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Why I built mosque in Adamawa –Catholic Bishop
The Catholic Bishop of Yola Diocese in Adamawa State, Bishop Dami Mamza, was recently in the news after unveiling 86 housing units, 12 classrooms and a mosque, among others, that he built for internally displaced persons at Sangere-Marghi village of Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa State.
He recently spoke with BILLY GRAHAM ABEL, and gave reasons for the unusual display of love and generosity.
While regretting the collapsing security situation in the country, Bishop Mamza dismissed calls by Islamic cleric, Sheikh Abubakar Gumi, for government to negotiate with bandits, describing Gumi’s relationship with bandits as suspicious. He also urged the Federal Government to engage the services of mercenaries to help address the country’s security situation.
You recently did something unusual: you built houses, schools and a mosque for Muslim IDPs in Adamawa. Why gave rise to the unusual move?
It started in September 2014, when the first three local governments in northern Adamawa were overrun by Boko Haram insurgents.
I was at the Catholic Bishops conference in Warri when I received a call informing me that Michika, Madagali, Mubi and later on, Gombi, had been overrun by Boko Haram, and that our church was flooded with internally displaced persons. I quickly returned to Yola. But I had instructed the Coordinator of Justice, Development and Peace, Yola Diocese, Rev. Father Morris Kwoiranga, to open the doors of the cathedral in order to accommodate as many people that were in need of shelter and food. We had to close down our schools. We opened up our old cathedral, our pastoral centre and so many institutions that we have within Jimeta to house as many internally displaced persons as possible.
They came in their numbers, looking for shelter and food. I instructed that any money available, even if it belonged to somebody, should be used to provide food for the IDPs. That was how it all began.
At a certain stage, we had about 3,700 IDPs residing within St. Theresa Cathedral. But again, there were people that were living within the town but lacked the capacity to support themselves. Take for example, a person who earns N40,000 only at the end of the month but has about 50 IDPs from his village residing in his house because he is the only person from their village that they know. So, such people were coming in to get food or financial support. Since then, after every two weeks, for about three years, we have been inviting these displaced persons to what became a routine food distribution exercise.
Based on our records, about 7, 500 households were beneficiaries of the food distribution for these three years. Every two weeks, we distribute over 500 bags of maize. We have been doing that faithfully without fail until northern Adamawa was recaptured. Even after that, we continued with the exercise, depending on the needs.
Then we have those in camps. We were responsible for their feeding. We feed them three times a day, provide them with shelter and take care of their medical bills. We had to open a clinic here and requested for some volunteer medical practitioners, doctors and nurses to help in providing some services.
We had groups like the Daughters of Charity, who came all the way from Port Harcourt, and provided medical services. That is what we have been doing in the last seven years working with the IDPs.
When most of the local governments in northern Adamawa were recaptured, most of the IDPs gradually returned to their communities. Those that were left at our camps were those who have their houses at the fringes of the Sambisa Forest and these are communities where the Boko Haram insurgents are still active and the communities are still susceptible to Boko Haram intermittent attacks.
I remember that about 17 of our IDPs that returned were killed in 2015. When some of the IDPs in our camps heard about their deaths, they changed their minds about returning home. The 86 families have been with us since then.
What brought the idea of the housing units?
One night in 2019, I started thinking, how long would we sustain the situation of the IDPs and take care of them? Besides, we were having donors fatigue and the IDPs were on the one hand tired of living at the camps. So, I thought to myself whether it would be possible to build simple houses for them to live in as their own homes. Then I asked myself, where do I get the resources to do this? I had no money, no land, nothing. So, I decided to approach government for a land with the thought in my mind that even if it is a round hut that we would build, it would go a long way in easing their pain. The governor, Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri, graciously offered about 10 hectares of land for the resettlement of these IDPs at Sengere, Marghi. After that, I consulted with my main sponsors, Missio, a German-based Catholic organisation, which supports humanitarian causes across the world and in support of the Catholic Church too. They have been the ones supporting our IDPs. About 99 per cent of the feeding of our IDPs has been funded by them. I wrote a proposal and they were so impressed. In January, 2020, the entire management of Missio came to Adamawa State, and they were able to have an interaction with the governor.
