By ANDERSON (ANDY) CLIFF KING Charles III and Queen Camilla arrived in Vatican City on Thursday for a formal meeting with Pope Leo XIV, marking the start of their state visit to the Holy See. The royal couple received a ceremonial welcome at the Apostolic Palace, complete with the Swiss Guard and national anthems of […]
By HALIMA TAKWAS RELIGIOUS leaders have raised alarm over rising faith-based violence in Nigeria, revealing that 16,769 Christians and 6,225 Muslims were killed between 2019 and 2023. Speaking at a roundtable in Abuja, the President of the Para-Mallam Peace Foundation, Dr. Gideon Para-Mallam, said the killings reflect deep-rooted religious persecution and government inaction. He urged […]
By OBIOMA TORI ECONOMIST Daramola Omoyele has urged the Nigerian government to include religious institutions in its new tax framework while tackling corruption in tax administration. In an interview on Wednesday, Omoyele warned that the 2025 Tax Administration Act—which introduced unified tax IDs and compliance measures—would fail if it exempts powerful groups like religious […]
By MAHMOOD MALIK MUSA (M.M.M.) IBRAHIM SAUDI Arabia has introduced new, tougher health requirements for the 2026 Hajj to safeguard public health during the pilgrimage. According to the Saudi Ministry of Health, all intending pilgrims must be physically and mentally fit and comply with an expanded vaccination regime before being allowed entry. The Kingdom listed […]
By HAUWA MAGANA A City Divided, A People Scarred IN 2003, as violence spread across Jos, Blessing Emmanuel lost her home, her belongings, and the stability she once knew. Hers was not an isolated experience. Plateau State had already become synonymous with ethno-religious conflict, with clashes in 2001 and 2004 claiming thousands of lives. Old […]
By HALIMA TAKWAS THE National Hajj Commission of Nigeria (NAHCON) has announced a reduction in the cost of the 2026 pilgrimage to Mecca, with fares set between ₦8.1 million and ₦8.5 million depending on departure zones. NAHCON Chairman, Prof. Abdullahi Saleh Usman, said the new structure—approved by the Federal Government—offers pilgrims an average saving of […]
By REVEREND FRANK CHIKANE, via KADARIA AHMED THE World Council of Churches (WCC), representing over half a billion Christians worldwide, finally spoke with moral clarity in June. At its Johannesburg meeting, the Central Committee condemned Israel’s apartheid system, demanded sanctions, divestment, and an arms embargo, and called for an end to occupation and the Gaza […]
By DIANA CHUKWUKA THE Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG), Area 12, Province 130, Ilamoshe, Okeafa, Isolo, hosted a discounted fair tagged “Jesus Market” on Sunday, selling food and household items at heavily subsidised rates. Items such as yam worth ₦4,000 sold for ₦1,000, while rice, beans, garri, soap, and detergents were also offered […]
THE ancient city of Kano came alive on Saturday as thousands of Muslims gathered in colourful processions to celebrate the birth of Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him), an annual event widely known as Mawlid Nabiyy or Takutaha. Men, women, and children thronged the streets in their finest traditional attires, carrying banners and waving flags […]
RELIGIOUS leaders and scholars have reiterated the urgent need for inter-religious dialogue as a sustainable path to peace, security, and development in Nigeria. Speaking at a seminar themed “Inter-religious Dialogue: The Panacea for World Peace” on Saturday, the President of the International Harvest School of Theology, Prof. Chinyere Ilochi, stressed that Nigeria’s cultural and religious […]