The Jama’atul Nasrul Islam (JNI), Gombe State chapter, in collaboration with Alkalanci, has trained 85 Islamic clerics, Imams and Tsangaya teachers drawn from across all local government areas of the state on fact-checking, media and information literacy, as part of efforts to curb the spread of Misinformation/disinformation ahead of the 2027 general election.

The two-day step-down training, which held in Gombe, brought together religious leaders who serve as trusted voices in their communities, with organisers stressing their unique position to either check or amplify the spread of false information.

This is one of the impact of the fact-checking and media literacy training done by Alkalanci in April 2026 in Gombe, where some JNI members were in attendance.

Speaking at the event, the Secretary General of JNI, Prof. Khalid Aliyu, represented by Ustaz Yusuf Sa’id, underscored the critical role religious leaders play in combating disinformation, particularly as the country approaches the 2027 election.

He admitted that politicians often exploit clerics and religious platforms to spread disinformation for political gain, warning that such practices could deepen social division and mislead the public if left unchecked. He urged the participants to be more discerning and to use the knowledge gained from the training to protect their congregations from manipulation.

Also speaking, the Sarkin Bai of Gombe, Amb. Yerima Abdullahi, urged religious leaders to be cautious in their sermons and public engagements, warning against the inclusion of unverified propaganda or false narratives in their preaching.

He emphasized the importance of training religious leaders in fact-checking and media and information literacy, noting that as custodians of public trust, clerics and imams have a responsibility to verify information before disseminating it to their followers.

In his remarks, the Editor of Alkalanci, Alhassan Bala, commended the Gombe chapter of JNI for partnering with Alkalanci to organise the step-down training, describing it as part of broader efforts to combat misinformation and disinformation.

“Gombe was one of the states we conducted training this year, and I am happy to say you are now the first to hold step-down training this is another impact of what we have been doing.”

He noted that some individuals, both within and outside the country, deliberately create false information and use emotional appeals to manipulate religious leaders and their followers into believing and spreading such content.

The training, which concluded on Sunday, featured sessions on identifying fake news, verifying sources, and understanding the dangers of unchecked information sharing, especially in the lead-up to elections.

At the end of the programme, participants pledged to disseminate the knowledge acquired to their various communities and to cautioned the public to always verify information before sharing, noting that this is in line with Islamic teachings on truthfulness and the avoidance of falsehood.

Senator Umar Usman Dukku was a senator of the Federal Republic of Nigeria from 1999 to 2003 where he represented Gombe North senatorial district in this interview with NIGERIAN TRACKER at his residence in Bauchi the senator says alot about his experience in the Senate ,his relationship with Late Head of state General Sani Abacha,the creation of Gombe state 30 years ago on 1st October 1996 among others

Abbas Yushau Yusuf ,Umar Farook Maigari and Yusuf Danjuma Yunusa

Excerpts

NT: Assalamualaikum ! You’re welcome to an interview by one of the best online newspapers in Nigeria, Nigeria Tracker. My name is Abbas Yushau Yusuf, the Editor, and here’s my colleague, Farouq Maimagari, who is one of the members of the editorial board of the paper. Baba you have served in the Senate between 1999-2003. What was your journey? How did you enter the Senate?

Senator Umar Usman Dukku : I entered the Senate through election. I was the only PDP Senator from my area. Others who entered are in ANPP, the governor too was in ANPP. I was the only senator from PDP, and the only member of PDP.

NT: Before the transition in 1999, what motivated you to contest the 1999 election under the platform of PDP?

Senator Dukku : Well, this is a very good question. What motivated me was to serve people. I want to serve my people. I want to work for my people. I don’t want to just go away.

NT: By then, most of the parties that dominated states like Gombe, Borno, Bauchi are the APP, how did you bulldoze your way into becoming a lone PDP Senator from Gombe State?

Senator Dukku: Well, it is something very simple. It was not by my own decision but God’s decision that I will become a Senator and that I will win the election no matter who are contesting, or who are against me. I was sure that if God permit I will win. I have confidence in myself and then confidence in my people who are following me.

NT: By then when you were sworn in, I think in June 4 , 1999, after the inauguration of Mr. President on May 29, so the Senate and the House were inaugurated and we have the first Senate president, how did you face the work of the Senate?

Senator Dukku: This is a very important question. Unless you don’t know what a Senate is, and unless you don’t know what you are, unless you don’t know what you want to do for your people, then there will be nothing you can do. But if you know what you are, you know what you want to do for your people, you know how to do it, and you have experienced in service (that will count, it will suddenly count). If you never work in a government or you have no experience in any federal government organization, or any company, or anywhere, then you will find yourself in a difficult situation.

NT: When you enter the Senate and started the legislative business, you have your first Senate president as Senator Evans Ewarey. By then Nigerians were keen to know how you were able to manage the senate with him.

Senator Dukku: Yes, we work with him, he’s a very humble person, very honourable,

NT: As first timers, what are some of the challenges that you faced since Nigeria return to democracy after almost 15 years of military rule?

Senator Dukku: Well, you will find there’s a missing like democracy, everything was military, military, and even the governors elected, everybody thinks they will work like a military also. But gradually, we were able to bulldoze ourselves, the national assembly in particular, in the senate we were able to bulldoze ourselves and then show people that there’s another system which is called democracy, then we achieve that.

NT: Did you chair any committee when you were in the senate?

Senator Dukku: In the senate, yes I chaired one committee but I have forgotten the committee ethics and privileges committee

NT: What was the work of the committee?