I took them to the site in Sangere, Marghi. There was a school there, but none of the classes had roofs, and all the children of the IDPS were in our school, a very good school. I asked them whether it was possible that they support a school project of 12 classrooms. They had already approved funds for the housing units. But then, if we build houses for them, and if their children have no access to school, then we might be raising another set of children that would be illiterates. That was how we started the building of the houses and the school almost at the same time.
About 95 per cent of the IDPs are Christians, with about five per cent Muslims. We also got funds to build a church. Because of the Coronavirus pandemic, we could not have money for the mosque building. But we sourced it from our local contributions within the Catholic Diocese of Yola. Because how would the Muslims IDPs feel if they don’t have a place to worship? That was how we built and commissioned the facilities. The school cost roughly about N30 million, we have spent about N107 million on the houses, and about N5 million for the mosque.
Many people, both Christians and Muslims still wonder: why did you build the mosque?
I know building this mosque has generated a lot of comments, some positive, some negative, from both Christians and Muslims, But my message is very simple. We have no option but to live together as brothers and sisters in one family, more importantly as Nigerians.
When I was taking care of the IDPs, I never discriminated. When I built the houses, I never discriminated. When building the schools, I never discriminated. So why should I now discriminate based on worship centres? To me, it is a matter of justice. I have built a church for one group, I should also build a mosque for the other group. I believe that would go a long way in strengthening the bond of unity in the housing units and it would also serve as a lesson to other religious leaders in the country that religion is a matter of choice. That, if, for instance, one decides to convert to another religion, no one should threaten, intimidate or terrorise you.
I believe we serve the same God, and when they all go in to pray, they would pray for Nigeria and for me, irrespective of their places of worship. There are people who felt that I should not have done that as a Catholic priest, but it is my choice and decision. The problem in our country is that, we use religion as the basis to determine relationships, association, etc. In as much as, conversion from one religion into another is not respected, we would continue to have problems.
It only means that there is no freedom of worship and Nigeria is still a secular state. Let’s put Nigeria first and live together in peace and unity.
How would you advise the government to address the security crisis in the North-East and other regions?
The security situation in the country has gone very bad and is getting worse on a daily basis. In fact, the North-East and places like Adamawa State have been more peaceful than places in the North-West. Our government needs to rise to its own responsibility and do the right thing.
Unfortunately, our politicians are more concerned about 2023 polls than the security situation of the country. If our politicians do not put security issues first before their ambition for 2023, I wonder whether if Nigeria does not exist, who are they going to rule over? There is an urgent need for government at all levels to take the issue of security very seriously. Now in Nigeria, everyone is afraid and no one can sleep with their eyes closed. Our government needs to do more than it is doing right now.
The military also need to do better. I think something is wrong somewhere with the way security issues are handled. They are always complaining about lack of equipment, but the annual budget for defence speaks to the contrary because it is always huge. So something is wrong.
The North-East Development Commission should be embarking on projects like the one we just did, but we don’t know what they do at all. They are just there in Abuja doing nothing. As a matter of fact, why is the headquarters of the commission not here in the North-East but there in Abuja? But the bottom line is that, we are not feeling their impact. I can’t see anything being done by them. There are many international bodies and groups working here and we are feeling their impact.
Sheikh Gumi wants government to negotiate with armed bandits, and some Nigerians have supported the suggestion. What is your take?
There is no sincerity in Sheikh Abubakar Gumi’s position or what he is suggesting as a solution.
Nobody knows the heart of Gumi or why he is doing what he is doing. What he is suggesting will take us nowhere. There is definitely a link between Sheikh Gumi and the bandits. What is the link? How did he get into contact with them? This is the question that should be investigated and answered.
He is not the only Sheikh in Nigeria or Islamic cleric, yet he has taken so much interest in the cause of the bandits and going about offering explanations to justify the actions of the bandits. I don’t see any sincerity in the actions of Gumi and I’m very suspicious of the role he is playing. Only God knows what he is doing. In the first place, he has not condemned what they are doing. He’s only blaming the government for not giving them this or that. No matter how irresponsible a government is, no one has the right to go about taking other people’s lives and you cannot come our as a religious person to support the actions of the people who go about taking lives.
You cannot support someone going into banditry, killing, maiming, abducting and traumatising people and you as a religious leader would stand to rationalise and explain their actions. Are they the only people without jobs in Nigeria? Are they the only people with grievances against the government and against what is happening in the country? I have a problem with what Gumi is doing. Many Nigerians have a problem with it.
