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Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1bn is a beginning, not the solution III.

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1bn is a beginning, not the solution III. By Prof. M. K. Othman Northern Nigeria, home to millions of us, is rich in fertile farmland, abundant sunshine, youthful populations, strategic trade routes, and mineral resources. Yet it remains the least developed region, with massive abject poverty and a heavy dependence on Abuja to finance its future. Although this is a general Nigerian problem, its consequences are most visible in the North, where insecurity feeds directly on economic fragility. The central argument of this article is simple: the North cannot achieve lasting progress unless security and development are squarely addressed together. Ordinary citizens should reasonably expect much from this new Fund. We have all become understandably skeptical after witnessing countless interventions announced with great optimism but implemented with little transparency. This Security Trust Fund cannot afford that fate, and the personalities involved cannot...
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Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution II

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution II By Prof. M.K. Othman   This piece is a corollary to last week’s write-up, which posed several questions: What are the mandates of the Northern Nigeria Security Trust Fund? Will the Trust Fund end up similar to Trust Funds established a few decades ago without tangible results? Will the state governors fulfill their one-billion-naira monthly pledge? Answering these questions and offering recommendations to make the Trust Fund effective and sustainable are pertinent to the success of the high-integrity personalities who serve on the fund's board of trustees. These skilled personalities have a high capacity and are endowed with a wealth of experience from diverse backgrounds; it would be highly desirable for them to accomplish their assignment and uplift the region and the nation from the dreadful, nightmarish situation that insecurity has landed us in. The trustees' mandate is explicit and significant:...
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Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution

 Northern Security Trust Fund: ₦1 Billion Is a Beginning, Not the Solution By Prof. M.K. Othman Confession: I am not a security expert, but my interest in security matters has led me to read widely and to write more than 10 articles on insecurity in Nigeria over the last 5 years. I also submitted a 12-page security memorandum during a stakeholders’ security interaction with the Katsina State Governor, Mallam Dikko Umar Radda, in September 2025. I also had a one-on-one interview on security challenges with the current Minister of Defence, General Christopher Gwabin Musa OFR (Rtd), when he was Chief of Defence Staff, and wrote a 2-part article, publishing the interview in my column and in several other online papers. These experiences have deepened my conviction that insecurity in Nigeria demands urgent, informed, and collective action. As a concerned citizen, born, raised and educated in the northwest, Nigeria, like millions of others who call this region home, I grew up knowing a N...
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Radda’s Relentless Efforts on Security: Dialogue, Deterrence, and Search for Stability

 Radda’s Relentless Efforts on Security: Dialogue, Deterrence, and Search for Stability By Prof. M.K. Othman In Nigeria’s North-West, particularly Katsina State, the struggle to establish security lies in balancing dialogue and deterrence. Governor Radda’s administration has focused on managing this balance to achieve lasting stability. For over a decade, communities in Batsari, Jibia, Safana, Danmusa, Faskari, and Kankara faced persistent armed banditry. Villages were destroyed, schools closed, and farmland abandoned. The December 2020 abduction of hundreds of students in Kankara became a defining moment of crisis. When Governor Dikko Umar Radda took office in May 2023, he confronted not just insecurity, but a community traumatized by years of violence. His challenge: restore security without militarizing daily life, seek peace without legitimizing crime, and offer realistic reassurance. As the Hausa proverb notes: “When the flood overwhelms, even fish seek refuge.” In response, l...
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Constructive and Unbiased Journalism: Tribute to Katsina Post @ 10

 Constructive and Unbiased Journalism: Tribute to Katsina Post @ 10 By Prof. M. K. Othman Saddiq Mustapha and Mustapha Saddiq, often mistaken for the same person because of their similar names, are, in fact, two bosom friends. Both were classmates in secondary school but later pursued different tertiary-level programs, Mustapha Saddiq in health sciences and Saddiq Mustapha in agricultural sciences. Twelve years ago, they reunited, driven by shared passion, to establish “Katsina Post”—an indefatigable e-newspaper focused on Katsina state in particular and Nigeria in general. Their initiative is inspired by legendary media figures from Katsina, including the late Alhaji Abidina Coomassie (Today Newspaper), the late Alhaji Ismaila Isa Funtua (Democrat Newspaper), the late Major General Shehu Musa Yar’Adua (Reporter Newspaper and Sentinel Magazine), the late Wada Maida, and Alhaji Garba Dangida. Alhaji Kabiru Yusuf, Chairman of Media Trust Group and publisher of Daily Trust Newspaper, ...
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USA/Israel - Iran War: When Two Elephants Wrestle

 USA/Israel - Iran War: When Two Elephants Wrestle… By Prof. M.K. Othman While the term "war" may suggest a confrontation between equals, the USA/Israel-Iran conflict is marked by a significant imbalance in power and resources. Thus, a more accurate analogy would be a struggle between a cat and a rat, emphasizing Iran’s disadvantage. Still, international conflicts are complex, often defy logic, and are rarely resolved by force alone; the 'might-is-right' doctrine does not hold water. The Middle East crisis must be understood through the lens of these imbalances and complexities, forming the basis of this analysis.    On February 28, 2026, the world experienced a seismic shift, one that many people did not immediately understand but has since become painfully clear. What started as coordinated military strikes by the United States and Israel against Iranian targets quickly escalated into a full-scale regional crisis. Tensions have risen, involving various parties from ...
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Re: Muhammad Hassan Sale- The Demise of an Academic, One Death Too Many

 Re: Muhammad Hassan Sale- The Demise of an Academic, One Death Too Many By Prof. M. K. Othman   2010 was a year I was traumatized by the death and tragedy of my former students and colleagues when I was burdened with the task of identifying their bodies - Engr Joseph Mohammed and his classmate, who were involved in fatal road accidents in Enugu when we went for the NIAE Conference, tagged, “Enugu 2010”. I visited several private and public mortuaries in Enugu, which involved examining the bodies of the deceased, some of which looked horribly disfigured, while others appeared as if they were sleeping. We eventually identified the two victims. It was the most horrific experience of my life, which made me spend many sleepless nights until I performed the Hajj operation of that year, one month after the tragedy. That experience was different from that of Tuesday, 10th February, 2026, when Muhammad Hassan Sale slumped and died tragically, leaving his nursing wife, two children, ai...
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