The Coalition of APC Progressive Youth Group has petitioned President of the Senate, Senator Godswill Akpabio, the Minister of State for Defence and international human rights organisation, Amnesty International, over alleged acts of lawlessness and the organisation of an illegal protest by Hon. Baffa Babba Dan Agundi.

The coalition, through its representative, Comrade Usman Salisu, disclosed this while addressing newsmen, saying the petitions were aimed at drawing the attention of relevant authorities to what it described as Dan Agundi’s alleged disregard for constituted authority and the rule of law.

Salisu explained that the petition to Amnesty International followed earlier submissions to the Senate President and the Minister of State for Defence, urging them to intervene over what the group characterised as a growing tendency by the APC chieftain to act above the law.

According to the coalition, the petitions, dated October 30 and November 2, 2026, were formally acknowledged by the respective offices on November 5, 2026.

The group particularly accused Dan Agundi of organising an illegal protest allegedly aimed at reigniting the Kano Emirate crisis through an open declaration of support for Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, despite the matter remaining before a court of competent jurisdiction.

It maintained that the alleged action amounted to a disregard for the judicial process and constituted authority, warning that public demonstrations capable of escalating an already sensitive traditional institution dispute could undermine peace and stability in Kano State.

The coalition further alleged that Dan Agundi’s conduct had contributed to the vandalisation of banners bearing the images of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Kano State Governor Abba Kabir Yusuf.

“This attitude of acting above the law and taking laws into his own hands led to the vandalisation of banners of the President and the Governor,” the group alleged.

It also accused the APC chieftain of allegedly exploiting the Kano Emirate dispute to encourage youth thuggery and political violence, warning that mobilising young people along political and factional lines could pose a serious threat to public safety and peaceful coexistence.

The coalition expressed concern that the alleged activities, if left unchecked, could create an atmosphere of political hostility and insecurity, particularly at a time when Kano State requires sustained efforts to maintain peace among its diverse political and traditional interests.

It said it could no longer remain silent in the face of what it described as persistent disrespect for the rule of law, insisting that political affiliation should not confer immunity on anyone against investigation or lawful accountability.

The group therefore called on the Senate President, the Minister of State for Defence and Amnesty International to take note of the allegations and ensure that appropriate steps were taken by relevant authorities.

It specifically demanded an impartial and evidence-based investigation into the allegations against Dan Agundi, urging security agencies and other relevant institutions to take appropriate action if the accusations were substantiated.

The coalition added that decisive action against anyone found culpable would serve as a deterrent to others who might seek to take the law into their own hands, stressing that respect for the rule of law remains essential to sustaining peace, security and stability in society.

The ALKALANCI Faith-Based Resilience Project has organised a two-day capacity-building workshop for women religious leaders in Kano to equip them with the skills to identify, verify and prevent the spread of misinformation, disinformation and fake news ahead of the 2027 general elections.

The workshop, funded by the United Kingdom Government through the FCDO/ISF West Africa, was designed to strengthen community resilience against false information and promote responsible information sharing, particularly within religious and community settings.

The organisers said women religious leaders were targeted because of their significant influence in society, especially their roles in guiding families, shaping public opinion, communicating religious values and influencing decisions within their communities.

Speaking during an interview with journalists, Victoria, Programme Manager of ALKALANCI, said the initiative was aimed at strengthening the capacity of religious leaders to navigate the rapidly evolving information environment.

She explained that the widespread availability of mobile phones and internet access had transformed the information landscape, making it possible for virtually anyone to generate and circulate information, unlike in the past when traditional media organisations largely controlled information dissemination through established editorial and gatekeeping procedures.

According to her, the challenge is that many people do not possess the necessary knowledge and skills to distinguish credible information from false narratives, a development she said had contributed to misinformation with serious consequences, including health complications, loss of lives and communal conflicts.

Victoria said ALKALANCI, which operates in the fact-checking and information integrity sector, recognised that fact-checking organisations alone could not debunk false information at the same speed it spreads, making community participation critical to addressing the problem.

She explained that religious leaders were considered strategic partners because of the trust they enjoy within their communities and their ability to transmit knowledge acquired during the training to a wider audience.

She added that the workshop adopted a train-the-trainer approach, under which participants would not only benefit from the sessions but also educate other members of their communities on how to identify, question and reject misleading information.

Victoria further explained that the timing of the programme was deliberate, considering the significant role misinformation and disinformation have played in electoral processes in Nigeria and other countries.

She, however, clarified that the objective was not necessarily to prevent people from creating false information but to build what she described as information “inoculation”, where members of the public would develop the ability to recognise misleading content, reject it and avoid acting on it, irrespective of the source.

On his part, Alhassan Bala, Editor of the ALKALANCI fact-checking platform, urged Nigerians to cultivate the habit of critically examining information, establishing its accuracy and verifying its source before sharing it across social media platforms and other communication channels.

Bala said the women religious leaders would be equipped with critical-thinking skills to assess information received or intended for circulation before taking decisions or transmitting it to members of their communities.

He also cautioned journalists against allowing the pressure to break news ahead of competitors to undermine professional ethics and standards, insisting that every piece of information must be subjected to proper scrutiny and verification before publication.

According to him, the publication of unverified breaking news could undermine the credibility and integrity of media organisations that audiences have trusted over the years.

“As somebody is trying to break the news, he may end up breaking the organisation’s integrity,” Bala cautioned.

He maintained that journalists must resist the temptation to publish unverified reports, regardless of the pressure to be the first to inform the public.

The ALKALANCI editor also called on media organisations, including newspapers, online news platforms and television stations, to establish dedicated fact-checking desks to scrutinise information before publication or broadcast.

He recommended that media organisations that lack the resources to establish such units should strengthen partnerships and collaboration with independent fact-checking organisations to ensure that information disseminated to the public is accurate and credible.

In his remarks, the Chairman of the Nigerian Council of Ulama, Kano State Chapter, Sheikh Ibrahim Khalil, represented by Sheikh Abubakar Ibrahim Tofa, underscored the importance of information verification, citing Islamic teachings that discourage the spread of unsubstantiated reports.

Tofa specifically referred to Surah Al-Hujurat, verse 6 of the Holy Qur’an, which directs believers to verify information brought to them before acting on it to avoid causing harm to others out of ignorance.

He assured the ALKALANCI Faith-Based Resilience Project of the Kano State Council of Ulama’s readiness to support initiatives aimed at addressing misinformation, disinformation and the spread of fake news.

Similarly, the Emir of Kano, Khalifa Muhammad Sanusi II, represented by Adam Auwal Mudi Yakasai, representing the District Head of Rimin Gado, welcomed the initiative, describing the training as timely in view of the growing challenges associated with the circulation of false information.

He also assured the ALKALANCI fact-checking project of the Kano State Emirate Council’s support for efforts to promote information integrity and discourage the spread of misinformation and disinformation.

The two-day workshop brought together women religious leaders and other stakeholders for sessions on information verification, critical thinking, responsible communication and the dangers of circulating unsubstantiated claims.

The organisers expressed the expectation that participants would use the knowledge acquired to promote information integrity, particularly at the grassroots, and strengthen public awareness against the manipulation of information ahead of the 2027 general elections.

A federal high court in Abuja has nullified the leadership of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) led by David Mark.

In a judgment delivered on Thursday, Peter Lifu, presiding judge, declared the Mark-led caretaker committee illegal, ruling in favour of Nafiu Bala Gombe, a former national deputy chairman (north-east) of the party.

Lifu also invalidated all decisions taken by the party’s caretaker committee, including the nomination of Atiku Abubakar as the ADC presidential candidate for the 2027 election.