Opinion
That Sectarian Rampage In Bauchi
Sectarian crisis is a perennial problem in Nigeria particularly in the northern parts of the country. No year passes without one sectarian crisis or the other in northern Nigeria. And this crisis usually results in the death of many people and loss of properties. It is therefore high time we put a stop to sectarian crises in this country and think of tolerance and peace. In the meantime, seventy people including four security officers have been killed in the Zango area of Bauchi metropolis following sectarian crisis. The incident happened on Monday, Decermber 28, 2009.
According to reports, the crisis occurred when an Islamic sect called the Kala-kato took to the street demanding the immediate release of its leader who was arrested with members of the dreaded Boko Haram sect in July, 2009. The reports added that the sect also insulted other Islamic sects calling thern infidels as long as they did not belong to their own sect. However, in the process of the rampage members of the sect burnt people’s houses and killed several people in the area.
When contacted the Bauchi State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mr Mohammed Barau confirmed the incident. He said, as soon as the command got security report it deployed a combined team of both regular and mobile policemen to the area to maintain law and order. He stated that the situation was under control. However, at the time of writing this article security meeting was going on between the Army and the Police Commands on what to do over the situation.
In any care, as already noted, this country needs peace from religious fanatics. Religious fanaticism cannot fetch Nigeria any good. Religious groups and sects should learn to tolerate one another so that there could be peace. We are all aware that no country can achieve progress where there is no peace. It is peace that makes’ for progress. We therefore appeal to religious extremists in the north to give peace a chance. Nigeria will gain nothing from the killing of fellow citizens and the destruction of properties in the name of sectarian religious extremism.
In July, 2009, an Islamic fundamentalist sect known as Boko Haram caused unrest and disturbance in some parts of Northern Nigeria. According to reports, the sect attacked the Dutsen Tenshi police station in Bauchi on Sunday, July 26, 2009. They alleged that the attack was in retaliation for the arrest of their leaders by the policemen. Members of the sect were armed with guns and hand grenades. Nevertheless, the police fought back and in the battle that ensued more than four hundred mernbers of the sect were killed. It was later gathered that the main objective of the sect was to overthrow the federal government of Nigeria and introduce Sharia as the main legal system in the country. The second objective was to stamp out western education in the country. The followers branded western education as sin. They indoctrinated their followers not to have anything to do with western way of life and western education. All this, they stressed, was anti Islamic.
But this only goes to show their depth of ignorance in matters about education. Education has no western or Islamic. Education is the developlnent of the raw individual and there is only one way of developing the raw individual which is through the clearing of the brain and this is achieved through the acquisition of the right type of knowledge. It is different from religion. It is also different from vulgar knowledge. Acquisition of the right type of knowledge is a universal thing. As we have stated above, there is nothing western about it.
In any event, the leader of the sect, Mohammed Yusuf was reported killed in his hideout. Reacting to the incident the Minister of Police Affairs, Mr. Ibrahim Yakubu Lame stressed that as much as government was committed to the freedom of religion, it would not condone any sect which would lead to break down of law and order in the country. In fact, as we have said elsewhere the Minister is right. Freedom of worship and religion does not mean licence to kill and maim innocent citizens as well as destroy properties. Whatever we are doing in this country we should realise that Nigeria is a complex and plural society. We should therefore exercise a sense of proportion in whatever we do.
In his own reaction, the president of the country Alhaji Umaru Musa Yar’Adua emphasised that his administration would dislodge the Islamic fanatics adding that security surveillance would be mounted on all the Northern States to fish out the fanatics and deal with them squarely and promptly. According to him, the security agencies had been monitoring the fanatics for some time and discovered that they were dangerous.
However, whatever may be the case, Nigeria needs peace. Religions leaders should always preach peace to their followers. As already noted above, without peace there can be no progress anywhere in the world. Furthermore, without peace there can be no social cohesion. Religious sects and groups should therefore preach peace, tolerance and love so that there can be progress in our country.
Tolofari is a Fellow, Institute of Corporate Administration of Nigeria.
Mann Tolofari
Opinion
Restoring Order, Delivering Good Governance
The political atmosphere in Rivers State has been anything but calm in 2025. Yet, a rare moment of unity was witnessed on Saturday, June 28, when Governor Siminalayi Fubara and Minister of the Federal Capital Territory, Chief Nyesom Wike, appeared side by side at the funeral of Elder Temple Omezurike Onuoha, Wike’s late uncle. What could have passed for a routine condolence visit evolved into a significant political statement—a symbolic show of reconciliation in a state bruised by deep political strife.
