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IPC kicks as police detain, arraign Wikki Times publisher, reporter

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Haruna Muhammad

PUBLISHER of online newspaper, Wikki Times, Haruna Mohammed, was detained after honouring an invitation by officials of the State Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department (SCIID) of the Bauchi State Police Command on Monday.

He was detained alongside a reporter, Idris Kamal, over a report on the death of a politician in Bauchi State.

The ICIR gathered that after writing their statements at the SCIID, Mohammed was placed in a cell along with Kamal. It was learnt that the journalists were brutalised by other inmates in the cell.

Despite the presence of their lawyers, Mohammed and Kamal were detained for at least 10 hours before they were released.

The Investigating Police Officer (IPO) in charge of the case, Bilyaminu, however, told The ICIR that Mohammed is being investigated for publishing defamatory report concerning a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Bauchi.
The IPO denied reports that the journalists were beaten up in detention.

Nigeria And The Opprobrium Over The Origin Or The Originals

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“Yes we are investigating the issue. They published something defamatory about the late APC chieftain here in Bauchi. They came in today, we are still trying to investigate the matter, I don’t know what you mean by rough-handled,” he said on Monday.

The ICIR also reached out to Ahmed Wakil, spokesman of the Bauchi State Police Command, on Monday. He promised to look into the matter and effect the immediate release of the journalists.

“I am presently not in the office, but I am heading back now. If this is true I will do everything possible to see that he is released. I will take up the matter,” he said.
Wakil reached out to The ICIR about an hour later saying that Mohammed would be released in a matter of minutes and the journalists regained freedom shortly after. They were, however, asked to return on Tuesday for further interrogation.

Following their return on Tuesday, June 28, the journalists were arraigned before a Magistrate Court in Bauchi where they were charged with criminal conspiracy, defamation of character and cyber stalking.

The court remanded them in custody till Wednesday, June 29.
The case is connected to a report published by Wikki Times on the sudden death of the APC chairman in the Bauchi Local Government Area of the state on May 18.

According to the report, the late APC Chairman, Hussaini Musa Gwaba, received series of threats before his death.

Wikki Times reported that Gwaba was considered as a threat by an APC member of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Shehu Abdullahi, representing Bauchi Federal Constituency.
Abdullahi eventually filed a petition which led to the arrest and detention of the journalists.

Meanwhile, the International Press Centre (IPC) condemned the harassment and detention of the journalists in a statement released on Tuesday.
The IPC expressed concern over the incident and urged the police to desist from being used as objects of oppression.

“Since the petitioner alleged defamation, the Police should have in the first instance advised him to seek legal redress instead of illegally detaining the journalists for 10 hours on Monday, June 27, 2022 and subjecting them to physical and mental harassment in the process”, IPC Executive Director, Lanre Arogundade, said in the statement.

He urged the police to ensure the safety of the journalists, adding that the rule of law regarding petitions should also apply with media professionals as with other citizens.

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Nigeria’s GDP Growth, Drop in Inflation Not Translating into Poverty Reduction – BUK Deputy VC

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The Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Academics) of Bayero University Kano (BUK), Professor Ahmad Muhammad Tsauni, has said that Nigeria’s recent economic growth and decline in inflation have yet to translate into a meaningful reduction in poverty among citizens.

Professor Tsauni, an economist, made this observation during a gathering organised by the Non-Formal Development for Education and Health Initiative, with the theme, “Nigeria at a Crossroad: Who Is to Fix It?”

He said that although Nigeria had recorded some level of growth in its Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and improvements in certain economic indicators, the development had not significantly improved the living conditions of ordinary Nigerians.

According to him, the country continues to grapple with complex economic and social challenges that require collective efforts and practical solutions to overcome.

“We want to show that Nigeria is a country that, in spite of its challenges, has complex problems that will not really allow it to address them easily. Recently, we have been experiencing some level of growth in GDP, but those indices are not translating into a reduction in poverty, and so we are at a crossroads,” he said.

The BUK Deputy Vice-Chancellor explained that addressing the country’s challenges required more than government interventions, stressing that every Nigerian had a responsibility to contribute to rebuilding the country.

He maintained that the responsibility of finding solutions to Nigeria’s problems should not be left to individuals, political leaders or organisations alone, but should involve citizens from all sectors of society.

Professor Tsauni also called on the government to formulate and implement pragmatic policies capable of addressing the country’s challenges, while emphasising the importance of building public trust.

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He, however, identified negative societal attitudes and a lack of commitment to national development as some of the major obstacles preventing Nigeria from achieving the desired results from its policies.

According to him, Nigeria has developed several sound policies over the years, but poor attitudes and the failure of citizens to demonstrate the necessary commitment have continued to undermine their implementation.

“We have beautiful policies in Nigeria, but they cannot work because of our attitude. We should not apportion blame to anybody because we created the problem together, so everybody should contribute,” he said.

The university don urged Nigerians across different professions and institutions to examine their conduct and take responsibility for improving the country.

