Security is a Collective Spiritual Duty, says Obasa

The Speaker of the Lagos State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. (Dr.) Mudashiru Obasa has described security as a collective spiritual duty while drawing a parallel between the pursuit of national and state security and the broader spiritual journey toward Jannah (Paradise).

In his keynote address at the 31st Pre-Ramadan Lecture of the University of Lagos Muslim Alumni held inside the cavernous J.F Ade Ajayi Main Auditorium of the institution on Sunday, February 15, 2026, Speaker Obasa described security as not just physical safety but the alleviation of poverty, which he fingered as the major cause of insecurity; upholding transparency, fairness, compassion for the vulnerable, and improved healthcare for all and sundry among other humanitarian acts.

For every desire, Speaker Obasa said, “There must be an input. What we have to do to get to heaven is no different from what we have to do for the security of our society. Insecurity is a function of poverty. Security is not about the police alone; it is about all of us. It is a collective spiritual duty. Every time you see people gathered on your street, don’t just drive past; make enquiries as to who they are.”

He further portrayed security as an act of worship and nurturing faith through selfless deeds that protect communities, prevent oppression, and build unity, adding, “By integrating spiritual light with responsible leadership, believers contribute to a Nigeria where peace prevails, guiding souls collectively toward Paradise while securing the present world as a foundation for the eternal one.”

Describing Lagos as a vibrant melting pot of cultures and faiths, Speaker Obasa said that the government has been able to foster a safe and secure environment by ensuring sustained interfaith dialogues, support for religious institutions (mosques and churches), and legislative efforts to promote harmony without division.

Continuing, Obasa said, “As Muslims, our faith calls us to be custodians of justice, peace, and good governance, and we cannot separate our spiritual obligations from our civic responsibilities.

“In governance, we must uphold transparency, fairness, and service to humanity. In the community and in the family, we must be agents of compassion, supporting the weak, feeding the hungry, and uplifting the oppressed. If we uphold these admonitions, there will be peace, prosperity, and progress in our society, aligning with Quranic calls to stand firm in justice (Surah Al-Ma’idah 5:8) and the Prophetic ideal of benefiting others.”

In his welcome address, Dr Abdulmumini Alao, National President, University of Lagos Muslim Alumni (UMA), said, “Our theme for this year’s lecture – The Light Beyond: Guiding Our Souls to Paradise – challenges us to reflect and aspire. In several verses of the Qur’an, Allah gives us a description of Jannah (Paradise) that will be the permanent abode of the righteous after our temporary stay on earth.”

He added that as is the practice of the UMA, there were two guest speakers; “One teaching us on a spiritual subject, while the other would speak on a contemporary national issue. Therefore, while Dr Ridwan Jamiu’s (Chief Imam, Lekki Central Mosque) topic deals with our spirituality, Prof. Is’haq Oloyede, Registrar of the Joint Admissions Matriculation Board (JAMB) as the lead speaker to address us on national security, which is an issue grabbing the headlines in Nigeria today.”

The Governor of Borno State, Prof. Babagana Umara Zulum, represented by the Deputy Governor, Alhaji Umar Usman Kadafur, was the chairman of the occasion.

The University of Lagos Muslim Alumni is a faith-based alumni body of the association, founded in 1995 by 44 members, with a vision to be a frontline group of conscious and dynamic Muslims with a positive and effective impact on their alma mater and society at large. Its mission is to promote brotherhood, scholarship, entrepreneurship, and the best Islamic practices.

More Troubles For Maureen Badejo As Man Accuses Her Of Cows Theft

Instead of thaw, more accusations have been heaped on embattled Maureen Badejo as a man accused her of stealing cattle worth seven million naira (N7m).

The man in the trending video said Maureen colluded with an unnamed divisional police officer to commit the crime.

According to him, the owner of the cow is one Babatunde Odus.

He, however , urged those who have fallen victims to Maureen Badejo to come forward with their claim(s).

He said; “I have just obtained video evidence showing Maureen Badejo in the act of stealing cattle valued at over 7 Million Naira. This is the reality of who she is. This woman is not just a thief; she is a serial blackmailer and a destroyer of lives.

“Maureen Badejo was able to commit this crime using a DPO of a police station She has moved from place to place, duping countless individuals and leaving a trail of destruction.

“Enough is enough. The world needs to know that Maureen Badejo is a fraudster.

“If you have been a victim of Maureen Badejo—whether she stole from you, blackmailed you, or scammed you in any way—please send me a direct message immediately. Let’s gather all the cases against her and ensure she is held accountable.”