The funeral, attended by dignitaries from across the nation, was more than a moment of shared grief. It became the public reflection of a private peace accord reached earlier at the Presidential Villa in Abuja. There, President Bola Ahmed Tinubu brought together Governor Fubara, Minister Wike, the suspended Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly, Martin Amaewhule, and other lawmakers to chart a new path forward.
For Rivers people, that truce is a beacon of hope. But they are not content with photo opportunities and promises. What they demand now is the immediate lifting of the state of emergency declared in March 2025, and the unconditional reinstatement of Governor Fubara, Deputy Governor Dr. Ngozi Odu, and all suspended lawmakers. They insist on the restoration of their democratic mandate.
President Tinubu’s decision to suspend the entire structure of Rivers State’s elected leadership and appoint a sole administrator was a drastic response to a deepening political crisis. While it may have prevented a complete breakdown in governance, it also robbed the people of their voice. That silence must now end.
The administrator, retired naval chief Ibok-Ette Ibas, has managed a caretaker role. But Rivers State cannot thrive under unelected stewardship. Democracy must return—not partially, not symbolically, but fully. President Tinubu has to ensure that the people’s will, expressed through the ballot, is restored in word and deed.
Governor Fubara, who will complete his six-month suspension by September, was elected to serve the people of Rivers, not to be sidelined by political intrigues. His return should not be ceremonial. It should come with the full powers and authority vested in him by the constitution and the mandate of Rivers citizens.
The people’s frustration is understandable. At the heart of the political crisis was a power tussle between loyalists of Fubara and those of Wike. Institutions, particularly the State House of Assembly, became battlegrounds. Attempts were made to impeach Fubara. The situation deteriorated into a full-blown crisis, and governance was nearly brought to its knees.
But the tide must now turn. With the Senate’s approval of a record ?1.485 trillion budget for Rivers State for 2025, a new opportunity has emerged. This budget is not just a fiscal document—it is a blueprint for transformation, allocating ?1.077 trillion for capital projects alone. Yet, without the governor’s reinstatement, its execution remains in doubt.
It is Governor Fubara, and only him, who possesses the people’s mandate to execute this ambitious budget. It is time for him to return to duty with vigor, responsibility, and a renewed sense of urgency. The people expect delivery—on roads, hospitals, schools, and job creation.
Rivers civil servants, recovering from neglect and under appreciation, should also continue to be a top priority. Fubara should continue to ensure timely payment of salaries, address pension issues, and create a more effective, motivated public workforce. This is how governance becomes real in people’s lives.
The “Rivers First” mantra with which Fubara campaigned is now being tested. That slogan should become policy. It must inform every appointment, every contract, every budget decision, and every reform. It must reflect the needs and aspirations of the ordinary Rivers person—not political patrons or vested interests.
Beyond infrastructure and administration, political healing is essential. Governor Fubara and Minister Wike must go beyond temporary peace. They should actively unite their camps and followers to form one strong political family. The future of Rivers cannot be built on division.
Political appointments, both at the Federal and State levels, must reflect a spirit of fairness, tolerance, and inclusivity. The days of political vendettas and exclusive lists must end. Every ethnic group, every gender, and every generation must feel included in the new Rivers project.
Rivers is too diverse to be governed by one faction. Lasting peace can only be built on concessions, maturity, and equity. The people are watching to see if the peace deal will lead to deeper understanding or simply paper over cracks in an already fragile political arrangement.
Wike, now a national figure as Minister of the FCT, has a responsibility to rise above the local fray and support the development of Rivers State. His influence should bring federal attention and investment to the state, not political interference or division.
Likewise, Fubara should lead with restraint, humility, and a focus on service delivery. His return should not be marked by revenge or political purges but by inclusive leadership that welcomes even former adversaries into the process of rebuilding the state.
“The people are no longer interested in power struggles. They want light in their streets, drugs in their hospitals, teachers in their classrooms, and jobs for their children. The politics of ego and entitlement have to give way to governance with purpose.
The appearance of both leaders at the funeral was a glimpse of what unity could look like. That moment should now evolve into a movement-one that prioritizes Rivers State over every personal ambition. Let it be the beginning of true reconciliation and progress.
As September draws near, the Federal government should act decisively to end the state of emergency and reinstate all suspended officials. Rivers State must return to constitutional order and normal democratic processes. This is the minimum requirement of good governance.
