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Israel: Remove Wike now, Sheik Gumi, says Christians can’t be trusted..
Gumi in the sermon also asserted that President Bola Ahmed Tinubu would be stopped from serving for eight years if he does not remove Wike as FCT minister.
According to the cleric, it is dangerous to entrust Nigeria’s national security to the hands of Christians and Southerners.
The cleric said Muslims appointed into top security positions are only figureheads and not in charge of military command and control.
He went on to curse citizens who campaigned assiduously for the Muslim-Muslim ticket as worthless hypocrites and money-mongers who chased dollars for pleasure and worldly purposes.
Below is an excerpt of the sermon as translated from Hausa:
“The Minister of the FCT is a Satanic person; I said it before when he was appointed and some people were grumbling. He has gone and brought the Israeli Ambassador, that’s what someone sent and I am yet to watch it. But what is confirmed is he said they will collaborate with the Israelis on Abuja’s security issues. Abuja will now become an extension of Tel Aviv and when they see anyone with a beard like us, they will say it is Bin Laden and we will be killed.
“Where are those that worked for the Muslim-Muslim ticket? Hypocrites and worthless people. Abuja is becoming an extension of Tel Aviv and security is the bastion of the people. Have you not heard the silence? They know what they are doing. One Miyetti Allah leader came and told me that if they come to me with a proposal of negotiation with bandits, I should not be part of it, that I should leave it alone.
“It is a decoy. Muslims are the heads of the Ministry of Defence, of what significance is it? The real people in charge of Command and Control, those holding the guns and shooting, are we the ones? We are not the ones; they are playing us. There is an agenda. All means of money and economic power have been hijacked by them, they are planning to deceive us for four years and get eight years. They will not InshaAllah.
“I want to tell you, there is no way Northerners doing their legitimate business will get one billion naira. Our rich people cannot get anything except those they trust. They only trust them because they are doing what they want. Anyone whose loyalty they are not sure of, they will crush him in a few months.
“They will only come during elections like it is done to spread grains to chickens. If they spread grains to chickens, that’s all. Giving spaghetti to people is the solution, this spaghetti issue is a big deal. We are being cheated in this country and in a real mess.
“There’s one Reverend or Bishop during Buhari’s tenure who was saying to me that Muslims have hijacked power. I told him, ‘Yes and I am okay,’ because I knew the Chief of Army Staff would not attempt to attack me. Even if he will not protect me, he will not collaborate with some people to attack me. Our own people either in the military, police or the Department of State Services (DSS) will not be used to harm me, they will also not harm you who is talking as a Christian.
“I want you to know the difference. If you give them power, you give them guns, they will strive to harm you. Let me give you examples: Was Sardauna not a Premier? Who killed him? You gave them guns, Nzeogwu killed him. Who killed Murtala (Muhammed)? Dimka from the North. How did Babangida fare? He escaped by whiskers. who wanted to kill him? Gideon Orkar. You give them guns and they will kill you. Once you give them power, that’s all.
“There’s one Aliyu Masruhi from Tanzania, he had said this for long that there’s no society that gives power without conditions. If it becomes inevitable that we will give power, we must ensure for example security is in our hands and other things and he said, do you agree? But how can you surrender power then you go and hide?
“If Israelis enter this country, there will be a clandestine operation against any outspoken Islamic cleric; we have seen the signs. Why was Sheikh Jaafar killed? May his soul rest in peace, why did they kill Sheikh Albany? You can see how they are killing; there’s a hit list and we have known this for long.
“Why am I walking with the police? You didn’t see me with police during Buhari’s government, despite my disagreement with them. It is because of this threat that we applied for police protection and they gave us. Even if the President doesn’t like me, he has to give me police protection or else he will be held responsible for my life.
“For you to understand, they will bring the MOSSAD into our country. Because of this, Tinubu should know that we know their plan, he must choose. He should remove the Minister of Abuja; if not, we will collide with him. On the day of a bath, the navel is not hidden.
“Let me tell you what happened during President (Goodluck) Jonathan’s time. We went to a meeting one day at the DSS headquarters and met one operative who knew my police detail. One day he called us and gave us the number of a Mercedes 4matic. He said he was in the toilet and heard the arrangement of how a hit squad had been assembled to kill Sheikh Gumi.
“All the killings that happened during Jonathan’s time in Jaji were executed by the military and not Boko Haram. Now have you not known the real Boko Haram? Can Boko Haram plant a bomb in Jaji if not them? General Shuwa was killed despite having soldiers in his house. They went and killed him. They were angry because he fought the civil war. You gave them power and they killed your leaders.
