By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

An Islamic cleric, Malam Musa Lukwa, was stabbed shortly after leading the Friday prayer at his mosque in Mabera area of Sokoto metropolis on Friday.

The spokesman of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufa’i, confirmed the incident to newsmen in Sokoto.

Rufa’i said the cleric was stabbed twice in the neck and taken to the Specialist Hospital, Sokoto, where he was receiving treatment and responding to it.

He said the suspected attacker was killed by the cleric’s followers after the incident, adding that no arrest had been made in connection with the ensuing violence.

According to him, the command had deployed security personnel to prevent the situation from escalating.

He said investigation was ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the attack and identify those involved.

The incident was reportedly linked to a previous sermon by the cleric which some Islamic scholars and their followers considered offensive to the parents of Prophet Muhammad.

A man identified as Mai Barewa had allegedly threatened the cleric and one of his senior students over the sermon.

He was subsequently arrested and arraigned before a court, with the case reportedly ongoing.

The cleric and his followers were also said to have written to the Sokoto State Government four days before the attack, expressing concern over the threats against them.

Following the incident, some youths reportedly protested in parts of the metropolis, including Sahara, Bello Way and Aliyu Jodi.

The development caused some shop owners to close their businesses, while security operatives were deployed to strategic locations to maintain law and order.

The police urged residents to remain calm and avoid taking the law into their own hands.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Senator Rabiu Kwankwaso, Vice-Presidential Candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress (NDC), has asked former Vice-President Atiku Abubakar to drop his bid for 2027 presidency.

Speaking members of the Fulani Farmers Association who visited him at his Abuja residence, Kwankwaso said Atiku who is the Presidential Candidate of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), should devote his time to his traditional responsibilities.

Citing Atiku’s age and health, Kwankwaso asked supporters of the ADC Presidential Candidate to persuade him to withdraw from the contest.

“Go to the Wazirin of Adamawa’s house and tell him in Fulani that he needs to focus on his traditional title of Wazirin, given his age and health.”

“If Allah grants us success, we will take good care of him, especially since you all come from Adamawa. An apology should be offered to him,” he said.

In April, Atiku had said the 2027 presidential election may be his final attempt to become Nigeria’s leader, citing his age and the high stakes involved.

Responding to a question on whether turning 80 by 2027 would make the stakes higher for him, Atiku said it would likely be his last outing.

“Certainly yes, because the stakes are higher and I believe that will be my last outing,” he said.

Atiku has made multiple attempts to become Nigeria’s president since returning to partisan politics in 2003.

He first contested the presidency in 1993 under the Social Democratic Party primaries before stepping down for the late Moshood Abiola.

He later ran in 2007 under the Action Congress, losing to the late President Umaru Musa Yar’Adua.

Atiku also contested in 2011 under the Action Congress of Nigeria, losing to former President Goodluck Jonathan.

He returned to the Peoples Democratic Party and contested the 2019 presidential election, where he lost to former President Muhammadu Buhari.

In 2023, he again emerged PDP candidate but lost to President Bola Tinubu of the All Progressives Congress.

The former vice president has consistently positioned himself as a long-time advocate of restructuring, economic liberalisation and private sector-driven growth.

By Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Paracetamol use during pregnancy can affect future fertility of baby girls, a new study has said.

Published on Oxford Academic, the COPANA study was led by Dr Margit Bistrup Fischer, a postdoctoral researcher at Rigshospitalet (Copenhagen University Hospital) in Denmark.

The study “found that girls who had been exposed to paracetamol during fetal life had smaller ovaries, fewer ovarian follicles (the structures that contain immature eggs), differences in reproductive hormone levels, and reduced uterine size during infancy.”

It added, “similar findings were observed in an independent group of participants followed to adolescence.”

According to the report, 302 healthy girls from a Danish pregnancy cohort were examined during infancy.

It added, “Paracetamol exposure during pregnancy was assessed using both pregnant women’s reports of paracetamol use collected bi-weekly and measurements of paracetamol in their urine samples.”

However, the study calls for more research as it cannot prove that “paracetamol directly caused these differences, the findings are consistent with results from animal studies.”

“Further research is needed to determine whether these early-life differences have consequences for reproductive health later in life and to inform recommendations on paracetamol use during pregnancy.”

The COPANA study is said to be the first human study specifically designed to probe whether prenatal paracetamol exposure is associated with markers of ovarian development in daughters.