Sokoto State Governor, Ahmed Aliyu, has urged Nigerians to renew their commitment to ending banditry and other forms of insecurity as the nation marks its 65th independence anniversary. In a statement by his spokesperson, Abubakar Bawa, Aliyu described insecurity as a major obstacle to Nigeria’s socio-economic and political development, stressing the need for governments, traditional rulers, religious leaders, and communities to work together. He warned against the “informant syndrome” in rural communities, which he said fuels abductions across Sokoto State. The Governor outlined steps taken by his administration to curb insecurity, including the procurement of over 180 patrol vehicles, establishment…
Author: TheStories
The International Press Centre (IPC) has called for a full-scale investigation into the death of Ms Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, a news anchor and producer with Arise News Channel, who died after an armed gang attack in Abuja on September 29, 2025. Reports from Arise News Daybreak indicated that about 15 armed men stormed Unique Apartments in Katampe around 3:00 a.m., attacking all 16 flats in the compound. Security guards raised an alarm and alerted the police, but no response was reportedly received. Maduagwu was taken to Maitama District Hospital, where she died. Relatives alleged that hospital staff delayed treatment until…
The media community in Nigeria has been thrown into mourning following the tragic death of Arise News Channel journalist, Somtochukwu Christelle Maduagwu, who was killed during an armed robbery attack at her residence in Katampe, Abuja. The 29-year-old news anchor, reporter, and producer—fondly called Sommie by colleagues—was said to have died in the early hours of Monday, September 29, 2025. The incident is currently under investigation by the Nigeria Police Force. In a statement issued on Monday, the management of Arise News described Maduagwu as more than just a colleague, noting that she was “a vibrant voice that engaged and…
In Nigeria, titles are not just decorations—they are passports to respect, validation, and sometimes even unearned authority. The recent buzz surrounding the Kano singer, Dauda Kahutu (Rarara), and his supposed conferment of an honorary doctorate from a so-called European-American university, whether genuine or dubious, has once again set tongues wagging about our near–sacred obsession with titles. This conversation, though sparked by one individual, has laid bare the feverish passion—if not outright obsession—that Nigerians attach to certificates, particularly the glamorous “Doctor” before a name. Politicians and leaders have, for decades, indulged this appetite by collecting honorary degrees from universities in Ghana,…
The Presidency has reacted sharply to moves by some opposition figures to draft former President Goodluck Jonathan into the 2027 presidential race, describing his administration as “a period of economic ruin” that Nigerians would not forget in a hurry. In a statement issued on Monday by Bayo Onanuga, Special Adviser to President Bola Tinubu on Information and Strategy, the State House said Jonathan was free to contest but warned that his record in office would be a major obstacle. Onanuga was responding to comments credited to former Minister of Information, Professor Jerry Gana, who declared that Jonathan would run on…
The North East Youth Initiative for Development (NEYIF), in partnership with Alyateem and with support from the Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund (GCERF), is set to host a two-day Community of Practice (CoP) workshop on Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) Sustainability and Exit Plan in Sokoto. According to the Executive Director of NEYIF, Dauda Muhammed Gombe in an interview with TheStories, the event, scheduled for September 29–30, 2025 at Dankani Guest Palace, Sokoto, will bring together stakeholders from Northwest States. It aims to consolidate the achievements of the P/CVE project implemented in states. He said that the CoP will serve…
The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has extended indefinitely the deadline for the submission of expression of interest and nomination forms ahead of its national elective convention. The National Convention Organising Committee (NCOC) announced the extension in a statement on Friday, signed by the Secretary of its Publicity Sub-Committee, Debo Ologunagba, in Abuja. According to the statement, the deadline, earlier fixed for Friday, September 26, 2025, has now been put on hold without a new date set. “A fresh deadline will be communicated once it is decided,” Ologunagba said. He added that the committee also shifted the screening of aspirants, which…
I confess without reservation that I am drawn to the world of reality dating shows. “Shoot Your Shot,” with Bisola Aiyeola coaxing secret admirers into revealing their long-guarded affections. It fascinates me in ways I cannot resist. Equally captivating is “Date My Family” on Mzansi Magic, where bachelors or bachelorettes meet potential lovers through their families—an experiment that is both hilarious and revealing, like peeking into the living rooms of strangers and watching destiny negotiate its terms over dinner. For me, these shows are more than guilty pleasures. They are windows into values, desires, fears, and cultural expectations—stories of love…
Tenants of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA) prototype housing estate in Lugbe, Abuja, have petitioned the Council’s leadership over a proposed rent increase to ₦3 million per annum. In a letter addressed to NSCIA Secretary-General, Prof. Ishaq Oloyede, the residents described the increment as “exorbitant and unjustifiable,” insisting that the condition of the houses does not warrant such a hike. They claimed that the buildings were in poor shape when they moved in, forcing many of them to carry out extensive renovations at personal expense, including replastering walls, fixing sanitary fittings, installing boreholes, repairing water systems, and…
The Sultan of Sokoto and Chairman of the National Traditional Rulers Council of Nigeria, Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, has paid a condolence visit to the family of the late Awujale of Ijebuland, Oba Sikiru Kayode Adetona, who died on July 13, 2025, at the age of 91. The Sultan, who was in the South-West for the coronation of former Oyo State Governor Rashidi Adewolu Ladoja as the 44th Olubadan of Ibadanland, visited the Adetona royal family in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State, on Saturday. On arrival, he was received by Prince Saud Adedire Adetona, heir of the royal family, before proceeding to the…