He specifically noted that classroom teachers, judges, public servants and other professionals must reflect on their individual responsibilities, adding that positive changes in societal attitudes were essential to national development.

Professor Tsauni further stressed that Nigeria’s current situation required collective reflection and a change in citizens’ approach to public responsibilities rather than continuous blame-shifting.

Earlier, the Technical Lead of the Non-Formal Development for Education and Health Initiative, Dr Auwal Halilu, called on Nigerians to demonstrate patriotism and contribute towards revitalising the country.

Dr Halilu said Nigeria was facing numerous challenges as the country approached the 2027 general elections, stressing the need for citizens to reflect on how to secure the country’s future through responsible participation in the electoral process.

He urged Nigerians to embrace positive values, transparency and accountability, noting that national development could only be achieved when citizens and leaders demonstrated genuine commitment to the country’s progress.

“We should take into consideration that we are going to revitalise this country. Every Nigerian should be patriotic. There are a lot of challenges in Nigeria as we approach the 2027 elections. How can we help to get the best in Nigeria? We should change our values for good and be transparent,” he said.

Dr Halilu also challenged Nigerians to consider how they could support leaders in addressing the country’s challenges, rather than leaving the responsibility of national development entirely to those in government.

He emphasised that rebuilding Nigeria required a collective commitment to good values, transparency and patriotism, particularly as the country prepares for another general election in 2027.

The gathering provided an opportunity for discussions on Nigeria’s economic and social challenges, the responsibilities of citizens and the need for collective action towards national development.

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Dala Chairman Marks Two Years In Office With Prayers For Peace,Leaders

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By Abdu Saidu

The Chairman of Dala Local Government Area of Kano State, Hon. Suraj Ibrahim Imam, has marked his second anniversary in office with a special prayer session for peace, stability and good governance in Dala, Kano State and Nigeria at large.

The prayer session, held on Saturday at the local government secretariat, featured the recitation of the Holy Qur’an by about 60 Islamic scholars and Qur’anic memorizers drawn from different parts of the council area.

The participants offered prayers for divine guidance, wisdom and success for Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, members of the National Assembly and the Kano State House of Assembly, as well as other political leaders.

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Speaking at the event, Imam said the prayer session was organised to express gratitude to Almighty Allah for the opportunity to serve the people of Dala for two years and to seek His continued guidance and blessings for the council, the state and the country.

He added that the gathering was also an opportunity to pray for the success of Governor Yusuf and other political leaders in their future political engagements.

On his administration’s performance, the chairman disclosed that several development projects had been executed across the 12 wards of Dala Local Government Area within the past two years, with the support and approval of Governor Yusuf.

He commended the governor for his development initiatives across the state’s 44 local government areas, particularly in healthcare, education, security, road construction, potable water supply, agriculture and employment generation.

According to Imam, the interventions have contributed to improving the living conditions of residents and strengthening development at the grassroots.

He expressed confidence in the governor’s leadership and called on residents and political stakeholders to support his re-election in 2027. He also expressed support for President Tinubu and other APC candidates ahead of the next general elections.

The event was attended by Alhaji Bashir Ibrahim Al-Mustapha, OON, councillors, Islamic scholars, Qur’anic memorizers, political advisers, the local government secretary and other stakeholders from across Dala Local Government Area.

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NNPC Confirms Gas Supply & Network Availability

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NNPC Limited confirms that gas transportation network operated by its subsidiary, NNPC Gas Infrastructure Company Limited (NGIC), remains available to support deliveries to power generating stations Nationwide without any constraints. NGIC’s operational records do not indicate transportation-related constraints within its network that explain the current decline in electricity generation.

NNPC Limited is focussed on actualizing the Federal Government’s gas development and monetization agenda which has led to about 10% growth in gas production volumes 2026 year to date. Gas supply availability is therefore not a challenge as NNPC remains committed to supporting efforts to improve electricity generation through safe, reliable and efficient gas supply and transportation.

This clarification follows the Nigerian Independent System Operator’s (NISO) statement of 5 November 2026, which cited limited gas availability and reduced water inflows to hydroelectric stations as causes of lower generation. NNPC Limited’s clarification concerns the operational status of NGIC’s transportation network. Gas production, commercial supply arrangements and actual deliveries to individual power plants must be assessed separately from the availability of transportation infrastructure.

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A comprehensive assessment must also consider the availability and operational readiness of generating units, plant maintenance schedules and actual gas offtake. These factors determine whether gas supplied can be converted into electricity. They should be verified alongside gas supply data to establish the causes of the shortfall.

NNPC Limited supports a coordinated review of operational data by gas suppliers, transporters, power generators and NISO to identify specific constraints and guide effective interventions. Accurate reporting across the gas-to-power value chain is essential to resolving the challenges and sustaining public confidence.

Our focus remains on dependable energy infrastructure and constructive collaboration that helps translate Nigeria’s gas resources into more reliable electricity for Nigerians.

Andy Odeh
Chief Corporate Communications Officer
NNPC Limited
Abuja

6 November 2026

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