If you don’t agree with Gumi’s methods, what alternatives would you proffer?
I would advise the Nigerian government to hire mercenaries. We have reached a point where our government should say we can no longer handle this problem alone and we should be sincere and with all sense of humility to it. The governor of Borno State, Prof Zulum said we should look for mercenaries, because even our military that are fighting this war, there is no sincerity in them. We cannot say that they are not trying, but it is obvious that there are issues.
I have a relation, a soldier, who was wounded by Boko Haram insurgents some few weeks ago. He was abandoned and had to be treated by the family. So, we don’t know what is happening here in our country.
By Chinedu Sabastine
Mainpower Electricity Distribution Limited (MEDL) has announced a planned power outage in Nsukka and surrounding communities from November 5 to 10, 2026, to enable the Transmission Company of Nigeria (TCN) to carry out maintenance work on equipment at its Nsukka station.
The outage, scheduled to run daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will affect electricity supply to customers served by the University of Nigeria, Nsukka (UNN), SUMAS and Orba 33kV feeders.
The announcement comes amid a current reduction in electricity supply across Enugu State, which MEDL has attributed to a drop in energy generation and low system frequency, forcing TCN to implement load shedding.
In a public notice issued on Monday, MEDL’s Head of Communications, Emeka Ezeh, said the planned maintenance was necessary to improve electricity supply in the affected areas.
“The planned outage is to enable the TCN technical team to carry out maintenance work on some equipment at the station,” Ezeh said.
He added that the exercise was aimed at improving the reliability and quality of electricity supply to customers.
The communities expected to experience interruptions include Ukopi, Opi Agu, Eha-Alumona, Orba Town, Obollo-Afor, parts of Obollo-Eke, Enugu Ezike, Ibagwa, Nkalagu Obukpa, Okpaligbo, Iheaka, Edem Ani, Agbani, Uzo-Uwani, Obimo, Nkpologu, Lejja, Nguru, Aku and Ogbede.
Other affected locations are Odim Gate, Nkpor, UNN, Nru, Ede Oballa, El Tabera Estate, Ikenga Estate, Wilson Company, Umakashi, Isiakpu, G.R.A. and Ogige Main Market, alongside surrounding communities.
MEDL apologised to customers over the anticipated inconvenience and appealed for their patience and understanding during the maintenance period.
“The exercise is necessary to facilitate essential technical work aimed at improving the reliability and quality of electricity supply to customers,” the company said.
Why electricity supply has dropped
In a separate public notice issued on Monday, the company explained that the current reduction in electricity supply across Enugu State resulted from a decline in energy generation, which had affected the stability of the power system.
MEDL said the situation had resulted in low system frequency, prompting TCN to ration available electricity through load shedding.
“The current reduction in power supply availability is due to a drop in energy generation, which has resulted in low system frequency,” the company stated.
It added that the situation had necessitated TCN’s decision to implement load shedding of the available energy.
“Consequently, the energy allocation to MEDL has been affected, limiting its ability to meet the daily service-level commitments,” the statement said.
The company, however, assured customers that it was monitoring the situation and distributing the available electricity allocation across its network.
“MEDL wishes to assure its customers that it is closely monitoring the situation and will continue to distribute the available energy allocation fairly across its network,” Ezeh said.
The company expressed optimism that normal electricity supply would soon be restored, while regretting the inconvenience caused by the reduction in supply.
It also thanked customers for their patience, understanding and continued cooperation.
Enugu State Governor, Dr. Peter Mbah, has taken steps to address the rising cost of renting accommodation in the state by forwarding an executive bill to the State House of Assembly seeking to regulate agency and legal fees charged by property agents and lawyers.
The proposed legislation seeks to amend the Landlord and Tenant Law, Cap. 101, Revised Laws of Enugu State, 2004, with a view to protecting tenants from excessive charges while ensuring fairness and transparency in the property market.
Speaker of the Enugu State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Uche Ugwu, disclosed this in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Monday, October 26, 2026.
Ugwu explained that the executive bill would complement an earlier legislative proposal sponsored by the member representing Nkanu East State Constituency, Hon. Anthony Okey Mbah, which had already passed first and second readings and undergone a public hearing.