Recall that Maureen Badejo has been remanded at Kirikiri Correctional Service because she was unable to meet her bail conditions in the defamation suit brought against her by Apostle Joshson Suleiman of Omega Fire Minsitries.

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Boko Haram’s Chilling Parade of 176 Abducted Civilians in Kwara: Nigeria’s Insecurity Crisis Deepens

By George Omagbemi Sylvester | Published by SaharaWeeklyNG 

“Fresh Footage From Kaiama LGA Signals Expanding Insurgent Footprint in North-Central Nigeria.”

In a grim escalation of Nigeria’s protracted security crisis, suspected Boko Haram terrorists have released a disturbing video showing dozens of abducted women, children and at least one nursing mother, reportedly in captivity after an attack on a rural community in Kwara State. The footage (obtained and circulated by several credible Nigerian outlets including Starnews NG) shows captives lined up in a wooded area, visibly distressed and answering questions posed by their captors about where they were seized. The militants claim the captives were taken from Woro community in the Kaiama Local Government Area and insist they are holding 176 people, far more than initial official reports acknowledged.

The video, which emerged on 14 February 2026, paints a harrowing tableau. Women in worn and dirty clothing stand in rows alongside children; some minors are seen without trousers, underscoring the neglect and harsh conditions of their detention. In the clip, a man believed to be a member of the militant group challenges the Nigerian government, accusing it of “lying” about the scale of the abduction. According to him, officials had initially suggested that only 20–30 people were taken during the February 4 attack and a figure the militants emphatically reject, insisting instead that 176 individuals remain in their custody.

The attack on Woro and neighbouring Nuku villages between 3–4 February 2026 was one of the deadliest episodes in the region’s recent history. Local sources and conflict trackers report that at least 162 residents were killed during the assault, which involved mass shootings, arson and kidnappings. Homes and the traditional ruler’s palace were burnt. Several prominent community figures (including two wives of the Emir of Woro, the community’s Chief Imam, school leaders and students) were reportedly killed in the onslaught. The Emir himself, Alhaji Saliu Bio Umar, remains missing, sparking fears he may have been abducted or killed.

The group behind the attack and the video identifies itself in line with Jama’atu Ahlissunnah Lidda’awati wal-Jihad, the formal name of Boko Haram, a terror network that has waged an insurgency against the Nigerian state for over a decade. The assault in Kwara, which lies in the North-Central region far from the group’s traditional strongholds in the Northeast, reflects the shifting geography of insurgent violence and a trend experts have been warning about for years.

Professor John Campbell, a respected scholar on Nigerian security issues and former U.S. ambassador to Nigeria, has repeatedly underscored the adaptive nature of Boko Haram’s tactics. “When insurgent groups feel pressure in their traditional areas, they disperse into new spaces where governance and security infrastructure are weaker,” Campbell has observed, stressing that evolving insurgent movements exploit ungoverned terrain to sustain violence.

The Kwara State Government, through its spokesperson, has acknowledged the disturbing video and said it is working with security agencies and community leaders to verify identities and secure the release of those abducted. Officials have emphasised the need for calm and urged the public to avoid rumours, noting that “some persons initially reported missing have since reunited with their families.”

Nonetheless, the dramatic discrepancy between government figures and the claims made in the insurgents’ video has deepened public outrage and heightened distrust in official accounts. Civil society organisations, including the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), have called for a state of emergency in Kwara, arguing that the federal and state governments must go beyond statements and mount tangible operations to rescue captives and dismantle terror cells. “The primary constitutional duty of government is the protection of lives and property,” HURIWA’s national coordinator, Emmanuel Onwubiko, said in a statement, warning that persistent insecurity and mass abductions raise “serious concerns about governance and accountability.”

For families of the missing and abducted, the absence of clarity (and the haunting images from the video) have compounded their anguish. In many Nigerian communities, extremist violence has become a relentless cycle of fear, loss and displacement. Analysts say that the Kwara incident underscores some harsh realities: the porous nature of rural areas, the limitations of current security deployments and the ease with which extremist factions can spread propaganda and sow confusion.

Dr. Aisha Ahmad, an expert on terrorism and counterinsurgency, recently reflected on the broader implications: “Terrorist narratives thrive where trust in institutions erodes. Governments must not only act decisively on the ground but also communicate transparently, or risk ceding the information battlefield to violent non‑state actors.”

As Nigeria grapples with the fallout of the latest onslaught in Kwara, the world watches a nation at a crossroads; where the fight against insurgency is not merely a military endeavour, but a test of governance, resilience and the capacity to protect its most vulnerable citizens.