“All the killings perpetrated by Israelis are nothing, but the attack carried out by Hamas is now their nightmare. If any Muslim in Nigeria has ever killed a President in this country, they will have put a ceiling on our people’s military career progression. If they attain the rank of a Captain, they will not be trusted to progress and we will concede. But how about them? They killed our leaders, not one, not two, not three. Once you give them power, they will kill, they will continue to kill our people.
“After the DSS operative leaked the plot to kill me, I quickly informed the police commissioner and also posted on Facebook. He then heard them saying the operation should be called off since it was leaked. They now said the person who leaked it was inside their office. He was arrested and detained for two months and survived by chance. He came to my house after two months and explained all that transpired and how he survived by the grace of God.
“One day during Ramadan fasting, I was working to use a projector, I now put the children in a car to proceed to the mosque before me. After the car left the house, we heard a bomb explosion. I asked that pictures of the scene should be taken. There was an attack by bees there, but two people were killed and they were in chains and had pistols, meaning if the bomb did not kill us, they would use the pistol to finish us. The third person coming from Ungwan Shanu was also killed by the bomb explosion.
“We then continued with our study. Three people were killed. If you remember that time, I thank Governor Ramalan Yero for not stopping the Ramadan study. When I returned home, the correspondents of BBC Hausa and Voice of America met me, saying they went to the scene to get stories and capture the real Boko Haram, but troops had sealed off the scene and forced them to delete the pictures they captured. They told me ‘we are trying to know Boko Haram and we have found Boko Haram in action and you are saying we should delete their pictures’.
“The dead bodies of the attackers were hurriedly evacuated in a military vehicle and made to disappear. When Daily Trust reporters came to me, I told them the story and they went to One Division Nigerian Army, and One Division Nigerian Army said they had no information that soldiers took the dead bodies of the two people. Suddenly one Muslim working in the 44 Nigerian Army Hospital’s mortuary came and said the two dead bodies were indeed deposited in the mortuary, and they were Southerners from their looks.
“It is the military that is carrying out these attacks; they are the ones who struck in Jaji to stop Major General MD Isa from becoming the Chief of Army Staff. They are the ones who also killed General Shuwa and all of us are targets.
“I am telling you people to be wise and don’t be fools because of God. These our Muslims politicians just want dollars to go on holidays, go for medical treatments and have forgotten the people. They are targeting us and that was what I was telling that pastor/bishop that if we Muslims are in power with Muslims as heads of security agencies, we will not kill you but if we give you Christians power with your infidels as heads of security agencies, they will plan to kill me and I have examples.
“They killed Sardauna, they killed Tafawa Balewa and they killed Murtala. They killed our people, tell me your own that was killed. This is what I asked him. But they were making noise and shouting that Buhari was doing nepotism. I know but it has no significance because we don’t do evil. However, these people will not help you but do evil, and that’s why we are saying don’t leave power.”
The Director of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service, Chief Okwudili Ohaa, has said the swift mobilisation of emergency resources by Governor Peter Mbah led to the rescue of five occupants trapped in a collapsed building in Enugu metropolis.
The uncompleted four-storey building, located along Ogbaru Street, by Alvan Ikokwu Street, Independence Layout, Enugu, collapsed in the early hours of Sunday.
Ohaa told newsmen on Sunday that all five occupants of the building, as confirmed by the security guard on duty, were successfully rescued.
Ohaa
He said four of the occupants were rescued alive and conscious, although they sustained injuries, while the fifth person was rescued unconscious.
Ohaa commended Governor Mbah for his swift mobilisation of emergency response agencies, including the Red Cross, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Ambulance Services, the police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).
Other agencies and organisations at the scene included the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA) and a Chinese construction company, which provided four heavy-duty cranes.
According to Ohaa, the governor alerted him about the incident early Sunday morning, prompting the immediate mobilisation of officers of the Enugu State Fire and Rescue Service to the scene with extrication equipment.
“His Excellency, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, must be commended for also mobilising adequate rescue equipment such as heavy-duty cranes, bulldozers and excavators, which ensured the rescue of the five persons,” he said.
Ohaa explained that rescue officers initially relied on information from the security guard to determine how many people were trapped in the building.
“As rescue officers, what we did was to ask the security man how many people were here. He said there were supposed to be six. One person had left before it happened.
“So, we were able at that initial time to rescue four persons. Out of the four, two sustained minor injuries and they were all rushed to a health facility for proper checks,” he said.
The Chief Fire and Rescue Officer said the fifth person was eventually recovered unconscious and taken to a health facility by the Enugu State Ambulance Services.
The NEMA Information Officer in Enugu, Mr Nnanyelugo Ezeani, also confirmed that five people were rescued.
He said the situation could have been worse because the state government had earlier sealed the construction site.