The crisis in Rivers has dragged on for too long. The truce is a step forward, but much more is needed. Reinstating Governor Fubara, implementing the ?1.485 trillion budget, and uniting political factions are now the urgent tasks ahead. Rivers people have suffered enough. It is time to restore leadership, rebuild trust, and finally put Rivers first.
By: Amieyeofori Ibim
Amieyeofori Ibim is former Editor of The Tide Newspapers, political analyst and public affairs commentator
Opinion
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
Do the Fulani herdsmen have an expansionists agenda, like their progenitor, Uthman Dan Fodio? Why are they everywhere even the remotest part of other areas in Nigeria harassing, maiming, raping and killing the owners of the land?”
In a swift reaction, The Movement for the Survival of the Ogoni People (MOSOP) decried and strongly condemned the invasion by suspected Fulani herdsmen.
In his denunciation, MOSOP President Fegalo Nsuke described the incident as very unfortunate and deeply troubling, warning against a recurrence of the violence experienced in Benue State. “The killing of yesterday is bad and very unfortunate. We are getting preliminary information about how the herders gained access to the farmland, and it appears some hoodlums may be collecting money and granting access illegally.”
He called on the Hausa community in Rivers State to intervene swiftly to prevent further attacks.
“We want the Hausa community in Rivers State to take urgent action to ensure these issues are resolved”.
But will such appeal and requests end the violent disposition of the Fulani herdsmen? It is not saying something new that the escalating threat and breach of peace across the country by the Fulani herdsmen or those suspected to be Fulani herdsmen, leaves much to be desired in a country that is bedevilled by multi-dimensional challenges and hydra-headed problems.
Some upland Local Government Areas of Rivers State, such as Etche, Omuma, Emohua, Ikwerre, Oyigbo, Abua, Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, have severally recounted their ordeals, as herdsmen invaded farmlands, destroyed crops, raped female farmers and killed protestant residents.
Again the wanton destruction of lives and properties which no doubt has overwhelmed the Nigerian Police, makes the clamour for State Police, indispensable. The National Assembly should consider the amendment of the Constitution to allow States to have their Statutory policing agencies.
Opinion
Is Nigeria Democratic Nation?
As insurgency has risen to an all time high in the country were killings has now grown to be a normal daily activity in some part of the nation it may not be safe to say that Nigeria still practices democracy.
Several massacres coming from the Boko Haram and the herdsmen amongst all other insurgencies which have led to the destruction of homes and killing, burning of communities especially in the northern part of the country. All these put together are result of the ethnic battles that are fought between the tribes of Nigeria and this can be witnessed in Benue State where herders and farmers have been in constant clashes for ages. They have experienced nothing but casualties and unrest.
In the month of June 13-14, the Yelwata attack at the Guma Local Government Area by suspected gunmen or herdsmen who stormed the houses of innocent IDPs (Internally Displaced Persons) claiming the lives of families, both adults and children estimated to be 200 victims. They were all burnt alive by these unknown gunmen.
This has been recorded as one of the deadliest insurgencies that had happened in recent years. Some security personnel that were trying to fight the unknown gunmen also lost their lives.
Prior to the Yelewata attack, two days before the happening, similar conflict took place in Makurdi on June 11, 2025. 25 people were killed in the State. Even in Plateau State and the Southern Kaduna an attack also took place in the month of June.
All other states that make up the Middle Belt have been experiencing the farmers/herders clash for years now and it has persisted up till recent times, claiming lives of families and children, homes and lands, escalating in 2025 with coordinated assaults.
Various authorities and other villagers who fled for safety also blamed the herdsmen in the State for the attack that happened in Yelwata community.
Ehebha God’stime is an Intern with The Tide.
-
Rivers1 day ago
HOS Tasks Rural Dwellers On RAAMP … As Project Sensitization Team Visit Degema, AKULGA
-
News1 day ago
Senate Replaces Natasha As Committee Chairman
-
Opinion1 day ago
Checking Herdsmen Rampage
-
Niger Delta21 hours ago
HYPREP Trains Lab Technicians To Standardise Water Quality In Ogoniland
-
News1 day ago
Tinubu, Govs Forum Congratulate Okpebholo On S’Court Victory …As Obaseki Expresses Disappointment
-
Politics1 day ago
Lagos LG Polls: Police Restrict Movement, Tightens Security
-
Rivers1 day ago
VALVA Restates Commitment Education Advancement, Literacy In Nigeria
-
Politics1 day ago
Obey Order On AA In Six Days, Court Directs INEC, Yakubu