News

FrontFoot Trains Journalists On Accountability, Audit Reporting

Published

3 years ago

October 4, 2022

FrontFoot Media Initiative, a non-profit, civil society organization, has said that experts in forensic auditing, public finance and accounting including top media professionals are expected to participate in its two days training aimed at promoting accountability and good governance.

INFO DAILY reports that FrontFoot is a non-profit, civil society organization established to advance democracy and development in Nigeria and the African continent through enhancing the quality of journalism.

INFO DAILY further reports that the group aims to re-invigorate media practice in and about Africa, using Nigeria as base; and to promote reporting in a context that gives it meaning and involves people in finding solutions to common problems.

A statement signed by Chido Nwakanma, Training Coordinator, FRONTFOOT, said the training scheduled to hold in Benin City and Awka respectfully is to build the capacity of journalists to report on state government audits in Nigeria.

According to the statement, “Fifty journalists will participate in the introductory Audit Reporting Training workshops in the Edo State capital on 5-6 October, and in Awka on 17-18 October.

“The Benin City event will attract journalists from Edo and Delta States while Awka will host invited journalists from Anambra and Enugu States.

“At the two-day workshops, journalists will learn to mine state government audit reports for stories that will boost transparency and accountability in Nigeria.

“Each workshop will feature between 20 and 30 participants drawn from print, broadcast, and online media platforms.”

The statement added that Forefront undertakes the training as part of Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (C-Media) project of the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism, sponsored by the MacArthur Foundation.

According to the statement, audit reporting is central to promoting transparency and accountability in governance, critical levers to pull Nigeria out of the quagmire of corruption, poverty, and under-development.

News

Trump’s Airstrikes: Halt Military Cooperation With US Immediately – Sheikh Gumi Tells Tinubu Govt

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Islamic cleric, Sheikh Ahmad Gumi has called on the Federal Government to immediately halt all military cooperation with the United States following reported US airstrikes.

Gumi warned that American involvement could worsen Nigeria’s security challenges and undermine national sovereignty.

Gumi made the call in a statement posted on his Facebook page on Friday.

He said while Islam permits the fight against terrorism, such actions should only be carried out by what he described as “clean hands,” arguing that the United States lacks the moral authority to lead such efforts because of its global military record.

According to the cleric, Nigeria made a mistake by allowing foreign powers to play a role in its counterterrorism operations, insisting that “terrorists do not truly fight terrorists” and that such interventions often result in civilian casualties and hidden political motives.

Gumi warned that allowing Nigeria to become a theatre of war would attract anti-US forces into the country, further destabilising it.

He also cautioned that US involvement, particularly under claims of protecting Christians, could polarise the country along religious lines.

The cleric further argued that airstrikes alone cannot defeat terrorism, stressing that effective counterterrorism requires strong ground operations, which he said Nigeria has enough personnel to carry out if properly organised.

“This is the mistake Nigeria has made. Terrorists don’t fight terrorists in truth; they may only kill innocent people and have ulterior motives behind the drama of fighting ‘terror’.

“As a principle, no nation should allow its land to be a theater of war. And no nation should allow its neighbors to be their enemies.

“If Nigeria wants military assistance, China, Turkey, and Pakistan can do the job effectively,” part of his statement reads.

News

Shehu Sani Reacts To Trump’s Military Strikes In Nigeria

Published

11 hours ago

December 26, 2025

Editor

Former lawmaker, senator Shehu Sani, has reacted to reports of United States military strikes on terrorist targets in Nigeria’s North-West, saying foreign powers cannot permanently handle the country’s security challenges.

Sani made the remarks on Friday via his X handle while responding to a post by the United States Africa Command, AFRICOM, which indicated that the strikes were carried out in coordination with Nigerian authorities.

According to him, if the reported strikes were indeed a joint operation with Nigerian security agencies, then such action was justifiable, given the threat posed by terrorist groups in the region.

He described terrorists operating in parts of northern Nigeria as “cancerous cells,” stressing that they survive through violence and should be confronted decisively.

Sani also dismissed narratives suggesting that terrorist attacks target only one religious group, describing such claims as false and misleading.

He said: “If actually, the military strikes against the terrorists targets in the North Western part of Nigeria were a joint operation with the ‘Nigerian Authorities’ as posted by the US AFRICOM on their verified X handle, then it’s a conscionable action.

“Terrorists have become cancerous cells in our part of the country.They live by the sword.The narrative that the evil terrorists only targets one faith, remains absolutely false and misleading.

“Again, the ultimate security and peace in our country lies with ourselves and not with the US or any foreign power. They can complimentarily or unilaterally strike, but they can’t eternally fight our battles.”