“One person among the six residing in the collapsed building was not on the site at the time of the incident, while five others were rescued and taken to the hospital,” Ezeani said.
Speaking on the incident, the Executive Chairman of the Enugu Capital Territory Development Agency (ECTDA), Mr Uche Anya, described the developer as one of those who failed to comply with building regulations.
Anya said the ECTDA had earlier taken regulatory action by sealing the site, which was originally approved in 2021.
“This property was approved in 2021 before the advent of this administration. But usually, we have a habit of stocktaking and checking on every construction at every stage.
“When I personally led the team that inspected here, we found out that there were serious integrity issues and non-compliance with their 2021 approval.
“I personally issued the first ‘stop-work order,’ which, due to the violation, resulted in our sealing the place over the last six months outrightly.
“So, I think within the last 30 to 40 days, the representative of the owner, whom they say lives abroad, has been interfacing with us to remedy the situation. This is the process that we are still trying to interface on, and it came down.”
Anya added that he had handed the owner’s representative over to the police to assist with the investigation.
“This is really a very unfortunate situation,” he said.
A four-storey building under construction in Enugu has collapsed, killing at least one person and trapping several construction workers beneath the rubble.
The incident occurred on Sunday morning at the uncompleted structure, reportedly being developed as a hotel, causing panic among residents and passersby.
According to authorities, six workers were believed to have been sleeping inside the building when it collapsed. Four workers have so far been rescued, while the body of one victim has been recovered.
Authorities said one of the six workers reportedly left the site shortly before the collapse, raising hopes that fewer people may be trapped beneath the debris than initially feared.
The rescued workers were taken to the Enugu State Teaching Hospital for treatment.
Emergency responders, including the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA), Nigerian Red Cross Society, Enugu State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), Enugu State Capital Territory Development Authority and the police, are participating in the rescue operation.
The cause of the collapse has not yet been established, while rescue efforts continue at the scene.
The member representing Ikwo/Ezza South Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Chinedu Ogah, has called on the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and other anti-graft agencies to investigate the financial activities and source of wealth of socialite and businessman, Paschal Okechukwu, popularly known as Cubana Chief Priest.
Ogah, who is Chairman of the House Committee on Reformatory Institutions, made the call on Thursday at a press conference in Abakaliki, Ebonyi State.
The lawmaker said the businessman’s financial dealings should be subjected to scrutiny regardless of his public profile.
“I am urging the EFCC to thoroughly investigate him, investigate his bank accounts, investigate all the things he does,” Ogah said.
He also accused Cubana Chief Priest of undermining President Bola Tinubu’s political fortunes in the South-East ahead of the 2027 general elections.
Ogah questioned the socialite’s claim to political influence in Ebonyi State and challenged him to make his membership card of the All Progressives Congress (APC) public.
The lawmaker further criticised recent comments attributed to Cubana Chief Priest on social media in which he reportedly called for the resignation of Ebonyi State Governor, Francis Nwifuru.
Ogah demanded that the comments be withdrawn and followed by an apology, warning that legal action could be taken if the businessman failed to comply.
“Who is Cubana Chief Priest? What is his address that gives him the impetus to speak against our governor, the most performing governor in Nigeria?” he asked.
According to Ogah, Cubana Chief Priest had no electoral mandate to speak on behalf of Ebonyi State or demand the resignation of its elected governor.
He also questioned the businessman’s political influence, noting that he had previously contested an election in Imo State but failed to secure the party’s primary ticket.
Ogah alleges plot against Nwifuru
The lawmaker further alleged that unnamed political actors were sponsoring campaigns aimed at discrediting the Nwifuru administration and weakening the APC ahead of the 2027 elections.
He defended the state’s security architecture, particularly the Commissioner of Police, Hope Okafor, against what he described as an orchestrated campaign for her removal.
Ogah urged the Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services (DSS) and other relevant agencies to investigate those behind the alleged campaign and determine whether any law had been breached.
“All of us can attest to the peace and security we enjoy in Ebonyi State. The Army, the police, the Civil Defence and the DSS are doing marvellously well in Ebonyi State,” he said.
Lawmaker accuses Otu of mobilising protesters
Ogah also accused another critic of the state government, Charles Otu, of allegedly mobilising people from outside Ebonyi State to participate in a protest against the government in Abuja.
He claimed that some of those involved were presented as Ebonyians despite allegedly coming from other states.
Ogah said his lawyers had previously petitioned the DSS over allegations involving Otu and urged the agency to investigate the matter.
He also challenged Otu to substantiate allegations he allegedly made against him during an appearance on Arise Television.
“My own is that whosoever defaults the law, we take it legally. I cannot mention who I have not known. But when we get there, it is for the security agencies to investigate,” Ogah said.
