The Nation Newspaper

Tag: Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III

  • Sultan, Saudi Arabia declare today first day of Dhul-Hijja 1446 AH

    Sultan, Saudi Arabia declare today first day of Dhul-Hijja 1446 AH

    •June 6 is Eid-el-Kabir

    The Sultan of Sokoto and President–General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has declared today the first day of Dhul-Hijja 1446 AH.

    A statement last night in Sokoto by the Chairman of the Advisory Committee on Religious Affairs in the Sultanate Council, Prof. Sambo Wali Junaidu, said the sighting of the crescent of the moon put the celebration of Eid-el-Adha on Friday, June 6.

    The statement by the NSCIA followed the announcement by the authorities of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on the sightings of the Dhul-Hijjah crescent. This marks the start of the 12th month in the Islamic calendar.

    A message shared yesterday by Haramain, a Saudi-based online news platform via X, stated that today is the first day of Dhul-Hijjah.

    Muslims from across the world travel to Saudi Arabia for Hajj during Dhul-Hijjah.

    According to the Haramain’s message, June 5 would be the day of Arafat, while June 6 would be the day of Eid-el-Adha, the Muslims’ biggest festival.

    Dhul-Hijjah is considered a sacred month and a time of heightened devotion, reflection, and acts of worship.

    “The crescent moon has been sighted in Saudi Arabia — Dhul-Hijjah 1446 begins tonight,” the post said.

    “Day of ‘Arafah: June 5, 2025; Eid-Al-Adha: June 6, 2025.

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    “May Allāh accept the Hajj of the Hujjaj and our worship and allow us to make the most of these blessed days. Aameen.”

    On Monday, the Sultan had asked Muslims across the country to look for the new moon of Dhul-Hijja 1445 AH.

    A statement by Junaidu had said the monarch asked Muslims to report its sighting to the nearest district heads for onwards communication to the Sultan.

    “This is to inform the Muslim ummah that Tuesday, May 27, 2025, which is equivalent to the 29th of Dhul-Qa’ida 1446 AH, shall be the day to look for the moon of Dhul-Hijjah 1446 AH,” the statement said.

    “Muslims are therefore requested to start looking for the new moon of Dhul-Hijjah on Tuesday and report its sighting to the nearest district heads for onwards communications to His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto and President General Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs in Nigeria, Alhaji Mohammad Sa’d Abubakar III.”

    Dhul-Hijjah is considered a sacred month and a time of heightened devotion, reflection, and acts of worship (ibadah).

  • Niger tanker explosion: Sultan urges review of fuel transportation safety protocols

    Niger tanker explosion: Sultan urges review of fuel transportation safety protocols

    …seeks survey of explosion-prone highways

    The Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of Jama’atu Nasir Islam (JNI), Alhaji Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III, has reacted to the fuel tanker explosion at Dikko Junction, Niger State on Saturday, calling on the federal government to review the safety protocols guiding fuel transportation in Nigeria.

    In a statement signed and made available to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday by the Secretary-General of JNI, Prof. Khalid Abubakar Aliyu, the Sultan also called for maximum surveillance of explosion-prone highways.

    While recalling several similar tanker explosion incidents, the Sultan lamented that tankers conveying petroleum products have been sources of disastrous road accidents, with agonising loss of lives and property in Nigeria.

    According to the statement, “At the instance of its President-General, His Eminence, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji(Dr.) Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar, CFR, mni, JNI received with utmost concern the unfortunate truck explosion arising from a tanker conveying petroleum products.

    “The gory incident is just but an addition to the series of many others of such explosions in recent times. It is so unfortunate that tankers conveying petroleum products are now sources of disastrous road accidents, with agonizing loss of lives and property, in Nigeria.

    “The Dikko junction incidence is too many a tragedy to be waved, taking into account that the junction is on a major highway connecting northern Nigeria, particularly the Northwest to southern Nigeria. More so, the same episodes have occurred in the most recent past in Jigawa State twice.

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    “With nostalgia the unfortunate 15th October 2024 fuel tanker explosion in Majiya, Jigawa state is said to have claimed over 200 persons, injuring many, while on Tuesday, 12th November 2024 another tanker exploded at Gamoji, along Kano-Maiduguri highway claiming many lives.

    “A similar incident occurred on Wednesday, 14th January 2025 at the Epe-Ijebu Odeyemi expressway. Sometime in 2023 at Iganmu Bridge, Lagos State many vehicles were destroyed and lives lost, arising from a petroleum tanker explosion.

    “Be as it may, JNI is genuinely worried over the serial explosions from petroleum tankers, without any seeming efforts by relevant stakeholders to address the misnomer.

