Storytimes Newspapers

 The Plateau State Police Command in Nigeria has announced the start of intensive 24-hour surveillance and patrol operations across all 17 local government areas of the state. This measure, effective from February 20, 2026, aims to ensure peaceful and hitch-free observance of the Christian Lenten season and the Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which coincide this year. The Commissioner of Police, CP Bassey Ewah, ordered the round-the-clock patrols to boost visible policing, deter criminal elements from exploiting the religious periods, prevent opportunistic crimes (which can rise during such celebrations), and maintain law and order in communities. This proactive step comes amid broader calls for unity and peace during these overlapping observances, including from national leaders like President Bola Tinubu, who urged Nigerians to promote good neighborliness, unity, and prayers for national progress and security. The initiative reflects heightened security awareness in Plateau State, ...

 Former Senate President, Dr. Abubakar Bukola Saraki, has extended warm congratulations to Muslim faithful across Nigeria and the world as the holy month of Ramadan commences. In a message released through his Press Officer on Local Matters, Abdulganiyu Abdulqadir, Saraki described Ramadan as a profound season of reflection, spiritual growth, self-discipline, and renewed dedication to moral values. He urged Muslims to go beyond abstaining from food and drink, encouraging them to deepen compassion, strengthen personal responsibility, and recommit to service to humanity. Saraki referenced the teaching of the Holy Prophet (SAW): “The most beloved of people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people.” He emphasized that this is a time to deliberately look out for one another, exercise patience in speech, fairness in dealings, and reliability in duties entrusted to individuals. He noted that even small acts of kindness during this period carry immense meaning for those in need...

  Muslim communities in Nigeria's northwestern Sokoto State are turning to the holy month of Ramadan with hopes of renewed peace and spiritual reflection, following the U.S. airstrikes on Christmas Day 2025 that targeted Islamist militants in the region. The strikes, conducted on December 25, 2025, by the U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) in coordination with the Nigerian government, hit camps linked to Islamic State affiliates (including groups like Lakurawa) in Sokoto State near the Niger border. U.S. President Donald Trump described the operation as "powerful and deadly" against militants he accused of primarily targeting Christians, framing it symbolically as a response to alleged threats. Nigerian officials emphasized it was a joint counterterrorism effort against jihadist elements, not religion-specific, though the U.S. framing sparked concerns about heightening religious tensions in a country already grappling with complex insurgencies affecting both Muslims and Christ...