Ogah lists Nwifuru’s achievements
Defending the Nwifuru administration, Ogah cited the state government’s scholarship programmes, school construction, road projects and other development initiatives as evidence of the governor’s performance.
He said hundreds of Ebonyi indigenes had benefited from postgraduate scholarships in Nigeria and abroad, while roads and schools were being constructed across the state’s 13 local government areas.
Ogah also praised Nwifuru for what he described as political tolerance, saying opposition parties had been allowed to operate freely in the state.
He argued that the people of Ebonyi should determine their political leadership through the ballot rather than through media campaigns and protests.
“Ebonyi people will choose who is their leader. They should stop using the media to castigate the governor,” he said.
Questions Nwifuru’s omission from Tinubu campaign council
The lawmaker also questioned the reported omission of Governor Nwifuru from President Tinubu’s campaign council, describing it as an error that should be corrected.
“How can a governor that has done much in APC not be included in the campaign council? How can a governor that is elected under the APC not be included?” Ogah queried.
He maintained that Nwifuru’s political influence and the APC’s electoral performance in Ebonyi made him an important stakeholder in Tinubu’s 2027 re-election campaign.
Ogah warned political actors against using the media to destabilise the state and urged all parties to pursue their grievances through legal and democratic channels.
The lawmaker, who is also the Ebonyi State Coordinator of the Tinubu Support Group (TSG), was accompanied by other members of the group at the press conference.
He reiterated his call for security agencies to investigate the various allegations raised and take appropriate action against anyone found to have violated the law.
The Federal Character Commission (FCC) has urged youths in Enugu State to disregard the belief that federal government jobs and other opportunities are already allocated before they are advertised.
FCC Executive Chairman, Hulayât Motunrayo Omidiran, gave the charge on Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Enugu, during the Peter Eze Enugu Youth Connect 2026.
Omidiran urged the youths to acquire relevant skills, embrace technology and actively pursue legitimate opportunities, stressing that federal character should promote both equity and merit.
She also warned against fraudulent recruitment schemes and advised applicants to authenticate employment opportunities before applying.
The Enugu State Deputy Governor, Ifeanyi Ossai, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Chidiebere Onyia, challenged young people to prepare themselves for available opportunities.
Onyia said government could create opportunities, but individuals must develop the capacity to take advantage of them.
The FCC Commissioner representing Enugu State, Peter Ogbonna Eze, said the programme was designed to bridge the information gap preventing young people from accessing federal employment, scholarships, grants, fellowships and training opportunities.
Eze said many youths were discouraged from applying for federal jobs because of the misconception that such positions had already been shared among influential individuals.
He urged them to apply whenever legitimate opportunities were advertised, warning that nobody should pay money to secure a federal government job.
He also disclosed that five participants in the programme would be selected for a full scholarship opportunity.
Eze said the initiative would continue as a platform for connecting Enugu youths with credible opportunities and urged participants to become “ambassadors of opportunity” by sharing useful information with others.
The event brought together youths and stakeholders from across Enugu State to discuss federal representation, employment, education, skills development and other opportunities.
By Chinedu Sabastine
ENUGU — Umuchigbo Iji Nike Autonomous Community in Enugu East Local Government Area of Enugu State has fixed Sunday, September 13, 2026, for its annual New Yam Festival.
The cultural celebration, which is scheduled to commence at 3 p.m., is being organised under the leadership of the Executive Chairman of Umuchigbo, Hon. Chief Afam Joseph Ogbene, popularly known as Akirika Chioku 1, Na Nike Kingdom.
The festival is expected to showcase the rich cultural heritage and traditions of the people of Umuchigbo and Umuenwene in Iji Nike Autonomous Community, while promoting unity and communal bonding.
Ogbene, in an invitation to the festival, described the celebration as an opportunity for the people to preserve their cultural heritage, strengthen community ties and give thanks for the year’s harvest.
He said, “Our New Yam Festival is more than a cultural celebration. It is a time for us to come together as one people, appreciate our heritage and give thanks for the blessings of the year.”
According to him, the event will also provide an opportunity for sons and daughters of the community, as well as friends and well-wishers, to reconnect and celebrate together.
“We are inviting everyone to come and celebrate with us. It is a celebration of our culture, our community and thanksgiving for the new yam season,” he added.
According to the invitation, activities will commence at Ogbene’s residence on Akirika Chioku Avenue, Nome Ogba Aniji Road, Umuchigbo, before proceeding to Obodoeze Iji Village Square, Odangene, for the New Yam rites and masquerade display.
The event will also feature traditional cuisine, music and other forms of cultural entertainment.
The organisers urged sons and daughters of Umuchigbo, friends, well-wishers and members of the public to join the community in celebrating the festival.
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