    “Nevertheless, JNI implores: Governments to immediately control all dangerous bends and/or sharp curves/corners and parking lots that have become prone to such accidents, by mounting FRSC emergency detachments – response offices, as well as Federal Fire Service offices with state-of-art equipment;

    “Nigerians should always avoid explosion-prone areas to reduce casualty, no matter the temptation for assumed loot, no life is worth losing carelessly;

    “Relevant transport and/or road unions should begin sensitising and educating their members on dangers associated with reckless driving – especially one-way driving, which has now become too common on the Nigerian highways and they should always cooperate with security agencies on highways;

    “Governments at all levels, in collaboration with different security agencies should be up and doing against the recklessness of all drivers plying major highways, most especially the tanker drivers, as desperate situations need desperate measures;

    “Governments should act beyond mere verbal condemnations on related matters. Nigerians are desirous of more concrete actions against all forms of unfortunate incidences, criminals and criminalities;

    “There is the urgent need for the FGN to review the safety protocols guiding fuel transportation in Nigeria, as the repeated explosion calls for serious review, while surveillance should, maximally be accorded to explosion-prone highways, and lastly:

    “The FGN should in the name of Allah, the Most High, expedite action in completing the 40 kilometer Suleja-Minna road, dual carriageway connecting Abuja and Niger State, which has been ongoing for over 20 years to ease movement of goods and services, as well as save lives.

    “Meanwhile, the Sultan of Sokoto beseeches Allah’s infinite mercy upon the departed souls, praying for their repose in Jannatul-Firdaws, and also seeks Allah, the Most Compassionate, to grant patience and solace to the bereaved families during this incredibly difficult time. May Allah, the Most Merciful, bestow healing and swift recovery upon all the injured. Amin,” the statement read.

  • Sultan, Emirs seek urgent action on insecurity, joblessness

    Sultan, Emirs seek urgent action on insecurity, joblessness

    The Sultan of Sokoto Muhammad Sa’ad Abubakar III and Northern governors yesterday called for drastic measures to tackle hunger, joblessness and insecurity.

    The revered monarch, who spoke at the sixth executive committee meeting of the Northern Traditional Rulers Council, which he chairs, said the region was sitting on a keg of gunpowder with youth unemployment.

    The meeting had the theme: “Enhanced security as the panacea for stability and development of the North.”

    Kaduna State Governor Uba Sani expressed concern about worsening insecurity, saying the North must unite to arrest the situation.

    The Sultan, flanked by the Emir of Kano Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero and the Emir of Katsina Alhaji Abdulmumini Kabir, said: “Insecurity and the rising level of poverty are two issues that we cannot fold our arms about and think everything is okay.

    “I have said it so many times and at so many fora that things are not okay in Nigeria and in the North.

    “We owe it a duty to the teeming millions of people that believe in the traditional institution, to bring solutions to the various problems facing them. We will not fail in doing that. We will do our best.

    “I have said so many times that we don’t lack solutions to our problems. What we lack is implementation.

    “We meet and bring out so many beautiful ideas on how to solve our problems; but we go back to our various places and go to bed, leaving such solutions here in this conference hall. So, how do we implement them?”

    The Sultan said his people have hope that things will be better.

    “Let’s not take things for granted. People are quiet because we have been talking to them.

    “We have been trying to tell them things will be okay and they keep on believing.

    “I pray to Almighty Allah that they will not one day wake up and say: ‘We no longer believe in you.’

    “That will be the biggest problem because we can’t quieten these people as traditional, spiritual leaders and diplomats forever.

    “We must find jobs for our teeming youths that are sitting idle.

    “I have said it so many times, we sitting on a keg of gunpowder having teeming youths, millions of them, without jobs, without food. We are looking for trouble.”

    Sani, represented by his Deputy, Dr Hadiza Balarabe, called on Northern states to forge strong partnerships.

    He said: “Agriculture, power and infrastructure, especially roads are critical areas where we must collaborate to revitalise our economy and address the challenges of poverty and insecurity.

    “Going forward, Northern states must develop a common strategy and operational plan to tackle insecurity.

    “We must establish a command and control centre to coordinate our joint efforts against terrorists, bandits, kidnappers and other criminal elements within this region.

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    “Northern traditional rulers must take the lead in the execution of psychological operations geared towards winning the hearts and minds of the people at the grassroots.

    “You have a huge responsibility to mobilise and sensitise our people to support security forces to degrade terrorists and bandits.

    “We must establish early warning systems and intelligence gathering mechanisms within our communities.

    “Our main weapons must be people because terrorists, bandits insurgents also live amongst us. Traditional rulers have bigger roles to play within our communities.

    “We must restore the glory of the traditional institution if we want better for our security and stability.”

    Director-General of State Security Service (SSS), Yusuf Magaji Bichi, represented by the State Director of Security (SSS), Alhaji Abdul Enenche, urged the traditional institution to help identify threats.

    “Informants keep frustrating the role of security agencies. They live amongst communities.

    “This underscores the role of traditional rulers who can assist security agencies in fishing out insider threats,” he said.