Senator Dukku : A lot of it. Most especially how to deal with members of the national assembly at that time, how to work with them, how to see that everybody there is innocent, honest, and working for his people…

NT: So, by then you were opposition in your state, but in the ruling party of the federal government, how were you able to relate with your governor?

Senator Dukku : My governor was late Abubakar Habu Hashidu we worked with him with peace and harmony. He used to come from Gombe to my house in Abuja if he has a program, and I used to go to him if there’s a program, and then if there’s a problem in finance, about a program that need to be carried out, I used to help him making some money available in the federal government budget like. I make sure that the money is released to him direct. Like Airport in Gombe, after federal government approved to build an airport, send him the money to go and carry out the job because it was a state affair at that time.

NT: So how will you compare the operation of your own senate in 1999-2003 and the current senate?

Senator Dukku : To be honest with you, to be sincere, I don’t know. I don’t involve myself in local politics or any politics. The only thing I know is

NT: So, let’s come back to the rise and creation of Gombe State. Gombe State was created by General Sani Abacha (the Interviewee interjected by saying sure)on 1 October 1996. Even before Abacha created the state, is there agitation for the creation of that state even before Abacha became the head of the state?

Senator Dukku: There were agitations before the creation of northeast, northwest regions.

NT: There were agitations for the creation of Gombe?

Dukku: There were agitations for the creation of Gombe.

NT: Which means it started since 60’s.

Senator Dukku: Yes, and then the first person to start it was the former comptroller general of NTA Kaduna. He was our leader at that time. And then afterwards, Usman Farooq took over. Former governor of Northwestern state after finishing his tenure. He took over the leadership of the team and after that, when we decide to appoint committees, we appointed Yerima Abdullahi, Sarkin Yakin of Gombe to be our Chairman.

NT: Can you remember exactly the year you started to bring the idea of Gombe State Creation?

Dukku : I can’t.

NT: Was it during Gowon or Obasanjo?

Senator Dukku: Well, Gowon first of all inaugurated the headquarters of northeast in Bauchi, old airport. After sometimes, he changed the idea. He took the northeast headquarters to Maiduguri. Then this make people to think about it to agitate for state creation of Bauchi. And we said okay if it’s the creation then it should be in Gombe. After going up and down, everything was settled. Later, we started looking for a state again. Because we were seeing other places were being given states, and we too deserve to have a state.

NT: So it means you started agitating since Murtala, Obasanjo…

Senator Dukku: We started agitating for long.

NT: Ok. So , Babangida created states between 1987 and 1991, have you tabled the idea of creation of Gombe State?

Senator Dukku: We did.

NT: But you were not given.

Senator Dukku : We were not given!

NT: How were you able to win during Abacha?

The Interviewe: Me personally, I know Abacha since 1961

NT: You know Abacha?

Senator Dukku: Yes, I know Abacha. He was in Tiv area, fighting with Tiv people, and others. We have been together with Abacha. Infact we were with him up till the time he became head of state. He would come to Bauchi, and I will go to the border as the permanent secretary local government with others to receive him.

NT: So you were very close to Abacha.

Senator Dukku: Very close, to be honest.

NT: So he confirmed to you that you are going to have Gombe State?

Senator Dukku: The confirmation was from his mouth, when he announced it.

NT: But what I am trying to take you back is you agitated for the creation of Gombe State for long time. Murtala created 8 states, then when Babangida came he created two, then nine but Gombe was not… So I said how were you able to succeed during Abacha?

Senator Dukku: We campaigned. We have committees, one under the chairmanship of the Emir of Gombe, the other one under the chairmanship of Yerima Abdullahi

NT: So, before Abacha announced it, did you have any leakage that he was going to…

Dukku: No, I didn’t.

NT: You were just taken by surprise like everyone

Senator Dukku: Yes. Even I was in my farm here in Bauchi, when they were announcing the state creation. And then somebody ran to me and said we have been given Gombe State (in Hausa). I asked him where he heard it from, and he said on Radio. The I said that’s good.

NT: This was how you heard it?

Dukku: That was how I heard it. Then I decided to come back to my house here, changed from my farm dress and then go to Gombe to meet my people.

NT: You made a serious and interesting revelation about your relationship with general Sani Abacha. How were you able to relate with him? His character….

Senator Dukku: He was very good, an excellent person. A very excellent soul. Very sincere and honest.

NT: So, when he(Abacha) used to come to Gombe for weekend, how many days do you remember he used to spend?

Senator Dukku: He used to spend one month. He would come for his annual leave. And then go to Lagos. Since he was a Major.

NT: That was when you know him?

Senator : Yes, since he was a Major.

NT:, thank you very much

Former Chief Security Officer to late Head of State General Sani Abacha, Major Hamza Al-Mustapha has dismissed claims that Abacha died on top of a woman, saying he has all CCTV footages of Abacha’s final moments in his custody.

Al-Mustapha was reacting to claims made by former Department of State Services operative, Dennis Amachree in his book that Abacha died on top of a woman.

Speaking with journalists in Kaduna, Al-Mustapha described Amachree’s account as false, misleading and fabrications, alleging the author was influenced by others to write lies.

“The boy was asked to write the lies by others. I have all the CCTV footages of what happened in my custody, so what he said are not true,” Al-Mustapha said.

He insisted the publication does not reflect what transpired and urged public to disregard claims, saying it is wrong to make false statements against someone who is no longer alive to defend himself.

“Just ignore his lies. It’s bad to say such things on someone that is dead,” he said.