NEWS
Tinubu’s Inauguration Is Unstoppable, Sultan of Sokoto Asserts
The Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Muhammadu Sa’ad Abubakar, has called upon Nigerians to offer prayers for the upcoming administration’s success in governing the nation.
Speaking at a roundtable discussion in Abuja with traditional and religious leaders, the Sultan emphasized that regardless of personal preferences, a new administration would assume office on May 29.
The event, organized by the World Bank, aimed to explore solutions for enhancing human capital development, particularly in the field of girl child education, within the country.
The Sultan, who was urging attendees not to abandon the advocacy of ending child marriage and other impediments to the growth of the girl when they get to their community said: “There must be change because in the next few days or weeks there will be a new government, what can we contribute to that government to stabilize?
“Whether anybody likes it, it must take place, a new government is coming on 29 May, so what can we do besides prayers because we believe in Almighty, we believe in God that gives and takes.
“After that so what? What do we do to help the government stabilize and move the country forward?”
He added that it is an opportunity for religious and traditional leaders to work together for the betterment of the country.
“Let us continue to work as one big family with different mothers and fathers or whatever it is, but our main father and mother is Nigeria. As religious leaders, there must be equity and justice in whatever is being done and that is what I think we need to talk about the most,” Sultan said.
While explaining the efforts the leaders undergo for the development of their communities, he said, “We cater for thousands of people to go to schools but we don’t come out to say it. This is a forum where an example is brought for people to know how others can key into this. Some of our big men have so much that I don’t know what they will do with the money if they live 100 or 1,000 years and will not spend N1 of N1m of it, what will they do with it? How can they come out and help, such organizations or groups and individuals who are spending a lot to help our communities.”
He added, “Of course, our health care system, you know what it is, if a big man has a headache, he goes to London to take Panadol and comes back, it is a fact. So many of our governors built so many clinics, nothing is there but littered with rats but in the books, you have built 1,000 clinics in your state, it is a fact. These are things we are seeing.
“I am not mentioning anybody but giving a general view, so let no governor come and pick me and say Sultan has criticized me. I am not criticizing anybody. I am making a critique which is different from criticizing, so people should know that. You can critique an issue so that people will be better. We don’t criticize anybody because we have access to these people to sit down one on one, that is what we have been doing.”
He added that the religious and traditional institutions are bulwark to a progressive growth in the country as such must be accorded due respect.
“We are the most respected religious and traditional leaders and there is nothing anybody can do about it. That is why you see political candidates coming to our palaces to seek our prayers. I am sure many of our colleagues here must have seen so many politicians wanting to be Senate President or Speaker of the House going to your palaces or comfort zones to say, pray for me that I am the best candidate.
“We see this every day, so these institutions are the most prominent and productive for anybody who wants to be in a place where he wants to hold this country. So this country must hold these two together.”
International News
Lebanon Must Not Become The Next Gaza – Australia’s Foreign Minister Repeats Ceasefire Call
Australian Foreign Minister, Penny Wong has called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle East, warning that Lebanon risks suffering the same humanitarian catastrophe as Gaza if violence continues to escalate.
Speaking at the United Nations, Wong condemned the ongoing airstrikes in Beirut’s southern suburbs and urged global leaders to take urgent action.
“This attack cannot and should not be justified,” Wong said, emphasizing the toll the conflict has taken on civilians.
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She highlighted Australia’s firm stance against Hamas, with sanctions already in place on the group’s leaders and financial backers.
However, Wong expressed deep concern over the heavy civilian casualties resulting from Israel’s response to Hamas.
Wong stated, “More than 40,000 Palestinians have been killed, including over 11,000 children. Nearly two million Gazans have been displaced, many multiple times, and over two million are facing severe food insecurity. This must end. Palestinian civilians cannot be made to pay the price for defeating Hamas. All lives have equal value.”
Wong also pointed out that nearly 300 days have passed since Australia and 152 other countries voted for a ceasefire, yet the violence continues.
“Today, I repeat that call,” she said, urging both sides to halt hostilities.
The foreign minister also stressed the importance of averting further conflict in Lebanon, where tensions are rising amid ongoing air raids.
She called for the full implementation of UN Resolution 1701, which calls for peace between Lebanon and Israel.
“Lebanon cannot become the next Gaza,” Wong warned, calling for immediate international efforts to prevent further bloodshed.
A tragic helicopter crash involving a Pakistan oil company has left six people dead and eight others injured.
The incident occurred during takeoff on Saturday when the aircraft, operated by Mari Petroleum Company (MPC), suffered a technical fault.
The helicopter was carrying fourteen individuals, including three Russian pilots and crew members, when it went down in North Waziristan, a region in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa near the Afghan border.
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In a statement, MPC confirmed that the crash resulted from engine failure, ruling out any signs of sabotage.
“The accident has claimed the lives of six individuals, while eight others have been injured,” the company reported.
The injured have been promptly transported to a military hospital for medical treatment.
The team was reportedly on a visit to a nearby oil field at the time of the accident.
Mari Petroleum Company is recognized as one of Pakistan’s largest petroleum exploration and production firms, which continues to strive towards fully unlocking the country’s resource potential.
Further investigations are underway to understand the circumstances surrounding the crash.
In a tragic incident, South African police announced on Saturday that they are initiating a manhunt following a mass shooting that left 17 people dead in the town of Lusikisiki, located in the Eastern Cape province.
The violence erupted late Friday night, with reports indicating that 13 victims — 12 women and one man — were discovered dead in one residence, while four others were killed in a second location.
An additional victim remains in critical condition at a nearby hospital.
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National police chief Fannie Masemola addressed the media, stating, “We do not know the motive” behind the killings and emphasized the uncertainty regarding whether there are one or multiple suspects still at large.
This shooting marks the latest in a series of violent attacks in the region.
Earlier this month, seven family members, including three children, were shot dead in their home in KwaZulu-Natal, with no arrests made in that case.
Additionally, in April, ten family members—including seven women and a 13-year-old boy—were killed in a separate mass shooting in KwaZulu-Natal.
South Africa continues to struggle with a high homicide rate, estimated at approximately 45 per 100,000 people, a stark contrast to the 6.3 per 100,000 in the United States and around 1 per 100,000 in most European nations.
Over the past year, the country recorded more than 27,000 homicides, averaging over 70 killings daily in a population of 62 million.
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