According to the Speaker, the proposed amendment would introduce measures to regulate estate agents, place limits on agency and legal fees, and establish clear procedures for the collection and refund of caution fees.
The legislation also seeks to check arbitrary rent increases and minimise disagreements between landlords and tenants over property damage through joint inventories and professional valuations where necessary.
Ugwu noted that the Assembly would harmonise the proposals to produce comprehensive legislation that addresses longstanding concerns in the state’s housing sector.
“When we are done with dotting the i’s and crossing the t’s, we shall have a document that shall make tenancy-related charges more transparent and predictable, control and limit agency and legal fees, establish a formal regulatory framework for agents,” he stated.
He added that the proposed law would provide a structured mechanism for handling caution fees and refunds while creating an enabling environment for investors in the housing sector.
The development comes amid growing concerns among residents over the financial burden associated with securing rented accommodation, particularly agency commissions, legal charges and other tenancy-related payments.
The Speaker maintained that the initiative was consistent with Governor Mbah’s broader development agenda of positioning Enugu as an attractive destination for investment, business, tourism and residential living.
“According to the Governor’s vision, indeed we can make Enugu the preferred destination for business, investment, tourism and living,” Ugwu added.
The proposed amendment, when passed into law, is expected to provide a clearer legal framework governing the relationship between landlords, tenants and property agents across the state.
By Okey Maduforo, Awka
The ongoing modernisation of the Onitsha Main Market in Anambra State is expected to be completed ahead of the Christmas festivities, with over 6,000 shops and modern facilities designed to boost commercial activities in the historic market.
The project, which commenced two months ago, has reached 90 per cent completion and is being executed on a 24,000-square-metre expanse of land, with an Independent Power Plant (IPP) designed to provide uninterrupted electricity to the market and its environs.
Other facilities include five additional boreholes to complement the existing one, a health centre, modern toilet facilities, a motor park, solar-powered streetlights, CCTV surveillance cameras and four access roads.
The market will also feature three major entrance gates, eight minor gates and a dedicated firefighting station to enhance security and emergency response.
Speaking during an inspection of the project, the Commissioner for Housing, Arc. Henry Arinze, said the initiative was designed to provide a conducive business environment for traders and their customers.
“The project is aimed at providing ease of doing business for both traders and their customers, and with over 6,000 shops in the market, we are good to go,” he said.
Arinze explained that the project forms part of Governor Charles Soludo’s urban regeneration programme, adding that the provision of an Independent Power Plant would enable traders to extend commercial activities from the current closing time of 5 p.m. to 10 p.m.
“We did not demolish the market shops. What we are carrying out is part of the urban regeneration programme of the state government. With the new facilities, the market will remain open until 10 p.m. as against the present 5 p.m. closing time,” he stated.
He further disclosed that construction activities were deliberately restricted to nighttime and Sundays to minimise disruptions to trading.
“We would have gone farther than this, but we work only at night and on Sundays so that traders can continue their businesses while construction is ongoing,” he explained.
Also speaking, the Special Adviser to Governor Soludo on Projects Monitoring, Prof. Ebuka Nwankwo, recalled that the market had not witnessed any major government-led modernisation since its post-civil-war reconstruction in 1971 under the administration of the then Sole Administrator of East Central State, the late Ukpabi Asika, with assistance from the Federal Government.
According to him, the market has experienced four major fire incidents since its reconstruction, with affected traders largely undertaking the rebuilding of their shops themselves.
“Since 1971, when the market was reconstructed after the war, there have been four fire incidents, with traders carrying out the reconstruction of their affected shops. The state government is not only desirous but deliberate about restoring the past glory of the market,” Nwankwo said.
The Head of Civil and Structural Engineering, Prof. Henry Aginam, commended the Anambra State Government for embarking on the project, describing it as a bold intervention in the redevelopment of the commercial hub.
He expressed satisfaction with the quality of construction materials and the calibre of professionals engaged in executing the project.
Similarly, the representative of the Council for the Regulation of Engineering in Nigeria (COREN), Engr. Prof. Akaolisa Ezeadi, gave the project a positive assessment, noting that the construction work complied with professional standards and engineering best practices.
Ezeadi said the regulatory body was satisfied with the quality of work so far and would continue its monitoring visits until the project was completed.
