By David Owei,Bayelsa

Former member of the Federal House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Israel Sunny Goli has felicitated with the Chairman of Maton Engineering Nigeria Limited and Executive Director of Fenog Nigeria Limited,Mr. Mathew Tonlagha over the celebration of his 50th Birthday.

He described the 50 years life of Mathew Tonlagha as a fountain of blessing to countless individuals and communities in the Niger Delta, Nigeria and the world at large.

Rt. Hon. Sunny Goli in his congratulatory message, described the 50th birthday of Mathew Tonlagha as a reminder of his modest contribution, “The celebration of your 50th birthday is a beautiful reminder of what our modest contributions toward making the world better can accomplish.”

“Your compassion, dedication, and consistent service to humanity are truly admirable. Our communities are better because people like you have taken it upon themselves the responsibility not to leave them the way you met them.”

“As you celebrate this golden milestone, it is my earnest prayer that your days be filled with joy, your home with peace, and your path with even greater purpose.”

” May this birthday open to you a new chapter of grace, strength, and continued service. Happy 50th Birthday, Sir.”

By George Mgbeleke

Pro-democracy and civil rights advocacy group HUMAN RIGHTS WRITERS ASSOCIATION OF NIGERIA (HURIWA) has described as disappointing and unfortunate, the failure of the Federal and state governments to rescue the 177 worshippers violently abducted since over three weeks by terrorists.

HURIWA stated that the inability of the Nigerian State through the President to keep to the constitutional obligation to protect the lives and property of the citizens which the Supreme law listed out as the primary duty of government, is reminiscent of a failed nation.

HURIWA recalled that three churches in Kaduna state were viciously attacked and 177 worshippers kidnapped on Sunday 18 January.

The Rights group which blamed the Kaduna state government for reportedly reaching a truce with terrorists, for the continuous attacks especially in the Christian communities of Southern Kaduna.

HURIWA wondered whether the huge money allegedly paid to the terrorists for the so-called peace agreement have finished to necessitate the renewed bombardments by terrorists of mainly Christian communities to kidnap citizens in expectation of another huge payments. Immediate past governor of Kaduna state Mallam Nassir Elrufai had alleged that N1 billion was paid out to terrorists who accepted to end their attacks of communities in the state. But the Kaduna state government denied the allegation. Senator Shehu Sani a former Federal lawmaker also debunked the allegation made by erstwhile governor Elrufai.

Specifically, speaking about the attacks targeting the three churches in Kaduna, Yunana Adauji, a secretary of the church network attacked and who managed to escape his captors, informed the media as follows: “The incident took place around 9:30am while we were having Sunday morning worship. The terrorists came in their numbers with guns and gathered worshippers together in one place. They threatened to shoot anyone who tried to escape.

“The victims kidnapped were forced into the bush, including children, women and men, as well as sick people who were at home recuperating after surgery. We don’t know the condition of our people who were kidnapped. We need your prayers and help to see an end to these attacks.”

HURIWA lamented that initially, the local government and police denied that the event had taken place – a BBC article on the attack cites police commissioner Alhaji Muhammad Rabiu describing the news as ‘mere falsehood’. However, the local community documented the names of those who had been taken by extremists and shared them with a local journalist.

The Rights group therefore expressed shock several weeks after the Commissioner of police in Kaduna state misled the World and clearly played a covered up of the news of the kidnapping of 177 Christian worshippers, the top police chief has not faced any administrative sanctions for the misdemeanor. HURIWA has asked the Police Service Commission to sanction the Kaduna state police commissioner for attempting the mislead the world on the incident that led to the violent abduction by terrorists of 177 Christians from their churches.

HURIWA has therefore called on the military and police authorities to upgrade and intensify the search for the 177 kidnapped worshippers and ensure that the terrorists are arrested, prosecuted and punished sternly for their vicious crimes against the Nigerian citizens. “The chief of Defence Staff and the chief of Army Staff together with both the IGP and the DG of DSS, must partner swiftly to ensure that these 177 kidnapped Christians are rescued safely and also arrest and bring the terrorists to swift justice. Nigerians want a country in which the lives of citizens are sacrosanct and invisible. These incessant bloody attacks by terrorists are absolutely despicable and reprehensible. Those who ought to prevent and end the frequent killings must be made to implement workable strategies for ending these attacks.

Relatedly, the Rights group condemned the invasion by terrorists that burnt down the Divisional Police Station in Agwara town, headquarters of Agwara Local Government Area of Niger State, raiding a church and kidnapping at least five people in the community on Sunday February 1st 2026. HURIWA described the continuous bombardments of communities in Niger state as shameful on the part of the security forces given that they are expected to have enforced effective mechanisms for preventing these killings and attacks by terrorists.

HURIWA citing media report, stated that the attackers that invaded the Niger staye community, reportedly arrived around 4am and engaged the police officers in a gun battle just as they eventually set the police station on fire, and reportedly moved to the UMC Church and some parts of the community, abducting no fewer than five people. The terrorists also burnt a section of the Church, according to media report. HURIWA said the success recorded by the terrorists is a reminder of the stark reality of the expanding frontiers of undefended and ungoverned spaces in Nigeria just as HURIWA wondered why the Niger State governor hasn’t set up and equipped civilian armed vigilantes in his state to partner with established national security forces to wage war on terrorists.

“We condemn these incessant terrorist attacks on Nigerians and especially we denounce the systematic targeting of Christians and the destruction of their churches just as we call on the Federal Government to act swiftly to put an end to these attacks that have led to the killings of thousands of Nigerians in these needless and bloody attacks.

By Abdul-Ganiyy Akanbi

A civil society organisation, CSO, the Independent Hajj Reporters, IHR, has petitioned President Bola Tinubu over the Central Bank of Nigeria, CBN’s directive mandating the use of Automated Teller Machine, ATM cards for the disbursement of Basic Travel Allowance, BTA to pilgrims for the 2026 Hajj.

In a letter dated January 17, 2026, and signed by its national coordinator, Ibrahim Muhammad, the group urged the President to intervene, warning that the policy could expose pilgrims to undue hardship.

The organisation noted that about 70 per cent of Nigerian pilgrims are from rural areas with limited access to electronic banking services, adding that language barriers in Saudi Arabia and possible transaction failures could result in financial losses.

“The policy poses significant risks to our pilgrims, many of whom come from rural communities with limited electronic banking access,” the letter stated.

IHR called for the suspension of the ATM-only policy for the 2026 Hajj, the reinstatement of full cash disbursement through the National Hajj Commission of Nigeria, NAHCON, and the convening of stakeholders to design pilgrim-centred reforms.

The group also argued that the policy contradicts the principle of ease in religious obligations and could undermine the dignity of pilgrims if not reviewed.

It expressed confidence that the President would act in the interest of pilgrims and national welfare, urging urgent attention to the matter to safeguard Nigeria’s reputation within the global Muslim community.