn until communities feel safe and protected.

News

2026 FIFA World Cup: Tani Oluwaseyi Carries Nigerian Presence as Canada Thrash Qatar 6-0

Published

46 minutes ago

June 19, 2026

Preport

Nigeria may have missed out on the FIFA World Cup, but the country’s presence is still being felt through players of Nigerian descent competing for other nations.

One of those players is Tani Oluwaseyi, who was part of a historic night as Canada dismantled Qatar 6-0 to register their first-ever FIFA World Cup victory.

Canada were dominant from the opening whistle at BC Place and took the lead in the 17th minute when veteran striker Cyle Larin found the back of the net once again.

The Canadians doubled their advantage in the 29th minute through Jonathan David, before Qatar’s task became even more difficult two minutes later after Homam Elamin was shown a red card, reducing the Asian side to 10 men.

Jonathan David grabbed his second goal in first-half stoppage time after reacting quickest to a rebound following a saved header from Larin, sending Canada into the break with a comfortable 3-0 lead.

Canada’s momentum continued after halftime despite concerns over midfielder Ismaël Koné, who suffered an injury following a challenge from Assim Madibo. The Qatari midfielder was sent off, leaving his side with just nine men.

Inspired by their dominance, Canada extended their advantage in the 64th minute when Nathan Saliba curled home a brilliant free-kick, with players dedicating the goal to the injured Koné.

For Nigerian fans, the spotlight then shifted to Tani Oluwaseyi.

The Nigerian-born striker was introduced in the 71st minute by head coach Jesse Marsch, replacing Ali Ahmed as Canada continued their march toward a memorable victory.

Just four minutes later, Canada made it 5-0 after pressure from substitute Jacob Shaffelburg forced a Qatar defensive error.

Jonathan David then completed his hat-trick in second-half stoppage time to seal an emphatic 6-0 triumph.

While Nigeria’s absence from the World Cup remains a disappointment, Oluwaseyi’s participation offers a reminder of the country’s enormous football influence beyond its borders.

Though he did not get on the scoresheet, the forward proudly represented Nigeria’s football heritage on the biggest stage, giving supporters back home a player to rally behind.

Canada’s victory was not only historic; it also showcased how players with Nigerian roots continue to shape international football, even when the Super Eagles themselves are not part of the tournament.

Business

Senate Clears Customs of ₦62.2BN Under-remittance Allegation

Published

2 hours ago

June 19, 2026

Preport

BY JAMES OBIOMA—The Senate Public Accounts Committee (SPAC) has officially cleared the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) of a N62.2 billion under-remittance allegation originally raised by the Office of the Auditor-General of the Federation in its 2019 audit report.

The clearance followed an investigative session on Tuesday, 16 June 2026, during which the Comptroller-General of Customs, Adewale Adeniyi, successfully defended the Service by proving that the alleged shortfall was a misclassification of revenue by auditors.

The original query, read by a representative of the Auditor-General under the direction of SPAC Chairman, Senator Ibrahim Dankwambo, had alleged that out of N691.242 billion generated by Customs in 2017, only N629.23 billion reached the Federation Account, leaving a balance of N62.2 billion.

Defending the Service’s financial integrity, CG Adeniyi explained that the multi-billion naira deficit was completely non-existent.

“The under-remittance of N62.2 billion levelled against Customs in the 2019 audit report was wrongly arrived at through misclassification of levies collected,” Adeniyi stated. “While most of the levies are to be collected and remitted into the federation account, others like the ones on local production of wheat, textiles and wines, etc do not go into the federation account, the totality of which accounted for the alleged unremitted N62.2 billion.”

Following identical, convincing clarifications on the first three major queries, a member of the committee, Senator Babangida Hussaini, wondered why the issues had not been ironed out sooner. He noted that as a former civil servant, such straightforward technicalities should have been resolved at the preliminary audit level rather than escalating to a full Senate investigation.

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