In his remarks, the Commissioner for Commerce and Industry, Mr. Nonso Ebonwu, described the market modernisation as a major step towards reviving the commercial fortunes of Onitsha and attracting increased patronage from within and outside Nigeria.
He disclosed that a similar redevelopment initiative was also being undertaken at the Nkwo Nnewi Auto Parts Market.
The Chairman of the Onitsha Main Market Traders Association, Chief Chijioke Okpalaugo, expressed satisfaction with the transformation of the market, noting that patronage had continued to increase despite the ongoing construction.
He reaffirmed the traders’ support for the Soludo administration and expressed optimism that the completed project would further strengthen Onitsha Main Market’s position as one of the leading commercial centres in West Africa.
ENUGU, October 25, 2026 — A new association, Online Media Professionals (OMP), has been established to unite online media practitioners, protect their interests and promote professionalism in Nigeria’s media industry.
The association, according to a communiqué issued in Enugu on Sunday, aims to provide a common platform for practitioners to collaborate, share ideas and address challenges affecting their work and welfare.
OMP said the growing influence of online publications in informing the public, shaping public discourse and holding public officeholders accountable had made it necessary for practitioners to organise under a recognised professional body.
The association will bring together individuals who own or work with online media platforms, providing opportunities for cooperation, professional development and engagement with relevant institutions and stakeholders.
It also plans to establish working relationships with government officials, security agencies, educational institutions, corporate organisations and other bodies whose activities affect the media industry and society.
According to the communiqué, OMP is beginning its activities in the South-East, with plans to expand into a national organisation representing online media professionals across Nigeria.
The association said its long-term objectives included building a credible professional body capable of giving practitioners a collective voice, promoting responsible journalism and providing a platform for addressing issues affecting members.
It added that the growth of online media must be accompanied by professionalism, accountability and respect for the responsibilities associated with informing the public.
OMP also pledged to encourage cooperation among practitioners and promote standards capable of strengthening public confidence in online publications.
The association noted that achieving its objectives would require the commitment of members, a clear sense of purpose and programmes designed to address their needs.
It therefore called on online media practitioners across the South-East and other parts of the country to identify with the initiative and contribute to building a strong professional association.
Membership, according to the communiqué, is open to professionals who own or work with online media publication platforms and are willing to support the association’s objectives.
The communiqué was signed by Jude Chinedu and Chukwumerije Aja on behalf of the Communiqué Drafting Committee of Online Media Professionals.
The emergence of OMP marks an effort to strengthen the professional identity of online media practitioners and create opportunities for collaboration and growth within Nigeria’s evolving media landscape.
The Federal Commissioner representing Kaduna State at the National Population Commission (NPC), Hon. Sa’adatu Garba Dogonbauchi, has presented letters of permanent and pensionable appointment to three youths drawn from different local government areas of the state.
The presentation, according to a statement issued by Dogonbauchi, is aimed at expanding employment opportunities for young people and supporting youth empowerment in line with the Federal Government’s development objectives.
The beneficiaries are Shamsuddeen Abdulaziz Bagi from Igabi Local Government Area, Abdulfatah Abdulwakil from Kaduna South Local Government Area, and Aisha Adamu from Birnin Gwari Local Government Area.
Speaking during the presentation, Dogonbauchi described the appointments as more than an administrative exercise, saying they provide beneficiaries with an opportunity to build sustainable careers in public service while improving their economic prospects and contributing to national development.
She said the initiative aligns with President Bola Ahmed Tinubu’s Renewed Hope Agenda, which prioritises employment generation, economic empowerment and improved living standards for Nigerians.
The NPC commissioner expressed appreciation to President Tinubu for the opportunity to serve and represent Kaduna State, pledging to continue supporting programmes that create opportunities for young people and strengthen public institutions.
She also acknowledged Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani, Speaker of the House of Representatives Abbas Tajudeen, and Hon. James Abiodun Faleke for their support, which she said contributed to her appointment and service.
Dogonbauchi urged the new employees to discharge their duties with discipline, integrity and professionalism, while adhering to public service rules and serving as worthy representatives of their communities.
She congratulated the beneficiaries and encouraged them to justify the confidence reposed in them through excellence, accountability and dedication to public service.
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